Expat Health Insurance vs Travel Insurance in Spain
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, MD
Licensed Physician No. 484814280 · Official Medical College of Bizkaia (Spain)Last reviewed: 5 November 2026
You don't have to figure this out alone
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is an independent, bilingual GP licensed in Spain. Book a 15-minute video consultation in English or Spanish for €50, with a private electronic prescription issued under Spanish law when clinically appropriate.
Expat health insurance and travel insurance do different jobs. Travel insurance covers sudden illness, a flight home and often cancellations on a trip from your home country, for a set number of days. Expat health insurance covers ongoing care where you live, including routine GP visits. Once Spain is home, travel insurance alone is not enough.
- Travel insurance is for trips. The UK government says it is not meant for living abroad.
- Expat or international health insurance is for living abroad. Check the area of cover and what counts as home.
- Spanish private health insurance comes from an insurer authorised in Spain. Consulates ask for this kind of insurer for residence.
- The EHIC and GHIC are not insurance. They do not cover private care or a flight home.
- Declare health conditions honestly, or the insurer may refuse to pay.
- In an emergency, call 112 first. The paperwork can wait.
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).
For a medical emergency, call 112 or go to the nearest local emergency department. Do not wait for a video consultation or an online reply.
What is the difference between expat health insurance and travel insurance?
The short answer: travel insurance protects a trip, and expat health insurance protects a life abroad. A travel policy pays for a sudden illness or accident while you are away. It often pays to bring you home. It is not built for check-ups, long-term conditions or a GP you see every month.
There are really three products. Here is how they usually compare. Each policy is different, so read the terms.
| Question | Travel insurance | Expat or international health insurance | Spanish private health insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Trips from the country you live in | People living outside their home country | People living in Spain |
| Routine GP visits | Usually no, only sudden illness | Often yes | Yes, in the insurer's network |
| Ongoing conditions | Usually no | Depends on the policy | Depends on the policy |
| Pre-existing conditions | Only if declared and accepted | Only if declared and accepted | Only if declared and accepted |
| Flight home (repatriation) | Usually yes | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Trips outside Spain | Yes, that is its job | Depends on the area of cover | Often limited |
| Accepted for a residence visa | No | Only if the insurer is authorised in Spain and meets the consulate's rules | Usually, if it meets the consulate's rules |
Who needs expat health insurance, and who needs travel insurance?
- Visiting Spain on holiday. Travel insurance, plus an EHIC or UK GHIC if you have one.
- Moving to Spain without a job here. Health insurance that meets your visa or residence rules. Travel insurance does not count.
- Working in Spain. Social Security covers you once you are registered. Some people add private cover for speed or English-speaking doctors.
- Living in Spain and travelling abroad. A travel policy for trips that start from Spain, or an expat plan whose area of cover includes those trips.
Our comparison of health cover in Spain sets the EHIC, S1, convenio especial and private cover side by side.
Can travel insurance cover you once you live in Spain?
Usually not. The UK government's travel insurance guidance says travel insurance is not intended for permanent residence abroad. It also warns that many policies have a maximum trip length, or a yearly limit on time spent outside the UK.
So a policy bought at home stops fitting once you move. What people call "travel insurance for Spanish residents" is a different product. It treats Spain as home and covers trips that start here. Check three things:
- Does the policy accept people who live in Spain?
- Where does it send you home to: Spain or your old country?
- How long can each trip last?
If you are covered by Spanish Social Security, you can also get a Spanish EHIC for short trips in Europe and the UK. The Spanish government notes that it does not cover private care, rescue or a flight home.
Is the EHIC or GHIC a replacement for travel or expat insurance?
No. The European Commission says the EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It gives you needed public care on a temporary stay, on the same terms as local people. It does not cover private care or a return flight. If you move to another EU country, the Commission says to register with an S1 form if you have one, rather than rely on the EHIC.
The UK GHIC works the same way. See our EHIC, GHIC and S1 guide.
Which cover counts for a Spanish residence visa?
Health insurance, not travel insurance. The Spanish consulate in Los Angeles says travel insurance with medical cover is not accepted for the non-lucrative visa. It wants a policy with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with no deductible, copayment, waiting period or cover limit. The London consulate asks for cover of all the risks the Spanish public system covers.
Rules differ between consulates and routes, so read the official sheet for yours. Our guide to health insurance for Spanish residency goes route by route.
What should you compare when buying expat health insurance?
Get the answers in writing before you pay. A good check list:
- Insurer. Is it authorised to operate in Spain? You can look it up in the register of Spain's insurance authority (DGSFP).
- Area of cover. Spain only, Europe or worldwide? Is your home country included?
- GP and urgent care. Are GP visits, video visits and urgent care covered?
- Copayments and excess. Do you pay a share of each visit?
- Waiting periods. How long before each type of care is covered?
- Limits. Is there a yearly or lifetime cap?
- Pre-existing conditions. Covered, covered after a delay, or left out?
- Medicines. Are prescriptions paid back?
