EU Citizens

Health Insurance for EU Citizens Living in Spain

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a visa to live in Spain, but staying longer than three months means registering as a resident. If you won’t be working here, that registration asks you to show comprehensive health cover. We can arrange a Sanitas policy for it.

Get My Health Insurance Quote Do I Need It?

Last reviewed 24 October 2026 by the My Spanish Visa team

Do EU Citizens Need Health Insurance in Spain?

It depends on why you are living in Spain:

Working or self-employed

If you work for a Spanish employer or are self-employed and registered with Spanish social security, that registration gives you access to the public health system. Private cover is optional.

Not working: retired or financially independent

You need sufficient resources for yourself and your family, plus health insurance covering all risks in Spain (“un seguro de enfermedad que cubra todos los riesgos en España”). Public cover you already hold, such as an S1, can meet this; otherwise a private policy is the usual route.

Students

Students enrolled at a recognised institution need the same comprehensive health insurance, plus a declaration of sufficient resources.

Family members

Family members who live in Spain with you are covered by the same rules, so each person needs cover — public or private.

Source: Royal Decree 240/2007, article 7 (BOE-A-2007-4184, consolidated text read 24 October 2026). The registration office applies these rules, so ask what yours expects.

Public Cover You May Already Have

S1 form

If you receive a state pension from another EU country (or in some posted-worker cases), that country may issue an S1. Registered with Spanish social security (INSS), it gives access to Spain’s public health system — the public network only, not private hospitals.

Convenio especial

A paid agreement that gives access to the public system’s basic services. You can apply after at least a year of continuous residence in Spain, once you are registered on the padrón and have no other route into public healthcare. The base monthly payment set in the regulation is €60 under 65 and €157 from 65, and regions may add to it.

Source: Royal Decree 576/2013, articles 3 and 6 (BOE-A-2013-8190, read 24 October 2026).

EHIC

The European Health Insurance Card covers necessary treatment during temporary stays. It isn’t a substitute for cover when you live in Spain.

Private Health Insurance for Your Registration

If you don’t have public cover, a private policy covering all risks in Spain is the usual answer. For EU residence registration, Spanish Health Insurance quotes Sanitas plans without co-payments from the Más Salud range; the right plan depends on your circumstances and on what your local office asks for.

What to check on the policy

  • Cover throughout Spain, not one region
  • Comprehensive cover: GP, specialists, hospital and emergencies
  • No co-payments, so there’s no question about the level of cover
  • Every person named, with dates that cover your registration

You choose the start date, and an NIE usually isn’t needed to start the policy.

Irish Citizens, UK Nationals and Families

Irish citizens

Irish citizens are EU citizens, so everything on this page applies to you.

UK nationals

Since Brexit, UK nationals moving to Spain apply for a visa or residence permit instead of EU registration. See health insurance for a Spanish visa and health insurance for retirees.

Families

One family arrangement can cover several people, with each person assessed and named. See family health insurance in Spain.

Buying Your Policy

  1. Ask for a quote. Tell us who is to be covered, each person’s date of birth, where in Spain you live or will live, and your visa route if you have one.
  2. Answer the health questionnaire. Each person declares their medical history. Sanitas decides whether to accept, exclude or price any condition, so declare everything.
  3. Choose your start date. You pick the date cover begins; an NIE usually isn’t needed to start a policy.
  4. Accept and pay. Payment terms depend on the plan; some visa policies must be paid annually upfront. Your quote states the terms.
  5. Receive your documents. Once your application is accepted and paid, your policy documents are issued, and any certificate you need can show a future start date agreed with you.
Get My Health Insurance QuoteNot sure what to choose? Start here

Quotes come from Spanish Health Insurance, an exclusive Sanitas insurance agent. Your policy is a separate contract with Sanitas, and acceptance depends on the health questionnaire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do EU citizens need private health insurance in Spain?

Only in some situations. If you work or are self-employed in Spain, social security gives you public cover. If you register as a resident without working, Spanish rules ask for sufficient resources and health insurance covering all risks in Spain — which can be public cover, such as an S1, or a private policy.

Does the European Health Insurance Card count?

The EHIC covers necessary treatment during temporary stays. It isn’t designed for living in Spain, so it isn’t a substitute for cover when you register as a resident.

Can I join the public system through the convenio especial straight away?

No. You need at least a year of continuous residence in Spain immediately before applying, registration on your town hall’s padrón, and no other route into public healthcare.

Do I need an NIE to buy a policy?

Not usually to start a policy, and you choose the start date.

Can I get a quote if I live in Navarra or Cantabria?

Unfortunately, we cannot currently arrange Sanitas health-insurance policies for residents of Navarra or Cantabria.