Private health insurance in Spain

The welfare state in Europe is basically no longer sustainable. This is leading to an increasing demand for private health insurance. Luckily the insurance industry is starting to respond with a wider variety of products to plug the gaps left by the state. Currently health insurance products in Spain fall into two main categories and premium rates tend to be very competitive, although by the same token the limits and sub-limits contained within the policies tend to be lower than in the UK.

The first category is where, for a premium, an insurer provides an extensive network of doctors, specialists, medical centres and hospitals throughout Spain. All the client needs to do on falling ill is visit one of these approved centres with their card and the centre will invoice the insurer directly without the client having to part with any money. Certain treatments and diagnostic procedures may require prior authorisation by the insurer so it’s best to check with your broker first or indeed the helpline provided by the insurer.

The second category is where, in addition to this network of specialists, the insurer also allows the client to go to any healthcare specialist not on the approved panel. The insurer is then forwarded the corresponding invoice to reimburse up to 90% of it. This means the client can choose medical professionals and centres both inside and outside of Spain, but again, it’s always best to keep your insurer informed of any treatment as often it will need to approve certain treatments. Read more about health insurance with our FAQ on health insurance.