dragon5254

Hi everyone

I'm thinking of retiring to Spain. Can anyone advise about Health Insurance. I will not be getting a British pension as I haven't paid enough NI contributions. (Many years since I lived there). Will I be entitled to free health or will I need to pay for private health insurance. If so, is it very expensive.
Thanks.

snikpoh

If you don't qualify for a state pension then, yes, you will need to get private health cover. You say it's very expensive but, in fact, it's a lot cheaper in Spain than in UK.

Do a search on this site for LOTS of details and personal views.

Lynn R

If I read the OP right, he/she was asking IF it is very expensive, not stating that it is.

My OH and I have private medical insurance as we are not yet receiving UK state pensions. We are with a company called Prevision Medica and currently paying €102 per month for the two of us (aged 62 and 55). However, that company only covers certain areas within Andalucia so may not be applicable depending on whereabouts you would like to settle.

You can get online quotations from a number of different insurance companies to enable you to get an idea of comparative costs - Sanitas and Mapfre are a couple that spring to mind, no doubt other forum members will be able to suggest other alternatives. One factor to consider is whether you have any existing medical conditions or have had treatment for any in the past, as insurers may either refuse cover for those or require hefty additional premiums. Also, insurance policies don't normally cover the cost of any medication you may be prescribed, other than during any approved hospital stay, so if you were to need any regular medications they would need to be paid for which could prove expensive.

dragon5254

Thanks for the information.

I'll do a search on the various health insurance companies. Not sure where we will be living yet.

Mitzyboy

Sanitas
About €600 a year each for us when we first moved over here, problem is always pre existing conditions

dragon5254

Thanks for that.

friar tuck

Any diabetics on here have private insurance? If so, how much do you pay and what age are you. I am (only) 44 and had resigned myself to the €90/month for the national health care (valencia region) as at least I know it covers existing probs.

The other option is getting joint private cover with my wife and just paying extra for annual diabetic checkup as I will have to pay for the prescriptions anyway.

spainrico

If you end up in the Valencian Community they offer a scheme to pay 90 euros a month to be accepted into the state system. This I think is unique / in other regions you would need to pay equivalent of NI at around 250 euros per month but covers the whole household.

LittleWeed

Galicia and Cataluñia offer free health care to anyone resident in their region.

battlezone123

I never knew that.

snikpoh

But this is ONLY if you are employed or self-employed. You can NOT simply elect to pay this figure!

Basically you have to have what the tax office deems to be 'legitimate' employment - I have a rental business (I have flats/apartments that I rent out) and this was NOT allowed.

spainrico

Yes you have to be working, I should have made that point. They seem quite relaxed about type of employment in the Alicante province anyway, probably glad to take the money.

lynnxa

I do believe snikpoh is in the Alicante province.....

snikpoh

Hmmmm, no - we're in the province of Valencia which is in the Generalidat (sp?) or Communidad of Valencia same as Alicante.


Just tried to look at a map of the region to see the provinces and am more confused than ever.

lynnxa

do you know I wrote that & thought that you're probably north of where the Alicante province ends, but that actually it's all under the Generalitat de Valencia as far as healthcare is concerned anyway