If you’re moving to Spain to live or work, you’ll have plenty of things to sort out both before and after you move. So when it comes to your health, it’s worth knowing that you have two main options – the public health service (SNS) or private health insurance. Many expats qualify for SNS healthcare, but for those who don’t, there are also private healthcare options available.
If you qualify for the public health service, you’ll be able to access free treatment whenever you need it. But you will need to pay part of the cost of prescriptions and any dental treatment you have.
If you don’t qualify for SNS healthcare – for example if you retired early and don’t make social security contributions – you could access SNS facilities by paying monthly for basic state-provided insurance called Convenio Especial.
Many expats buy health insurance from a Spanish health insurance provider such as AXA Seguros. This allows you to choose a level of cover that’s right for you.
If you don’t have any insurance and don’t qualify for the SNS, you will have to pay for your treatment. This can get very expensive very quickly.
If you travel regularly and need access to international-standard healthcare both in Spain and in other countries, an international health plan can give you cover around the world.
Travel insurance is designed to cover you for short periods of time such as holidays. It may not cover you if you don’t have a plan to go home again.
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International health insurance from AXA gives you the confidence that you’re covered in Spain and around the world. So no matter how often you travel, and no matter how long you stay in each country, we’ll be there to help you whenever you need us.
If you’re moving to live in Spain permanently and don’t plan on travelling to other countries often, international health insurance may be more cover than you need.
Our plans are designed for people who want an international standard of healthcare cover. Our global reach means you can access treatment wherever you go, and if you ever need help to arrange direct billing for your treatment or have questions about your claim, just give our multilingual team a call, day or night.
We include evacuation and repatriation on all our international healthcare plans. So if you fall ill or are injured, and there’s no treatment available nearby, we’ll get you to the nearest medical facility – and back again once you’re feeling better.
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If that sounds like the kind of reassurance you’d like, take a look at our international health insurance plan.
If you’re living or working internationally for less than a year, take a look at our short term health insurance plan. It gives you all the benefits of our Standard cover level, but for a shorter time. So whether you’re only away for a few months, still weighing up your options or you want cover while you apply for your local state healthcare system, our short term plan could be ideal.
Whether you’re feeling unwell, have a general worry you’d like to talk about, or just need clarity on something like vaccination requirements our Virtual Doctor service is here for you. You can have a medical consultation with a real doctor wherever you are in the world.
*Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm (GMT).
Calls may recorded and/or monitored for quality assurance, training and as a record of the conversation.