Short answer
Decide first whether the policy is for a visa, for everyday private care, or both, because a visa policy normally needs no co-payments, no waiting periods and an insurer authorised in Spain. Then get quotes for the same people, postcode and start date, and for each one obtain the general and particular conditions, the product information document and the network list for your area. Compare exclusions, waiting periods, co-payments, entry and renewal terms, not just the monthly price.
Key facts
- Clauses limiting your rights must be highlighted and specifically accepted in writing (Ley 50/1980, art. 3).
- An insurer's written proposal binds it for 15 days (art. 6).
- You must answer the health questionnaire accurately (art. 10).
- Spain's London consulate requires visa cover from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain.
- Entry age limits for mainstream visa policies range from 69 to 75.
1. Decide what the policy is for
Write this down before you ask for a single quote, because it changes what counts as a suitable policy.
- Visa or residence application. The insurer must be authorised to operate in Spain and the policy must cover all the risks of the Spanish public system, according to the Spanish consulate in London. The products insurers sell for visas are comprehensive policies without co-payments (sin copago) or waiting periods (sin carencias). ASISA, for example, states that only its no-co-payment policies are accepted for visa and residency applications. See health insurance certificates for visas.
- Private care alongside public healthcare. If you are already in the public system, a cheaper policy with co-payments or one limited to outpatient care may be enough.
- Cover outside Spain. If you will spend long periods elsewhere, you may need a reimbursement or international policy rather than a Spanish network policy. See network versus reimbursement.
2. Gather your details
Use exactly the same information for every quote, or the prices will not be comparable.
- Every person to be covered, with date of birth
- Full Spanish address and postcode. Premiums vary by province: Sanitas's published tariff for a 40–44-year-old on its Más Salud Sin Copago policy is €93.96 a month in its general zone and €121.13 in Madrid.
- The start date you need, which for a visa should match your planned arrival
- Your nationality and NIE, if you have one. Adeslas Welcome requires an NIE; some other visa products do not.
- Whether you have a Spanish bank account, since some insurers take annual card payment and others need a Spanish direct debit
- Your current insurance, with its start date and latest receipt, in case the new insurer will waive waiting periods
- Your medical history, ready for the health questionnaire
Under article 10 of Ley 50/1980, you must disclose everything the questionnaire asks about. If you misstate something, the insurer can rescind within one month of discovering it, and your benefits can be affected. Give medical information only through the insurer's or a registered broker's own application process, not by general email.
3. Check age limits early
Entry age rules out options quickly, so check them before you spend time on quotes.
| Policy | Maximum entry age |
|---|---|
| Sanitas Residents | 75 |
| DKV visa and residents products | 75 |
| Adeslas Welcome | 70 |
| ASISA Health Insurance (English) | 69 |
| Mapfre Supra | 65 |
For older applicants, see cover for over-75s.
4. Request the full documents
A brochure is not the contract. For each shortlisted policy, ask for:
- General conditions (condiciones generales): the full wording, including exclusions
- Particular conditions (condiciones particulares), or a draft: your premium, start date, expiry date and any personal exclusions
- Product information document (IPID), a short standardised summary. DKV's for DKV Residentes, for example, lists every waiting period and main exclusion.
- Network list (cuadro médico) for your province
- For a visa: a sample certificate, so you can check it carries the details your consulate asks for
Article 3 of Ley 50/1980 requires clauses that limit your rights (cláusulas limitativas) to be specially highlighted and specifically accepted in writing. Read those highlighted clauses before you sign. A written proposal from the insurer binds it for 15 days under article 6.
5. Ask every insurer the same questions
- What is the insurer's legal name and DGSFP code? Check it in the register.
- Are there co-payments, and is there an annual cap?
- What are the waiting periods, and will you waive them for my previous cover?
- Which of my pre-existing conditions are excluded?
- Which hospitals and specialists near me are in the network, and do any speak English?
- Which services need prior authorisation, and how do I request it?
- Is anything excluded that matters to me, for example medicines, robotic surgery, high-risk sports or treatment abroad?
- What does it cover when I travel, for how many days and up to what amount?
- How and when can the premium rise at renewal?
- Do you commit not to cancel my policy after a certain number of years? (DKV, for example, says in its product document that it will not cancel individual Residentes policies from the third year if you meet your obligations.)
- How do I make a complaint?
- How do I pay, and is there a discount for annual payment?
6. Put the answers side by side
A simple table with one column per policy and one row per question makes gaps obvious. Highlight anything that is "not stated" and ask again in writing.
Compare the total cost for a year, including likely co-payments, rather than the headline "from" price, which is for the youngest and cheapest profile. Mapfre's Supra, for instance, is advertised from €42 a month but has an eight-month waiting period for surgery and hospitalisation, which matters more than the price if you need a visa or have planned treatment.
For a starting shortlist of the main insurers and their published terms, see the best private health insurance for expats. For the practical side, see how to get comparable quotes, including when a registered broker helps.
Common questions
What documents should I ask for before buying health insurance in Spain?
The general conditions, your particular conditions or a draft of them, the product information document (IPID), the network list for your area, and for a visa, a sample of the insurance certificate. Read the exclusions and waiting periods in the general conditions, not just the brochure.
Do I have to declare pre-existing conditions?
Yes, you must answer every question in the health questionnaire accurately. If you misstate something, the insurer can rescind the contract within one month of finding out, and your benefits can be affected.
How long is a Spanish health insurance quote valid?
Under article 6 of the Insurance Contract Act an insurer's proposal binds it for 15 days. Insurers' promotional prices often have their own, separate end dates.
Is it better to compare through a broker?
A broker can request several quotes at once and explain the wording, but it should be registered with the DGSFP. You can check any broker in the DGSFP distributors register.