- Pregnancy and children. Are they included, and from when?
- Repatriation. Is a medical flight home covered, and to which country?
- Renewal. Can the insurer refuse to renew or raise the price with age?
What paperwork do insurers ask for, and when does cover start?
Most insurers ask for your ID, your address and a health questionnaire. Some ask for medical reports. If you need the policy for a visa, ask for a certificate with your name, the dates and the terms your consulate checks.
The start date is set by the policy, not by law. Ask for it in writing. Check that the cover starts before you travel and lasts the whole period your consulate asks for. Some consulates want no waiting periods at all.
How do pre-existing conditions and emergency care work?
Declare every condition the health questionnaire asks about. Under Spain's insurance contract law (Ley 50/1980), a wrong or missing answer can let the insurer cancel the policy or pay less. If you hid something on purpose or through serious carelessness, the insurer may pay nothing. The UK government gives the same warning for travel cover.
Some insurers cover a stable condition after review. Others leave it out, so you pay for that care yourself.
Bring enough of your usual medicines and a recent summary from your doctor. An EU prescription can be dispensed in Spain if it has all the required details and the medicine is sold here, says the EU's Your Europe site. In practice some pharmacies still ask for a Spanish one. For UK, US and other prescriptions, see our guide to using a foreign prescription in Spain.
In an emergency, call 112 first. Tell your insurer as soon as you can. The same law gives seven days to report a claim, unless your policy allows longer. Our guide to emergency numbers in Spain explains who to call.
What should people over 65 check?
- Age limits. The UK government advises checking age limits, especially on annual travel policies.
- Price at renewal. Ask how the premium changes with age.
- Long-term conditions. Make sure heart, lung or diabetes care is not left out.
- Public options. A UK or EU state pension may come with an S1. After a year on the padrón, the convenio especial is another route. It costs €157 a month from 65, under Royal Decree 576/2013.
Our retiring to Spain healthcare guide covers this in more detail.
How do claims work after a private GP visit?
- Check whether your policy needs you to call the insurer first for non-emergency care.
- Pay for the visit.
- Keep the itemised invoice and any medical report.
- Keep pharmacy receipts.
- Send everything together, within the insurer's deadline.
See insurance and invoices for what a visit with Dr. Yelamo includes. Our guide to medical records for travel insurance claims explains what an insurer usually wants.
Covered, but not sure where to start?
You can book a video visit with a GP licensed in Spain, in English or Spanish. You get an itemised invoice for your insurer.
Talking it through with a doctor by video
Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain. He sees adults, children and pregnant patients by video, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). In the visit he will:
- Listen to your symptoms and check for warning signs.
- Review your usual medicines and any long-term condition.
- Tell you if you need tests or an in-person exam, and give you an itemised invoice for your insurer.
He does not promise any test or prescription before the visit. Where clinically appropriate, following a genuine evaluation. Treatment and prescriptions are issued solely at the doctor's discretion based on evidence-based clinical guidelines.
A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.
See how the Urgent Care video visit works. It lasts 15 minutes and costs €50.
This guide is general information. It does not replace a consultation with your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between expat travel insurance and standard travel insurance for Spain?
Standard travel insurance covers trips from the country you live in, for a set number of days. Expat cover is built for people living abroad. It usually covers ongoing care where you live, and some plans add trips. Check which country the policy treats as home.
Can I use travel insurance if I live in Spain?
Not a policy from your old home country. The UK government says travel insurance is not meant for living abroad. Once Spain is home, you need health cover here, and a travel policy for trips that start from Spain.
Is travel insurance accepted for a Spanish residence visa?
No. The Los Angeles consulate says travel insurance with medical cover is not accepted for the non-lucrative visa. Consulates ask for health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain.
Is the EHIC or GHIC enough instead of insurance?
No. The European Commission says the EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It covers needed public care on a temporary stay, not private care or a flight home. A card from another country is not meant for living in Spain.
Do I have to declare pre-existing conditions?
Yes, if the insurer's health questionnaire asks. Under Spanish insurance law, a wrong or missing answer can let the insurer cancel the policy or pay less. The UK government also warns that not declaring can invalidate travel cover.
Will my insurer pay for a private online GP visit?
It depends on your policy. Pay for the visit, keep the itemised invoice and any report, and send them with your claim. Ask your insurer first if the policy needs approval before non-emergency care.
Related guides
Sources
This content is written and reviewed by a licensed physician with reference to the following sources.
- European Commission: European Health Insurance Card
- GOV.UK: Foreign travel insurance
- GOV.UK: Healthcare in Spain
- La Moncloa: How to apply for the European Health Insurance Card in Spain (in Spanish)
- Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles: Non-lucrative residence visa
- Consulate General of Spain in London: Non-lucrative residence visa
- BOE: Ley 50/1980, de Contrato de Seguro (in Spanish)
- DGSFP: Register of insurers (in Spanish)
- Your Europe: Prescriptions abroad, FAQ
