How to Get Health Insurance in Spain

Watch: How to Buy Health Insurance in Spain | Step-by-Step in 48 Hours from Anywhere

Bruno walks through this guide on the HealthInsuranceForSpanishVisas.com YouTube channel.

How to get health insurance in Spain in 5 steps:

1. Determine your visa type and insurance requirements
2. Choose a Spanish-authorised carrier (Adeslas, ASSSA, Sanitas, or DKV)
3. Select a visa-compliant cuadro médico plan (no copays, no waiting periods)
4. Apply through a broker or directly — provide ID, medical questionnaire, and payment
5. Receive your policy certificate and submit it with your visa application

Get any one of these steps wrong and you risk a refusal — see the insurance mistakes that most often sink a Spanish visa application.

Determine Your Visa Type and Requirements

Most Spanish residence visas require private health insurance (the Digital Nomad Visa accepts Spanish Social Security cover unless you register as autónomo in Spain or are an employee with a certificate of coverage that includes health coverage), and the specific requirements vary slightly. Identify your visa type first:

All visas share the same core insurance requirements: the policy must be from a Spanish-authorised carrier, cover full comprehensive care, have no copayments, no waiting periods, and cover nationwide.

Choose a Spanish-Authorised Carrier

Only carriers authorised by Spain’s Dirección General de Seguros (DGS) are accepted for visa applications. Travel insurance and international expat plans from insurers not authorised in Spain are not accepted — what matters is DGS authorisation and the exact coverage, not the company’s name.

The four main carriers accepted for visa applications are:

Not sure which one? See our ranked comparison of all four carriers.

Select a Visa-Compliant Plan

You need a cuadro médico plan (also called seguro de salud sin copagos). This is the plan type that meets visa requirements. It provides:

• Full coverage with no copayments (sin copagos)
• No waiting periods (sin carencias) — immediate coverage
• Hospitalisation, emergency, outpatient, and specialist care
• Nationwide coverage across all Spanish regions

Do not choose: Copay plans (con copagos), reimbursement plans, dental-only plans, or travel insurance. These will be rejected by the consulate.

Monthly costs range from €50–€90 for under-40s to €150–€350 for over-60s. See our detailed cost guide.

Apply: Documents and Medical Questionnaire

You can apply directly with a carrier or through a broker. A broker is recommended for first-time applicants — they handle the paperwork and can negotiate better terms, especially for older applicants or those with pre-existing conditions.

Documents needed:

• Passport copy
• Spanish address (or intended address)
• Completed medical questionnaire (health declaration)
• Payment method (Spanish bank account or credit card)

Processing typically takes 24–72 hours. Some brokers can issue same-day certificates for urgent visa appointments.

Receive Your Certificate and Submit with Visa

Once approved, you will receive a certificate of insurance (certificado de seguro) that includes your name, policy number, coverage dates, and confirmation that the plan offers complete coverage with no copays. This is the document you submit to the consulate. Before you send it, check what the insurance certificate must state — consulates flag certificates that leave out the no-copay wording or the insurer’s authorization to operate in Spain.

Pro tip: Set your policy start date to match your planned arrival or visa application date. Most consulates require the insurance to be active from day one of your stay. If your visa is delayed, most carriers allow you to adjust the start date at no extra charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

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