MochaFiona

My husband and I will be moving to Portugal in December/January timeframe. We'll living in the Mafra area. We are considering the health insurance from Medal and would like to hear your experience. The information on their website www.medal.pt seem to be mostly around the Algarve area. Just wondering if the service is equally good elsewhere in Portugal.

We'll be needing house insurance and car insurance too. Any advice and tips will be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!

liveaboard

I've been their customer for 12 years; they're ok.
I've never stepped foot in their office.

Aside from the office location, being in Mafra makes little difference to the coverage. The private hospital(s) there accept the same insurance terms as the Algarve ones.
in case you want to see a health professional outside the Alianze network you'll have to submit the receipts and you'll be reimbursed after a few weeks.

As residents of Portugal, you'll have the right to public health care (SNS) as well. Payments are mandatory if you're earning money here but if not you still have the right to national health.
Even if you never plan to use it, get registered. Your SNS number gets you steep discounts on medications and you can apply for a travel card that will cover you for medical emergency in any EU country.

MochaFiona

Very helpful! Many thanks for your response!

MochaFiona

Are you in the Algarve area? Just yes or no will be sufficient. Thank you again!

toots sweet

We use Tranquilidade for our general insurance.Have had no problems.Can renew online. Advise in good time when renewal is needed.The bill only goes up a matter of a few € each year and we have earthquake insurance.

sportpix

Abbeygate for car insurance.

barlaventoexpert

I've just done a quick check on this company:

It is based in Portimão and appears to have been operating for 27 years.

Although Algarve-based it appears from their site, that they have an "office" in Estoril.

Be aware that they are Insurance brokers and not insurers.

Given the number of foreign residents in the Ericeira & Mafra area, I am certain that there must be similar brokers more local to the Mafra area.

I live 18 kms from Mafra and go there reasonably frequently. I'm sure I've seen agents there en passant.

liveaboard

I'm in Aljezur, north west corner of Faro district; some call this area "Algarve" but some say that term only refers to the southern coast.

I have my cars, tractor, and house insured through Medal as well.
You get better prices from them if you join AFPOP, because they can include you in group rates.

MochaFiona

Thank you liveaboard, toots sweet, sportpix, and barlaventoexpert!

GrahamF

I think you will find that depends on how residence was obtained, whether formal immigration or not. Long before Brexit, I just registered my presence and was given 5 years residence, later converted to permanent. Registered at local health centre with health number. At that time, I applied for and was issued with a Portuguese EHIC which expired earlier this year or, maybe last, I've lost track of time! On application for renewal, my wife's was renewed (she's a citizen) but I was told I had to apply for Social Security number. SS number refused, as was EHIC, as I have never contributed and all health costs must be met by UK. I've never applied for an S1 as we're still resident in UK as far as HMRC are concerned and don't want to lose that status. I did notice that my health centre registration has my UK EHIC no. noted and have never been refused treatment.

Red Eric

If you actually live in Portugal, then you are entitled to a PT issued EHIC (as correctly stated by liveaboard) unless another EU member state (or the UK) is responsible for the costs of your healthcare (which would happen if eg you were a pensioner with only EU / UK pension and nothing from PT, but only after you became a pensioner).

If you don't reside in Portugal, then obviously you aren't entitled to a PT issued EHIC.

And if you do reside in Portugal you will be asked some questions when applying for one which will determine whether it is PT or another country which is responsible for issuing it. It is not simply a matter of your having made social security deductions here or there - it's a matter of who is actually responsible for your healthcare costs at the time of application. You can be perfectly eligible for a PT EHIC despite never having made PT SS contributions.

GrahamF

My point was in reply to this statement. Your SNS number gets you steep discounts on medications and you can apply for a travel card that will cover you for medical emergency in any EU country. I was warning that SNS does not give everyone the right to EHIC card. it depends on individual circumstances which in my case for instance, being a UK funded pensioner living in Portugal, means I am excluded.

Red Eric

You are not excluded.

You are ineligible for PT cover for 2 reasons : 1) you don't reside here and 2) you are already covered by the UK.

A (eg) US or Australian pensioner residing in PT would be entitled to a PT issued EHIC.

liveaboard is absolutely correct - enrolment in the PT health system gives you eligibility for PT EHIC cover, in the absence of you already having that cover from another country.

GrahamF

Of course we do, for most of the year.

Red Eric