Which insurance policies a newcomer household needs in Spain

Terms used

• Hogar — Hogar is Spanish home insurance, usually a multi-risk policy covering the property, its contents and liability.
• Continente — Continente is the building cover in a home policy: walls, roof, fixed installations.
• Contenido — Contenido is the contents cover in a home policy: furniture, belongings and appliances.
• Responsabilidad civil — Responsabilidad civil is third-party liability cover for damage you or your household cause to others.
• Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros — The Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros is a public body that pays for extraordinary risks such as floods and earthquakes.
• Decesos — Decesos is funeral insurance that covers funeral costs and related services.

Key rules

• First policy: Home insurance comes first, and tenants should hold it too for contents and liability.
• Life insurance: Take it if you have dependants or a mortgage, but a bank cannot make it a condition of the loan.
• Mortgage lender: A lender may require home insurance but must accept an equivalent policy from any insurer you choose.
• Consorcio: Floods, earthquakes and similar extraordinary events are paid by the Consorcio only if your premium is paid and the policy is in force.
• Travel insurance: It bridges the first weeks but does not satisfy a visa's health insurance requirement.
• Decesos: Funeral insurance is entirely optional for newcomers.

The short answer

Start with home insurance (hogar). Add life insurance if you have dependants or a mortgage. Everything else is optional or temporary. Private health insurance and motor insurance are separate topics and are not ranked here.

The order to follow

1. Home insurance (hogar). Owners need cover for the building (continente) and for what is inside (contenido). Tenants should still hold a policy for their contents and liability.
2. Life insurance. Take it if someone depends on your income or you have a mortgage. The bank cannot make you buy life insurance for a mortgage, though it may offer a better rate if you do.
3. Personal accident or disability cover. Worth considering for the main earners.
4. Travel insurance. Use it as a bridge for the move and the first weeks, or for frequent trips.
5. Decesos (funeral insurance). Optional.
6. Extras. Pet liability, valuables or legal expenses, only if you need them.

Your situation can change this order. A lender or landlord may require certain policies, so check your contract.

Home insurance: what it includes

A standard hogar policy almost always includes responsabilidad civil. This pays for damage you or your household cause to neighbours or other third parties, such as a water leak or a fire that spreads. Limits commonly run from 150,000 euros to 600,000 euros or more, and some insurers offer 1 million or more.

Usual exclusions are intentional acts, business activity, hunting, motor vehicles, damage to your own property and contractual liability. Your liability to a landlord for damage to the rented home is usually covered only if the policy lists it as a specific cover, so ask for it. Read the policy conditions, because limits differ by insurer.

If you have a mortgage, the lender may require home insurance on the property. It must accept an equivalent policy from any insurer you choose, so you do not have to buy the bank's own policy. The bank may offer better loan terms if you do.

The Consorcio layer

The Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros is a public body that pays for extraordinary events when you have a policy in force. These include floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, very strong storms and tornadoes, falling meteorites, and terrorism or riots. It also steps in if your private insurer becomes insolvent.

• The cover depends on a surcharge that is collected with your premium. It is automatic on home and contents policies.
• If you have not paid the premium, the Consorcio usually does not pay.
• Ordinary rain and ordinary wind are not covered. Your private insurer handles those, and your policy's deductibles may apply.
• To claim, contact the Consorcio through its website or phone line, or go through your insurer. Do it promptly. It then appoints a loss adjuster.

Travel insurance: a bridge only

Travel cover helps with medical emergencies abroad, repatriation, cancelled trips and lost luggage before your Spanish health cover starts. It does not replace residency-grade health insurance. Visas such as non-lucrative or digital nomad need a full private health policy without co-payments or waiting periods, and travel cover does not meet that.

Many travel policies cap trip length. Many also exclude residents of the country where the claim arises, pre-existing conditions and moving household goods. Once you live in Spain, a travel policy covers trips outside Spain only if it is designed for residents. EU citizens use the EHIC for temporary stays in other EU countries.

Decesos: optional

Decesos covers funeral costs: burial or cremation, transfer, coffin, niche or plot, and paperwork. Many policies add help with repatriation and family formalities. You do not need one as a newcomer. It matters most for older residents, or if you want to spare relatives the cost or have repatriation covered. Check waiting periods, premium rises with age and cancellation terms.

The choice between the optional policies is in the decision block below, with common questions after it.

Choosing between options

Which policy should you add after home insurance?

• Life insurance: You have dependants or a mortgage and others rely on your income. A bank may offer a better rate if you take it, but it is not obligatory for a mortgage.

• Personal accident or disability cover: You are a main earner and your household would struggle if you could not work.

• Travel insurance as a bridge: You are in your first weeks in Spain, or travel often, before local health cover starts.

• Extras such as pet liability, valuables or legal expenses: You have a specific need, such as a dog or valuable items.

Start with home insurance (hogar): owners need building and contents cover, tenants contents and liability. Then add life cover if you have dependants or a mortgage, and treat the rest as optional. The Consorcio covers extraordinary risks like floods on top, as long as your policy is in force. A bank cannot force you to buy its insurance with an account or loan.

Frequently asked questions

Does my hogar policy cover floods and earthquakes?

Yes, floods and earthquakes are covered by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros, a public body, if your home policy is in force and the premium is paid. The Consorcio surcharge is added to your home and contents premium automatically. Ordinary rain or wind damage is paid by your own insurer instead.

Does a standard hogar policy include liability cover for damage to neighbours?

Yes, standard hogar policies almost always include responsabilidad civil (third-party liability) for damage you cause to neighbours, such as a water leak. Limits typically run from about 150,000 euros to 600,000 euros or more. Business activity, intentional acts and your own property are usually excluded, and a tenant's liability to the landlord is often a separate cover.

Can I use travel insurance instead of health insurance for my visa?

No, visa applicants such as non-lucrative or digital nomad applicants need a full private health policy without co-payments or waiting periods. Travel insurance only bridges the first weeks, covering emergencies, repatriation and lost luggage. Many travel policies exclude residents of the country where you claim.

Do I need decesos insurance as a newcomer?

No, decesos (funeral) insurance is entirely optional and a newcomer does not need it.