Choosing private Healthcare
 

Hi,

I am 27 without pre-existing health conditions. I have not been to a doctor in years but understand I need private healthcare in order to apply for residency in Spain. Many quotes I am seeing are very comprehensive and expensive. All I need is the bare basic cover, does anyone have any recommendations? I have seen it may be cheaper buying once I am back in Spain.

Many thanks,
Emma

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

In order to be able to register for residency, the health cover needs to be comprehensive and not involve any co-payments (ie additional charges over and above the monthly premiums to see a doctor or towards the cost of tests or treatment), therefore only a basic level of cover would not be accepted. You will probably find that smaller, more local Spanish insurance companies offer cheaper premiums than the large household name companies do, although their list of doctors, specialists, clinics and hospitals you can use will probably be less extensive (although still covering all the specialisms).

I don't know where you are intending to live, but my husband and I have had private health insurance for the last 12 years with a small Málaga based company called Prevision Medica (they only cover Málaga province and part of Córdoba province). He is now 70 and I am 63, and our current monthly premiums are €75 each - they would be considerably lower for younger people with no pre-existing conditions taking out new policies

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

Thank you Lynn.
Yes I have just been on the phone to one insurance company and was staggered that the minimum they offered was £100 per month. I had previously spent £100 for a year of travel insurance (which irked me at the time) so I was thinking it would be the same. I will certainly look into companies based in Madrid instead. With the residency application, how did you find the process? Did you need to have all documentation translated in order for them to accept it?
Thanks again

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

Sorry, can't help with that question as we became residents at the start of 2007 and at that time we didn't have to provide a lot of the stuff which is required now. For example, we were able to get S1 forms which covered our healthcare for the first two years, based on the NI contributions we'd paid, but they were withdrawn by the UK in 2014 and only pensioners or people in receipt of certain disability benefits can get them now.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

As for Spanish translation of documents for residency, requirement varies between different National Police Stations and Foreigners' Offices, but generally speaking, other than passport and S1 form, everything not in Spanish requires sworn translation (costs about 50 euro a page). So that will include marriage certificate (you can now get an official Spanish certificate from General Register Office for around £25), bank statement (usually covering the last 3 months) and private health insurance certificate/policy (not if you get a Spanish policy).

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

Don't need the marriage cert at all if you both apply as individuals. Me and the wife got married in Barbados and it takes up to 6 months to get a fully apostiled cert from there and then to get it translated... So our solicitor in spain said we could apply as individuals. Don't cost any extra you just need to show the €7000 each either in separate of a joint account (I'm only quoting but this is what they do regularly) we are still waiting to move over.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

We have healthcare set to start inAugust via Santander. its €626 a year each. Covers everything and is in spanish. The next best was €1100 each from Sanitas

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

Yes, for single application it's around 800 euro/month, and for a joint application it's around 1,200 euro, so it depends on your financial state. For those who were married in UK, it's quite straightforward to get official Spanish certificate (it was made easier to facilitate mutual recognition of certificates within EU in March 2019; though UK officially left EU at the end of January, it still follows almost all EU rules till the end of implementation period). I know getting an apostilled certificate can be a PITA for some countries, as our gestora reminded us.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

If you're 27 does that mean you'll be working? That changes things because many employers give health cover as part of the employment package (possibly it's the law and all companies must do this).

If you can live in Cantabria for a bit then you can apply for residency with a co-payments policy, then go live anywhere in Spain. I'm over twice your age and, with co-payments, pay less than half what you've been quoted.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

Thank you so much for this. I hadn't realised that about the sworn translation and associated costs. What is the S1 form you speak of?

I'm sorry I don't understand; what do you mean by 800 per month, which certificate is to be recognised? I am not married and won't be any time soon..


I will be working without a contract at first just doing some online teaching and plan to start professionally in 2021 once my Spanish has improved and the corona situation is better. This is why I am just going to prove that I won't drain the state by showing a savings account balance and private healthcare cover. When I can get a proper job I will be able to get covered by being a tax-payer and through the company.
What do you mean by co-payments?

I also wanted to know: Do the government check back / expect you to renew the resident's permit every year and provide evidence until you've been in Spain for 5 years and can then apply for permanent residency?

Many thanks
E

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

S1 only concerns someone of state retirement age, who can get healthcare cost in an EU state paid for by British government.

If you aren't working or retired, that the amount of monthly income you need to get residency. If you are married or in civil partnership, joint income requirement is somewhat less than twice a single person's.

Yes, having financial assets (savings) or fully-paid property and private health cover can get you residency. Co-payment is also called insurance excess, where you are responsible for part of the cost. So if your treatment costs 1000 euro, with co-payment you may have to pay the first 300 euro etc (like in car insurance).

Normally no, but if any of your personal details changes such as your address, you have to get a new residency certificate and submit fresh evidence of finance etc.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

Does anyone know - if you register as autonimo do you get state healthcare thrown in?

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

You need to register for social security as an autonomo, and pay around 286 euro per month. There is some reduction if you don't make much money.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

All you need to know about being an Autonimo . https://www.serautonomo.net/ or go and talk to a friendly Gestoría.

Re: Choosing private Healthcare
 

I did explain in post #4 that people moving to EU countries used to be able to get an S1 form to cover their healthcare for up to 2 years based on their NI contributions, but the UK Government stopped those in 2014 and now only state pensioners and their dependants, and people in receipt of certain disability benefits, can get S1 forms.