Insurance for relatives visiting you in Spain

Key rules

• Visa applicants: If your relative needs a Schengen visa, buy compliant cover before applying and attach the certificate.
• Visa-exempt visitors: Entry to Spain does not require insurance for them, but private cover protects you from hospital bills.
• Pre-existing conditions: Standard visitor policies usually exclude them, so check the exclusions before buying.
• Age limits: Many insurers refuse travellers above about 65 to 70, so ask early for older relatives.

Every visitor needs private cover

Your relatives are outside the Spanish public health system while they visit. Whether or not they need a visa, they should hold private medical insurance that suits their age and health.

The one exception is a visitor from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with an EHIC, or from the UK with a GHIC or UK EHIC. They are treated under the public system, and the cost is settled between countries. Private cover is still wise for things those cards do not handle.

Relatives who need a visa

Start by checking whether your relative's nationality needs a Schengen visa. The Spanish foreign ministry publishes the list on its website. The list changes from time to time, so check the current version. A visa covers stays of up to 90 days in any 180 days.

If a visa is needed, insurance is a condition of the application. The policy must:

• Give medical cover of at least EUR 30,000.
• Be valid across the whole Schengen area, not just Spain.
• Cover the full stay, starting on the intended date of entry.
• Cover emergency hospital treatment, urgent medical care, repatriation for medical reasons and death.

Buy the policy before your relative applies, and submit the certificate with the visa application. The documents block below shows what the certificate must say.

Relatives who hold a Spanish residence permit or a long-stay visa do not need a short-stay visa.

Relatives who do not need a visa

Spain has no general rule that visa-exempt visitors must hold insurance to enter. This covers, for example, visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and most of Latin America. Border police may ask for proof of money to live on, a return ticket and accommodation. Insurance is strongly recommended.

ETIAS is the online travel authorisation planned for visa-exempt nationals. It does not require medical insurance. Its start date has moved several times, so check the current date before your relative travels.

What happens without cover

Emergency care is never refused in public hospitals. But a visitor without an EHIC or GHIC is billed as a private patient. Tariffs are set by each region, so bills vary. With a policy, the insurer either pays the hospital directly or reimburses your relative.

Older relatives and health conditions

Visitor policies usually exclude pre-existing and chronic conditions. They cover only sudden, unforeseen problems. Some insurers cover a stable condition if your relative completes a medical declaration or pays a surcharge.

Many policies stop accepting travellers at around 65 to 70. Some insurers accept older travellers, but with higher premiums and lower limits. Before you buy:

• Ask each insurer for its age limit.
• Read the exclusions closely.
• Ask about pregnancy limits, risky sports and routine check-ups, which are often excluded.

Cost

For a younger adult on a short stay, a compliant policy is generally inexpensive. The price rises with the length of the trip and the medical limit. It rises sharply for travellers over 60 to 70. Get quotes from several insurers for your relative's exact age and dates.

The checklist, warnings and FAQ below cover the buying steps and common questions.

Timeline and deadlines

• Check whether your relative's nationality needs a Schengen visa on the official Spanish foreign ministry list: before you book anything

• Plan the stay within the short-stay limit: up to 90 days in any 180 days

• Relatives with a Spanish residence permit or long-stay visa travel without a short-stay visa: if they already hold one of these

Insurance proof visa-required visitors must show for Spain

What the insurance certificate must show

• An insurance certificate showing the visitor's name, the policy number and the insurer.

• Medical cover of at least EUR 30,000, including emergency treatment, urgent hospital care and repatriation for medical reasons or death.

• Territory: the certificate must say the policy is valid across all Schengen states, not just Spain.

• Dates: the policy must start on the intended date of entry and cover the whole stay.

• A recognised insurer: any reputable, authorised insurer that meets the required cover is generally accepted, as consulates do not usually publish an approved list.

• Buy the policy before you apply, and submit the certificate with the visa application. Some consulates accept it when the visa is collected, so ask the consulate handling the application.

Checklist

• Check the official Spanish foreign ministry list to see if your relative's nationality needs a Schengen visa.

• Buy Schengen-compliant medical cover before applying if a visa is needed.

• Buy private medical cover anyway if your relative is visa-exempt, since entry does not require it but they have no free public care beyond emergencies.

• Ask each insurer for the age limit and whether it accepts older travellers.

• Read the exclusions for pre-existing and chronic conditions, and ask about a medical declaration or surcharge for stable conditions.

What to watch out for

• Visitors are billed as private patients: Visitors outside the EU, EEA, Switzerland and UK schemes get no free public care beyond emergencies, and a hospital stay can be billed at the region's tariff for non-entitled patients. Make sure your relative has private medical cover before they travel, and keep the insurer's emergency contact details to hand.

• Pre-existing conditions are usually excluded: Most visitor policies cover only unforeseen acute episodes, so a flare-up of a chronic illness may not be paid.

• Age limits can leave older relatives uncovered: Many policies stop accepting travellers at about 65 to 70, and exclusions can include high-risk sports and pregnancy beyond set weeks. Ask insurers that accept older travellers for a quote, and expect higher premiums and lower limits.

Frequently asked questions

Do visitors from the US, UK or Canada need medical insurance to enter Spain?

No, Spain has no general legal requirement for visa-exempt visitors such as US, UK or Canadian citizens to hold medical insurance to enter. Border police may still ask for proof of money, a return ticket and accommodation. Insurance is strongly recommended because these visitors are outside the Spanish public system.

Can an older relative or one with a chronic illness get visitor insurance?

Yes, but many policies stop accepting new travellers at about 65 to 70 and exclude pre-existing and chronic conditions. Some insurers accept older travellers for higher premiums and lower limits, and some cover stable conditions for a surcharge or after a medical declaration. Read the exclusions before you buy.

Does ETIAS require medical insurance for my visiting relatives?

No, ETIAS, the pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals, does not require medical insurance. Its start date has shifted several times. Your relatives should check the current date before they book.