Is a visa-compliant policy also good insurance?

Key rules

• Consulate test: Consulates check that the insurer is authorised in Spain and that the policy has full cover with no co-payments or waiting periods.
• What is not checked: Network, caps and exclusions are not tested, so a compliant policy can still leave you poorly protected.
• Waiting periods: Consulates refuse policies with waiting periods, so ask the insurer for a no-waiting-periods certificate.
• Renewal: Premiums are revised each year and rise steeply after age 50 to 60, so check renewal terms before you buy.

A compliant policy can still be weak cover

Getting the visa and getting good protection are two different tests. A policy can pass the first and fail the second.

What the consulate does not look at

These are the gaps that matter once you are living in Spain:

• Network. Whether there are doctors and hospitals near where you will actually live.
• Caps. The annual limit and the limit per treatment.
• Exclusions. Pre-existing conditions, maternity, mental health, dental, chronic disease and advanced treatments are the ones that matter most.
• Claims. How claims work, and which languages the insurer serves you in.
• Hospital stays. Whether you need pre-authorisation before being admitted.
• Renewal. How much the premium can rise each year, and the age limit for renewing.

Read these in the policy before you buy. A private policy covers only the people named on it, so each family member applying for a visa needs to be named on the policy.

Waiting periods and pre-existing conditions

Consulates refuse a policy with waiting periods, so you need a certificate saying it has none (sin carencias). Pre-existing-condition exclusions do not affect the visa, but they decide what gets paid.

Go through the exclusions list before you buy, because the policy wording decides what gets paid.

A refusal because of the policy is handled in Getting the insurance proof your visa application needs.

What it costs

The price depends mainly on your age, the insurer and the region. Private health insurance with full cover, no co-payments and no waiting periods costs 50 to 100 euros a month for a younger adult and 150 euros or more a month over age 60. Older applicants may pay several times more than younger ones. Get quotes from several Spanish insurers or brokers before you choose.

Which policy to pick

If you are young, healthy and only need to pass the visa check, a bare compliant policy may do. If you have a health condition, plan to have a child, or are older, a stronger policy is worth the extra cost.

If you already live in Spain

Your situation differs because you are not buying a policy to win a visa. Proof of cover when you renew your residence is a separate step, with its own checks. The consulate test on this page does not apply to you in the same way. Still judge any policy on network, caps and exclusions, because those decide what gets paid when you need care.