noz03

I have recently moved here with my spouse and am applying for the residence permit, for which I need to show insurance.

The only thing is, we are actually already insured for the next 3-4 months in another country, although this does not qualify for the residence permit requirement. AND, expect to start working and therefore become eligible for Spanish public healthcare.

In other words, the private insurance (sanitas which I am mostly looking at) is quite unnecessary for us, and as the minimum contract is 1 year, costing around 1500 euros, it is quite frustrating to waste this money, especially at a time in our lives when we need all the extra funds we can get.

So I wanted to ask, does anyone know of any way we can get around this? Or at least lower the amount as much as possible? Any information would be much appreciated!

Angus1

Snap! I have just asked almost the same question in another thread today. It does seem very bad that no insurer seems to offer health insurance for when the customer wants it eg 3 or 6 months a year, but insists on fleecing you out of a year's worth of monthly premiums. So if anyone knows of an insurer that can do this then I would also be very interested.

bobd22

Not really as once you obtain residencia it is fair that Spanish authorities will make the assumption that you are making Spain your main home and would therefore require access to full time health care.

Angus1

Bobd22, that makes sense for full residency but I thought the 90 day rule applied to EU citizens as well as non-EU, so you still have to get a residencia permit, and lots of people just winter in Spain so it is not an uncommon scenario that you might want insurance for just 6 months a year.

bfg69bug

Angus1 - you´d be covered by your EHIC if you were a visitor wouldnt you ?

As for Health Insurance for Residencia, there are quite a few options actually - theres https://www.seguromedicoextranjeros....de-residencia/ for example, found with a quick google - from 35€ to 85€ a month, depending on age. I know nothing about their plans and I havent looked deeper into it - ie: wether you have to pay for a year (although even the most expensive one is cheaper than your quote, at (85x12) =1020€ or wether they have any "family" plan etc that makes it cheaper.


and looking on rastreator it shows a price of 984 /year or 82 / month for myself and my wife to be covered. With a company called "start" https://ssl.proyectosyseguros.com/Co...d/Default.aspx

mikelincs

EHIC will, almost certainly, disappear after Brexit, so the 29th March becomes important

bobd22

Angus getting residencia for long term living in Spain and signing on the foreigners register to comply with Spanish 90 day rule is one and the same procedure no difference whatsoever in the requirements. It is really geared for long term so as far as I know and from experience requires proof of 12 month health care is needed along with ability to provide for yourself i.e. money in Spanish bank etc. Also if you are doing this to be fully compliant you should also sign off when Spain isn't your home. Hence many people in your position 6 months Spain 6 months UK ignore it. That choice is yours. If you have not signed on the residencia/foreigners register then you are UK resident visiting Spain and can use the EHIC provided by the UK. It is a decision that you will have to make as best suits you.

Angus1

Hi, yes, as far as I am concerned the EHIC, together with my travel insurance medical emergency cover, should be enough, hence why I was reluctant to shell out for more insurance especially when I'd be paying for 6 months I don't need. I couldn't get your 2nd link to work but the first one came out at a little bit more than the 72 euros a month I've been quoted elsewhere, but that's still 864 euros a year which is a lot of money when you are living off savings! Hence why I am trying to more fully understand all the obligations and rules around applying for temporary residency.

Angus1

I would much rather just be a UK resident visiting Spain and using EHIC together with medical emergency cover via travel insurance, and had been happy with that to date until I read that stays over 90 days require applying for residency. But as you say this seems to be Catch22 because in doing that you are signing up to potentially longer term implications. I didn't want to plough ahead with it without fully understanding what I was doing. I'm still not sure what to do!

bfg69bug

Sorry, it was a link from www.rastreator.com - https://www.proyectosyseguros.com/ go to those instead.


The Law is the Law - If thats what they require in order for someone to get a residencia certificate, then theres not really a way around it.

bobd22

There is, one day out of Spain say Portugal France or UK before your 90th day in Spain currently re sets the 90 day clock so after your minimum one overnight stay away you come back to Spain and have another 90 days using the EHIC . That is totally legal at the moment. I would add that you would of course need receipts etc to prove you had left Spain if in the unlikely event you were asked for for them at some point

Angus1

Thank you, that seems a good option. Does anyone actually check though? You don't get stamps in your passport so when you go through airports they don't know when you previously came or went. I wonder how many people in my situation do actually head off to another country for a day in the middle of their 6 month stay.

bobd22

I haven't heard of anyone checking but never say never, just keep hotel receipts etc. I do know someone who does this this I'm not aware they have ever been challenged or had any issues.

bob_day

​​​​​​Very dubious as the EHIC is intended solely for emergency medical care while on holiday.

From the NHS website. 'The EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home.'

I very much doubt that it would be acceptable for residence application as health cover as by definition you aren't on holiday if you live here.

Doesn't travel insurance normally have a maximum trip duration, and only valid when away from home travelling.


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bobd22

I did not infer that the EHIC could be used for residencia? I was saying if the op stayed for 90 days they could use the EHIC for any necessary treatment they may require. The EHIC is not just for emergencies or holidays it covers you for non permanent trips outside the UK for any necessary treatment and can cover such things as dialysis if pre arranged. There is a myth that somehow the EHIC is tied into the 90 day rule? It isn't simply non permanent trips outside UK. I have checked on this both with the EHIC group on Facebook (official EHIC team of advisors) and I have around 2 years ago attended an EHIC working group where I asked the very question this was direct to the people that operate and issue the EHIC there answer was there is no actual stipulated time limit simply you are visiting as a UK resident for a non permanent trip. They even commented that many that live half year UK and half year in say Spain or Cyprus do and can use it. Of course they recommend health insurance for such things as after care repatriation etc and theft of luggage money . You have missread my post I'm afraid.