Keeping your health insurance compliant at residence renewal

Key rules

• Proof: You need a current certificate and a payment receipt, not just the policy contract.
• No gap: A new policy should start the day the old one ends.
• Social Security: If Social Security covers you, you do not need private insurance at renewal.

Who this applies to

If your permit depends on private health insurance, such as non-lucrative residence (the retiree route), you must show at renewal that the cover is still valid.

What proof to bring

Bring two things from your insurer:

• A current certificate showing the policy covers the whole renewal period, on the same conditions as before (no co-payments).
• A receipt showing the premium is paid: the latest premium receipt, or the full-year payment if you pay annually.

Get both documents issued within the last few weeks before you file, with the certificate showing cover for the full period you request. Order them in time for your Oficina de Extranjería filing, so you do not have to get them twice. File the renewal from 60 days before your permit expires up to 90 days after it expires, with both documents, at the Oficina de Extranjería or online.

Changing insurer at renewal

You can change insurer when you renew. The new policy must meet the same conditions as before: an insurer authorised in Spain, no co-payments, no waiting periods and full cover in Spain.

A gap between policies can leave you without the proof the office requires. It can also be treated as a failure to keep the permit's requirements. If the old policy has already lapsed, buy a new one that starts at once and file with its certificate.

Cancel the old policy only after the new one is confirmed in writing.

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen

You do not need this insurance proof. EU citizens follow their own residence rules; see who needs private cover.

If the renewal is refused

If the reason is a deficient policy, send a corrected one within 10 working days of the notice. For any other reason you can appeal: after a written refusal, request reconsideration from the same office (recurso de reposición) within 1 month or go to court within 2 months, as alternatives. After a silent refusal, reconsideration has no deadline and the court route is open for 6 months.