Health & life insurance in Spain, Life cover & health insurance available for Ex-Pats in Spain

HEALTH

WHY DO YOU NEED PRIVATE MEDICAL INSURANCE?

Consider the cost of not having health insurance. If you are involved in an accident on your way to work, or contract a serious illness, you have to pay the hospital bills from your own pocket. This also means that you have to pay a deposit before admittance to private hospitals. If your spouse or children get seriously ill or hurt, the medical costs can lead to a total depletion of your savings. It may even cause bankruptcy. Another reason is that your family will have to settle for public health care facilities, and waiting line with hundreds of other patients. Apart from that, you still have to pay for expensive operations that are not covered under public health care.

THE SPANISH HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

- Spain has a public health system so health care is free or low cost if you pay social security (families and retirees are also included). Like many countries, however, the public health service has waiting lists to see specialists and for non-urgent operations.
- If you do not qualify for public health care then it is essential that you have private health insurance. Even if you are under the public health care system it is still advisable to have private health insurance in order to skip the waiting lists and receive treatment quickly.
- Spain is a contribution based economy, while on holiday you can get free medical treatment but when you take up residence you have to pay the equivalent of National insurance which is at the moment €260 per month.
- If you are in receipt of a British pension you are entitled to free care, as we are part of the EU, and if you pay your social security, BUT this September any foreigner who is not one of the above mentioned then you will NOT get free medical assistance. It was recently reported that because Spain cannot afford to look after its own people under this system, they have decided to STOP ALL treatment for foreigners. If you don't contribute, you don't get the benefits. The E111 is ONLY for use whilst on holiday and they will be checking after September 2009. The EHIC/E111 allows reciprocal emergency health care during temporary visits to other EU countries. Strictly speaking it is not a permanent entitlement or a full entitlement to all treatments available under each nation’s state health care systems.

SPANISH DOCTORS

- The system of educating doctors in Spain is very different from that used in other countries such as England. As is common in Europe, medical doctors receive their training as university undergraduates. With public health care, you will usually be assigned a general doctor where you live when issued your social security card. With insurance, you will be able to select a primary care doctor from those affiliated with your plan. There are a number of doctors in Spain who speak English, including doctors who received their training in English speaking countries, so there you have peace of mind.

REASONS FOR TAKING OUT PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE IN SPAIN:

1. You may not be eligible for the public national heath service so you have no option but to take out private health insurance.
 2. Private health insurance in Spain gives you access to the private hospitals and doctors who are generally of a higher standard than those in the public health care system.
3. People in the public healthcare system may speak some English but don't rely on it and so private health insurance in Spain gives you peace of mind that your health care issues will be explained to you and understood.
4. Private health insurance in Spain often means jumping the queue and getting immediate operations rather than waiting.
5. Facilities are usually more comfortable and private if you have private health insurance in Spain.
6. Private health insurance in Spain means you can choose which doctors you want to see and what facilities you wish to go to.

WHY CHOOSE US

INSURANCE:

You can go directly to the specialist without being on a waiting list. You will have a large medical framework at your disposal where you can choose the doctor and the hospital centre you prefer. Aimed at covering all the periods of your life offering favourable coverage’s like assisted reproduction, psychology (in consultations and by telephone), complete dental coverage and the best services for child health.

All this is available in more than 1,150 clinics and more than 40,000 doctors are at the disposal of the insured.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Medical hotline: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Second medical opinion: Possibility to count on a second medical opinion.
Medical frameworks: 40,000 doctors at the disposal of the insured.
Clinics: More than 1,500 clinics available. We cooperate with the best private clinics of Spain: Ruber Internacional, Clínica Teknon, Instituto Dexeus, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, Sagrado Corazón de Sevilla.
Refractive surgery: Favourable prices (myopia, astigmatism, hypermetropia).
Ozone therapy: Treatment of slipped discs.
Dental coverage: Complete (some treatments with excess).
Child dental plan: Free: annual check-up, mouth cleaning, extractions, and fillings.
Psychology: 20 sessions a year. Extra payment: adults 8€, children under 16 years of age 2,5€. No waiting periods.
Psycho-emotional guidance: 24 hours telephone service.
Podology: Up to 8 sessions a year.
Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Family planning, birth preparation, gynaecological check-up. Costs of the IUD (Intrauterine device) included.

QUICK SPECIFICATIONS

- PRIMARY CARE: General medicine/ family medicine, paediatrics, and local infant medicine, technical health assistant (D.U.E.).
- EMERGENCIES, WORLD WIDE.
- MEDICAL SPECIALTIES (allergy medicine, anaesthetics and reanimation, in-vitro
- Fertilization –1 attempt–, artificial insemination –2 attempts–, etc...).
- DIAGNOSTICS METHODS: Clinical analysis, x-ray diagnosis, high technology
- (Ergometric, holter,...), others (Doppler cardiac, echography..).
- HOSPITALIZATION (medical, maternity, surgical, paediatric, psychiatric, in
- Intensive care [UVI] and special home care).
- PROTHESIS.
- SPECIAL TREATMENTS (dialysis, chemotherapy, etc.).
- OTHER SERVICES (ambulance, podology, child bearing preparation...).
- TRAFFIC AND WORK ACCIDENTS.