What the state insurer (Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros) covers

Key rules

• Surcharge: The Consorcio surcharge is mandatory on covered policies and appears as a separate line on your premium receipt.
• Ordinary storms: Ordinary storm, wind, hail or rain damage is paid by your own insurer, not the Consorcio.
• Unpaid policy: If your policy has lapsed or the premium is unpaid, the Consorcio does not pay.
• Liability: Liability policies, ships and aircraft are generally not covered.

The short answer

A standard Spanish property policy comes with a state-backed safety net for extraordinary disasters. The Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros pays for these risks. You fund the cover through a mandatory surcharge (recargo) added to your premium. You do not choose to add it, and you cannot opt out.

Which risks the Consorcio pays

The Consorcio covers a defined list:

• Extraordinary floods
• Earthquakes
• Tsunamis
• Volcanic eruptions
• Atypical cyclonic storms, including extraordinary wind gusts and the tornadoes that go with them
• Tumult (tumulto popular), meaning riots and civil disorder
• Terrorism
• Actions of the armed forces or security forces in peacetime

Anything not on this list is not a Consorcio risk. Your own insurer handles it under your ordinary policy.

What counts as an atypical storm

An ordinary storm is not enough. A storm counts when gusts pass 120 km/h in your area, when rain passes 40 litres per square metre in an hour, or when a tornado hits. The state weather agency AEMET's data decides whether those levels were reached. Ordinary wind, hail or rain damage goes to your own insurer.

Which policies carry the cover

The cover applies to:

• Property policies: homes, contents, shops, offices, industrial premises and machinery
• Land vehicle policies
• Life and accident policies
• Loss of profits for a business that has a damage policy

It covers only policies written with a private insurer. It applies only while the policy is in force and the premium is paid. Liability policies, ships, aircraft, credit and surety are generally not covered. If your policy type is borderline, ask your insurer.

How the surcharge works

Your insurer collects the surcharge with your premium and passes it to the Consorcio. It appears as a separate line on your premium receipt. It is a rate per thousand of the insured amount, and it varies by type of policy. Everyone pays the same rate for the same type of policy. Living in a flood-prone area does not raise it. The rates are revised by ministerial resolution, so ask your insurer for the current rate for your policy.

What is never covered

Even for a listed risk, the Consorcio does not pay for:

• Goods not insured under your main policy
• Damage you cause on purpose, or fraud
• Nuclear damage and war
• Damage that builds up slowly, or comes from poor maintenance or construction defects
• Land, and some outdoor items such as fences and installations
• Claims where the policy has lapsed or the premium is unpaid

Some policies also have a 7-day waiting period. Fire that is not caused by a covered event is for your insurer.

Use the checklist, decision guide and warnings below to work out where to claim.

Choosing between options

Should you claim storm damage from the Consorcio or from your own insurer?

• Claim under your ordinary policy: The storm, wind, hail or rain stayed below those levels, so it counts as ordinary weather.

Checklist

• Look on your premium receipt for a separate line showing the Consorcio surcharge (recargo).

• Confirm your policy is with a private insurer and is a covered type: property, land vehicle, or life or accident.

• Make sure your policy is still in force and the premium is paid, because cover applies only then.

• Check that the item you want covered, such as contents or a building, is insured under your main policy.

• Check AEMET, Spain's state weather agency, for wind and rain data after a storm to see whether gusts passed 120 km/h or rain passed 40 litres per square metre in an hour.

What to watch out for

• Ordinary storms are not Consorcio risks: The Consorcio does not pay for ordinary storm, wind, hail or rain damage. Those fall to your private insurer. Check that your own policy covers ordinary storm damage.

• A lapsed or unpaid policy gets no cover: If your policy has lapsed or the premium is unpaid, the Consorcio cover does not apply either. Keep the premium paid and the policy in force.

• Some policy types carry no cover: Liability policies, and policies for ships, aircraft, credit and surety, are generally not covered. Ask your insurer which of your policies carry the surcharge.

• Some damage is always excluded: Gradual damage, poor maintenance, construction defects, intentional acts or fraud, nuclear events, war, and goods not insured under your main policy are excluded. So are land and some outdoor items such as fences. Keep your property maintained and check your policy lists every item you want covered.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Consorcio pay for ordinary storm, hail or heavy rain damage?

No, the Consorcio does not pay for ordinary storm, wind, hail or rain damage, because your private insurer pays those. The Consorcio only steps in for the listed extraordinary risks.

How strong does a storm have to be to count as an atypical cyclonic storm?

A storm counts as atypical when gusts in your area pass 120 km/h, when rain passes 40 litres per square metre in one hour, or when a tornado hits. The wind speed is judged from data from AEMET, Spain's state weather agency.

Do I pay a higher surcharge if my home is in a flood-prone area?

No, the surcharge is the same for all insured people and is not based on your own risk.

Does the Consorcio cover my liability insurance or a boat?

No, liability policies, and policies for ships, aircraft, credit and surety, are generally not covered. Cover applies to property damage, land vehicle, and life or accident policies.