Private health insurance in Spain offers a valuable supplement to compulsory state health insurance. They owe their growing popularity to the often long waiting times in the state healthcare system. In order to guarantee fast and direct medical care, insurers conclude contracts with private doctors and clinics. This enables customers to go directly to the desired specialists without any detours. Costs are billed easily using a personal insurance card or prior authorisation from the insurer.
Some benefits are not traditionally included in the benefits catalogue of Spanish insurers. These include medication, vaccinations, medical aids, remedies, dental treatment, dentures, prosthetics, cost-intensive treatments such as dialysis, psychotherapy and HIV treatment. These costs are either borne by the state healthcare system or by the insured person themselves. The comparatively low fee agreements with private doctors and clinics make health insurance in Spain very inexpensive.
However, many foreign doctors and facilities in Spain do not accept the low fees and the associated administrative burden. They prefer to work independently and agree their fees directly with the patients.
In order to give their customers the opportunity to see the doctor of their choice, some insurers offer contracts with free choice of doctor. In these cases, the insurer usually reimburses 80 per cent of the costs. Although the premiums are higher, these policies offer the advantage of free choice of doctor worldwide.
Customers who opt for private health insurance without a free choice of doctor should note that German-speaking doctors and facilities are rare and that it can happen that the trusted doctor terminates the contractual relationship with the insurance company. In such cases, the treatment costs must be paid directly and reimbursement will only be made if a contract with a free choice of doctor exists.
Iberia Versicherungsmakler will be happy to provide you with comprehensive advice and the best possible health insurance solution for your individual needs.
Iberia Insurance Broker
Sassan Mikhtchi & Denise Latocha
Tel. +34 971 69 90 96
info@iberiaversicherungsmakler.com
www.iberiaversicherungsmakler.com
