Ending home, car and private health insurance when you leave

Terms used

• Burofax — A burofax is a certified message sent through the post office that proves its content and delivery date.
• Baja — A baja is the DGT's official deregistration of a vehicle, for example when scrapped or exported.
• DGT — The DGT is Spain's traffic authority, which registers vehicles and their transfers.
• Antigüedad — Antigüedad is the time you have held a health policy, which affects waiting periods and pre-existing condition cover.

Key rules

• Notice: Give each insurer notice at least one month before the policy expiry date, in a way that leaves proof.
• Car insurance: Keep compulsory car insurance until the car is transferred or has a baja.
• Refunds: Unused premium is refunded when the risk ends, and only with proof such as a sale or baja document.
• Health cover: Cancelling private health insurance loses your seniority, so check a new insurer's waiting periods first.

Send notice at least one month before expiry

To stop an annual home, car or private health policy renewing, give the insurer notice at least one month before the policy expiry date, in a way that leaves proof. If you send nothing, the policy renews, normally for another year, and you pay for it.

Find the expiry date on each policy. It is often not the date you signed up, so check the policy schedule. Then send notice by burofax or registered letter. Some insurers accept email or phone, but proof is safer. Keep your copy and the receipt. Also read the policy for any stricter wording.

Cancelling in the middle of a policy year is not a general right. If you miss the notice date, you usually cannot stop the next year's premium, unless the risk ends (see below).

Refunds of unused premium

You can claim back unused premium when the risk ends, for example when you sell or scrap the insured thing. The insurer returns the premium for the period not run, minus any costs. Send your request together with the proof. Without proof, expect no refund.

• Home: proof that the property was sold.
• Car: the sale contract or transfer certificate. If the car was scrapped or exported, the DGT baja certificate.
• Private health: premiums are paid in advance and are not normally refunded mid-term unless the contract allows it. Some insurers refund when you leave Spain, with proof of departure. Ask yours.

Car: keep compulsory cover until the last moment

The compulsory third-party cover must stay in force while the car is registered in Spain, even if it is parked and unused. It ends only when the car is transferred to a new owner or the DGT registers a baja. An uninsured car can be found in the FIVA database and you can be fined, possibly thousands of euros, and the car can be seized. The insurer will cancel only with proof of sale or baja, so keep that evidence.

Private health: watch for waiting periods

If you cancel, you lose your seniority (antigüedad). A new insurer can apply waiting periods and exclude pre-existing conditions. Ask a new insurer about this before you cancel your current cover, so you have no gap. Some policies allow portability of cover in limited cases, so ask.

The timeline, documents list and checklist below set out the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• Find the renewal date on each home, car and private health policy: before you start

• Expect automatic renewal for another year if no notice arrives: if you miss the one month deadline

Documents you need

• Proof that the car was sold or transferred, such as the sale contract or transfer certificate, to cancel car insurance and claim back unused premium.

• The DGT baja certificate, if the car was scrapped or exported, which the insurer needs before it cancels the compulsory cover.

• Proof that the property was sold, to claim back unused home insurance premium.

• Proof that you have left Spain, where your health insurer agrees to refund unused premium on departure.

Checklist

• Keep compulsory car insurance until the car is transferred or registered as a baja.

• Keep the sale or baja proof to give the insurer.

What to watch out for

• Fines for an uninsured car: A car registered in Spain must stay insured even when parked. If it is uninsured, you can be fined thousands of euros and the car can be seized. Cancel the insurance only after the car is sold or registered as a baja, and keep the proof.

• No refund without proof: Mid-term cancellation is not a general right, and unused premium is returned only when the risk has ended. Without documents, the insurer may refuse. Send the sale contract, baja or transfer certificate with a written refund request.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a health insurance refund if I leave Spain?

You may get a refund of unused premium if your contract allows it, and some insurers refund when you leave Spain with proof. Premiums are normally paid in advance and mid-term refunds are not usual otherwise. Ask your insurer in writing before you go.

What happens to my health cover history if I cancel?

You lose your seniority (antigüedad) when you cancel, so a new insurer can apply waiting periods. It can also exclude conditions you already have. If you may come back to Spain, ask your insurer whether any portability of cover applies before you end the policy.

Do I need to keep car insurance on a car I am not using?

Yes, you must keep compulsory third-party insurance while the car is registered in Spain, even if it is parked.

What proof does the insurer want for a car or home refund?

You usually need proof that the risk has ended, such as a sale contract, a DGT baja or transfer certificate, or proof the property was sold. Send it with your request, because some insurers refund only after receiving the documents.