Skip to content

Spain · visa health insurance

Health insurance in Spain for UK citizens

By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026

Spain requires a policy contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain, with no deductible, no copayment, no waiting period and no coverage limit, for the residency visa file. A GHIC covers temporary stays only, not residence. We arrange a Spain-compliant arrangement confirmed by our underwriting partner, checked against your consulate's checklist before you buy.

Visa-ready plans from $721 per adult, billed annually · see your exact price by age.

The rule in writing

“Spain requires health insurance “contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain” for the non-lucrative and digital-nomad visas — with no deductible, no copayment, no waiting period and no coverage limit. Most international policies fail this rule on registration grounds.”

Official source: Consulates General of Spain (Los Angeles & London) — official visa requirements — Last verified:

The NHS and your move

NHS entitlement is based on living in the UK. Once you move to Spain, you are no longer resident there for NHS purposes, so the NHS does not cover you as a resident of Spain. Spain's own public healthcare system works differently, and residency there is what unlocks it, not your NHS number.

Since Brexit, UK citizens staying in Spain beyond the short-stay window need a long-stay visa: a non-lucrative visa if you are not working, or a digital-nomad visa if you work remotely. Insurance sits inside that visa file, and it is checked at application stage.

A GHIC or EHIC is designed for necessary care during temporary stays. It is not residence cover, and it is not what the visa file asks for.

Spain's rule, and the S1 honesty

Spain's requirement is specific: the policy must be contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain, with no deductible, no copayment, no waiting period and no coverage limit. Most international policies fail on the registration point alone, since being authorized to sell insurance elsewhere is not the same as being authorized in Spain. Travel insurance is refused outright. This exact gap catches UK movers, so it is worth reading our guide on the visa insurance trap before you shop.

If you hold an S1 form registered with Spanish social security, that counts as public cover for some applicants, and it changes the picture. Where an S1 applies to your situation, we say so rather than sell around it.

What we arrange for UK movers

We arrange cover through a Spain-compliant arrangement confirmed by our underwriting partner (confirmed July 2026). A person checks the certificate wording against your consulate's checklist before you buy, and if your case does not fit the arrangement, we say so up front.

Plans carry annual limits of US$1,000,000 to US$2,000,000, start the same day with no medical exam, and include a 14-day cooling-off period. Children aged 0 to 17 are covered at a flat rate per plan. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, stated plainly rather than buried, and treatment in the United States is not covered. New applicants are accepted up to age 70, or up to 80 on the Essential plan, which matters if you are moving into retirement.

Confirm the Spain-compliant arrangement on your quote call before you rely on it. Cover is with one insurer across all eight destinations we work with, so it moves with you if you relocate within them. Start on a quote call to check your case.

Honest limits: Cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, including conditions you did not know about. We disclose this before you request a quote. Consulates keep discretion, and requirements can change. We show the published rule and its source; the final decision is the consulate’s.

Cover levels that meet the rule

Benefits are public, and so are the 2026 prices: your exact rate depends on age.

Standard

From $1,133/yearabout $94/mo billed annuallyChildren 0–17: flat $853/yr

Adds everyday outpatient care — GP and specialist visits, prescriptions, and tests — to hospital cover.

  • US$1,000,000 overall plan limit per year
  • GP, specialist, medication & lab tests (US$750 each)
  • Outpatient surgical to US$25,000
  • Semi-private hospital room & board
  • Pre- & post-hospitalisation cover

New applicants up to age 70.

+ everything included — hover to expand

Scope: No dental or wellbeing benefits at this level.

Choose StandardSee your price by age →

Fully Comprehensive

From $1,906/yearabout $159/mo billed annuallyChildren 0–17: flat $1,439/yr

The highest level: full-cover room, uncapped surgeon fees, routine dental, and the largest limits.

  • US$2,000,000 overall plan limit per year
  • Full-cover private room & board
  • Full surgeon, professional & outpatient cover
  • Routine & major dental (after 6-month wait)
  • Wellbeing check-ups & vaccinations to US$500

New applicants up to age 70.

+ everything included — hover to expand

Choose Fully ComprehensiveSee your price by age →

See your exact price by age →

Budget options — limited cover

Essential Health

From $392/yearabout $33/mo billed annually

A budget plan for accident and emergency care in state hospitals only. Not full private health cover.

  • US$100,000 maximum plan limit per year
  • Unforeseen accident & emergency care only

Scope: State hospitals only, accident/emergency only. No outpatient, dental, or wellbeing cover. Not a substitute for full private health insurance on a visa application.

Choose Essential Health →

Major Medical

From $721/yearabout $60/mo billed annually

Hospital-focused cover: inpatient treatment, surgery, and emergencies, worldwide outside the US.

  • US$1,000,000 overall plan limit per year
  • Semi-private hospital room & board
  • Theatre, ICU, and emergency-room cover (full)

Scope: No outpatient, dental, or wellbeing benefits at this level.

Choose Major Medical →
  • Treatment is covered worldwide, excluding the United States.
  • Pre-existing conditions are excluded — including conditions you did not know about.
  • Evacuation & repatriation is an optional benefit that costs an additional premium.
  • Prices are Regency’s 2026 rates for the EU region: per person, per year, billed annually, starting at adult age 18 — your exact price depends on age. Children 0–17 pay a flat rate on every plan.
  • Plans run in 12-month terms and renew at the anniversary; the age limits shown apply to new applicants.

Common questions

Does my GHIC or EHIC cover me living in Spain?

No. A GHIC or EHIC is designed for necessary care on temporary stays, not for residence. Spain's visa file asks for a private policy contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain, with no deductible, no copayment, no waiting period and no coverage limit.

I have an S1 form. Do I still need private health insurance?

An S1 registered with Spanish social security counts as public cover for some applicants, and it changes the picture. Where an S1 applies to your situation, we say so rather than sell around it, so it is worth checking on your quote call before assuming you need private cover.

Can I get cover if I am retiring to Spain at 68?

Yes. New applicants are accepted up to age 70, and up to 80 on the Essential plan, so most retirees moving to Spain are within range. Confirm the Spain-compliant arrangement on your quote call before you rely on it.

Will my UK pre-existing conditions be covered?

No. Pre-existing conditions are excluded from these plans, stated plainly rather than buried in the wording. Treatment in the United States is also not covered. A person will talk through what that means for your specific history before you buy.

Get a certificate that meets the published rule

Tell us your destination, visa, and who’s moving. Our team reviews it against the current requirement and calls you with a quote — no obligation.

Cover underwritten by Regency Assurance · every rule on this site cited and dated · a person calls back within one business day.

Before you request a quote: cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States, and pre-existing conditions are not covered — including conditions you did not know about. We say this up front so a quote is worth your time.

Keep reading

Guides for this move