The Digital nomad visa is for people who are employees of a business outside of Spain but want to live in Spain. A second type of digital nomad is a self-employed person whose Spanish clients do not make up more than 20% of the overall income.
In the first case, you work for a company outside of Spain but the employer is happy for you to live and work from Spain. In the second case, you live in Spain and have deals with various customers. Any Spanish customers you have will make up less than 20% of your income.
To qualify you must meet various criteria. Some of these include proof of a clean criminal record and sufficient income and savings in the bank. Another important aspect is that you may need to have suitable health insurance for a digital nomad visa in Spain.
As an independent broker that has a specialist department for Spanish health insurance products for Non-Lucrative Visas, Golden Visas and the new Digital Nomad Visa we are confident we can find a suitable product for you.
We work with a range of quality health insurance providers. Be careful because there is a huge range of products on the market. However, only some meet the necessary criteria for the Digital Nomad Visa.
We are also very aware that if you are applying through a foreign consulate, for example, it is possible your health insurance product will have to include certain elements that a policy submitted with a digital nomad visa application in Spain might not. Experience and detailed knowledge like this can help avoid costly mistakes. We can help make your application for the visa quicker and less stressful.
Health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain
Contents
- How do I apply for Health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?
- How much does a policy cost?
- What if I have some pre-existing conditions?
- I have heard some health insurance companies have a grace period. What is this and is it important?
- Can I pay monthly?
- If I have a private health policy can I use state hospitals, clinics and doctors?
- Can I go to any private doctor, clinic or hospital?
- What is the process to cancel the health insurance policy?
- Can I change the health insurance company later?
Get a health Insurance Quote
Send us some basic details and we will begin the search for appropriate health insurance cover for Health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain
How do I apply for Health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?
By applying for your health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain through a specialist broker you will have access to a range of suitable products. We will present various options to you and we can help you to decide which one would be the best fit for you and your family.
Sometimes, different Spanish Consulates look for different features in the health policy so it is always useful to know if you are submitting your application within Spain or at a consulate in your country of origen.
You will need to complete a short application form and a health questionnaire for each person to be included on the policy. You may be asked to submit further medical information depending on your medical history. The insurance company will use this information to decide if they will issue a policy or not.
How much does a health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?
The cost of the health policy will depend on the level of cover taken, the number of people included in the policy, their ages and in some cases your location in Spain. By completing the short health insurance quotation form will quickly provide you with a number of options.
What if I have a pre-existing conditions?
All health insurance companies will exclude pre-existing conditions. In these cases, you need to be aware that if an illness is excluded because it is a pre-existing condition then if you later need treatment for this condition then your health insurance policy will not cover you. You can usually use the health insurer-approved doctors to obtain repeat prescriptions for pre-existing conditions (prescriptions have to be paid for by the client) but further treatment of the condition would be excluded.
Any exclusions in the policy will be included in the terms and conditions of your policy. You may be asked to sign a document confirming the exclusion depending on the company. Exclusions are not normally included in the paperwork you need to provide to the Spanish authorities.
I have heard some health insurance companies have a grace period. What is this and is it important?
It is true that some health insurance policies have a grace period. However, there are also insurance companies that do not.
A grace period is a period of time when not all of the benefits of the health policy are available to the beneficiaries covered by the policy. This period is only when you initially take out a policy. For example, you can go to the doctor the day after the policy starts. However, if your health insurance has a grace period then some important features may not be immediately available. For example, if you needed a CT scan during the grace period then it might not be covered. You would either have to pay for the service yourself or wait until the grace period has finished. If you had some cartilage damage in one of your knees then you would have to wait for the grace period to finish or pay for the treatment yourself. If your health policy has a grace period the only time the insurance company will waive it is in the event of a life-threatening emergency.
Not all health insurance policies have a grace period but if your policy does it is usually between 6 and 10 months depending on the insurance company and the treatment you need.
Depending on where you are submitting your request for a Digital Nomad Visa it might be important to choose a provider with no grace period.
Can I pay Health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa monthly?
It is our understanding that you should pay the premium annually upfront. This way the Spanish authorities can see that you have sufficient medical cover for the first year.
If I have Health insurance for Digital Nomad Visa in Spain can I use state hospitals, clinics and doctors?
The simple answer is no. If you use a state hospital then your policy will not cover the costs of any service or treatment. On leaving the state hospital you may have to pay a bill. You cannot request a reimbursement from your private health insurance company. You must always use the doctors, clinics hospitals, and ambulances affiliated with your private insurance company. Each insurance company provides a list of the affiliated doctors, clinics, and hospitals. These are usually available to clients through the insurance company website or mobile phone application.
Can I go to any private doctor, clinic or hospital?
Each insurance company has a network of affiliated doctors, clinics, and hospitals. You can only use those included in that network. If you choose to use someone outside your insurance policy network then you will have to pay the cost. This cannot be reimbursed. There are some companies that enable you to add an extra feature to your policy. This feature will cover the reimbursement of some of the costs of going outside their network. There is of course an additional premium for that feature and not all companies offer this. To find out where the clinics, doctors, and hospitals affiliated with your private medical insurance are, you need to consult the list available on their website or mobile phone application.
What is the process to cancel the health insurance policy?
These types of insurance contracts are for 12 months. You pay a 12-month premium and the insurer provides cover for the same period. It is not possible to obtain a contract for a shorter period. The contracts are automatically renewable. If you want to change the terms of your contract or wish to cancel the automatic renewal you must do so correctly to avoid the policy automatically renewing. To amend your policy or cancel it you must advise the insurance company in writing. The insurance company must receive this written instruction at least one month before the renewal date.
Can I change health insurance company?
Of course. Remember your insurance contract is a 12-month contract. It is possible to change companies at the time of renewal. You cannot stop a contract part-way through the year. You must send a written instruction to cancel the policy at least one month before the renewal date. If not the policy will automatically renew. There is nothing stopping you from sending it earlier. The cover will continue until the end of the agreed contract period.
The new health insurance company in Spain will waive any grace period it may have, on proof that you already have a health policy elsewhere and the premiums are up to date. You do need to be aware, however, any illness or treatment claimed under the current policy will now be a pre-existing condition with the new provider.
