Private healthcare cost in Spain, is it really this expensive?( Under retirement age)

Hi Shotto,

To give you a fair comparison, we are similar age to you and our policy with Santander (Spain) bank costs us approx 1500 Euros a year and covers both of us so your quote sounds very high. We took it out initially to gain our residencia in Spain.

Hope this helps

CC

Thank you, I thought so too. It was so much it was almost a deal breaker. Can I just ask, do you bank with Santander?  I never thought of insurance “ through the bank”

Thanks again

Keith

Yes we bank with Santander ES in Mojacar

Hi, did you open the account up before you moved to spain and sorted your health care or did you do it once you had already moved, was it easily done and how long did it takeb

I do hope you don't mind me asking 

Many thanks nicola 

Hi Nicola, not a problem.

We opened our Santander account as soon as we arrived here in Spain, we are with the Mojacar branch and the assistant manager is a lovely Scottish lady who could not be more helpful. From memoery it took less than 30 minutes to open the account.

We took out the private health insurance about a year later simply to gain our resisdencia. Again the same lady assisted us by providing 3 quotes. The cheapest quote would not have gained us the residencia hence we took the middle quote which did. Again from memory no more than 30 minutes to set it up.

We also use Santander for the buildings insurance on both of our properties here.

Hope that helps

CC

That's great thanks, we're looking to come out this year but ov is on hold atm, wasn't sure weather to get health insurance in place before we arrive in Spain or do it when we come over, maybe bit of a rush all before December, do u think we could open the bank account and do the health insurance all at the same time to allow us our resedencia, many thanks 

I don't know of any reason why you couldn't do both at the same time.

Sanitas (= BUPA) is another possible provider.  We went with them, cost similar to that quoted by Crancrank, little bit higher, but we did go with the all bells and whistles option which was recommended for the residencia - in fact specifically sold as such.  DKV were also recommended to us.

Luckily (touch wood) I have not had to claim, but I would be interested to hear whether any readers have experience of using their health insurance rather than just buying it. 

Hi

we are in our early 60,s and cannot get on the system in Spain until you get the S1form from when you are officially a pensioner. Only paid 42 years national insurance but no you are not a pensioner. ASSSA. Gold card.  Costs €3400 for myself and wife.  Local private doc is excellent.  Yes you need it for residencia and the first year you have to pay it all up front. Stops you cancelling it when you get residencia.   Blue card ASSSA minimum cover only €2300.  Costs depend on your medical background.  

Best regards

ken