Frequently Asked Questions
Here you will find answers to your more frequently asked questions about Sanitas health policies and add-ons.
Glossary
Co-payments are a common feature in health insurance policies. They consist of small payments that must be made for a specific medical service. They are designed to share the costs of medical care between the insurer and the insured.
At Sanitas, you can choose whether you want your policy with no co-payments, a low co-payment, or a medium co-payment. Remember that you must choose a policy with no co-payments if you need to obtain a visa for Spain.
Waiting periods are the time that must pass from when you take out the insurance until you can use certain services, which are usually diagnostic tests or complex treatments.
For medical visits and simple diagnostic tests such as blood and urine tests, ultrasounds, X-rays, etc., there are no waiting periods, and you can use them from the first day.
If you already have other health insurance in Spain and are moving to Sanitas, it is possible for these periods to be waived. Please indicate this at the time of sign-up.
In a reimbursement model, the insured person initially pays for medical services and then requests reimbursement from their insurance company.
At Sanitas, we offer you complete freedom to go to the specialist of your choice, even if they are not in our medical network. You can access any professional, medical center, or hospital, even outside of Spain, and Sanitas will reimburse you for a percentage of the costs on your bill.
We offer a wide range of policies and add-ons for you to choose the one that best suits your needs, with maximum amounts from €50,000 to €500,000, and reimbursement percentages for services up to 90%.
Policies with Full Coverage are those that cover a wide range of medical services and are required by the Spanish Government for expatriates who wish to obtain a visa.
Sanitas offers several policies with full coverage, such as Sanitas Más Salud, Más Salud Families, Sanitas Top Quantum, Sanitas International Students, and Sanitas Professionals.
These policies include primary care, medical specialties, video consultations with specialists, simple and complex diagnostic tests, simple and complex therapeutic methods, surgical procedures, hospitalization, an advisory program, measurement of vital signs via facial imaging, dental coverage, and emergency care during trips abroad.
The natural or legal person who, together with Sanitas, signs the contract. The Policyholder may be the same as or different from the Insured. This person is responsible for the obligations arising from the contract, particularly the payment of the premium, except for those which, by their nature, are the obligation of the Insured.
Each person included in the policy and specified in the Particular Conditions, entitled to receive the insurance benefits, and who may or may not be the same as the Policyholder.
If you are coming to Spain with your family, you will find our Sanitas Más Familia policy perfect for all insured members, including your young children.
The person to whom the Policyholder grants the right to receive the compensation or benefit derived from this contract, for the corresponding sum.
A declaration that must be truthfully and completely filled out and signed by the Policyholder or Insured before the policy is formalized, which Sanitas uses to assess the risk to be insured.
In the context of health insurance, repatriation refers to the process of transporting an ill or injured insured person back to their home country for medical treatment or after their death.
The Spanish Government requires expatriates to purchase an insurance policy that includes repatriation in case of death. At Sanitas, we offer a small add-on that will meet this requirement if your policy does not include it already.
General Questions
We will calculate your personal quote based on your age and your city of residence in Spain. We will also apply any promotions that are active at the time of contracting.
You can pay for your health insurance by bank transfer, with a credit card, or by monthly direct debit if you have a bank account in Spain.
Only the first month will include a small surcharge of 0.15% of the net annual fee, which corresponds to the payment of the so-called Insurance Compensation Surcharge.
The policyholder will be the person who signs the policy, and the insured will be the person included in the policy who will receive the insurance benefits.
In the case of insured minors, they will need an adult as the policyholder.
As Sanitas intermediaries, we offer the official Sanitas rates and promotions. If you purchase your policy through us, we will be happy to assist you with anything you might need throughout the entire duration of your policy. We will do so in Spanish or English, as you prefer.
All Sanitas policies start on the first day of each month, regardless of the day you arrive in Spain. If you arrive mid-month, you will still have to contract your insurance from the 1st of that month or wait until the 1st of the following month.
If you currently have permanent residency in Spain, you can choose a policy with or without co-payments. We will be happy to help you choose the best policy according to your needs.
Sanitas offers several premium policies with extended coverage, including different reimbursement levels up to 90%.
Sanitas Premium 500,000 would be the top-of-the-range policy, designed for those looking for the most extensive and complete medical insurance.
Questions about policies for visas and residency (non-students)
To be valid for a visa or permanent residency application, a health insurance policy must meet certain requirements, such as providing full or comprehensive coverage throughout Spain, having no co-payments, and including hospitalization and repatriation in case of death (the latter depending on the country of origin).
Sanitas offers many options for these cases, depending on whether you are a student, a digital nomad, or if you are coming with your family.
We will be happy to help you choose the best policy for your situation.
You can get more information by visiting our blog.
If your visa is denied before the policy starts, you can request a 100% refund. If your visa is denied after the policy has started, you can request a pro-rata refund from the date of the denial.
We will ask for the visa denial letter from your consulate or embassy.
There are several requirements from the Spanish government that a health insurance policy must meet to obtain a specific visa.
Certain requirements usually include providing full or comprehensive coverage throughout Spain, having no co-payments, and including hospitalization and repatriation in case of death.
We will be happy to help you choose the best policy for your needs.
You can get more information by visiting our blog.
We will send you your official Sanitas certificate as soon as you complete the purchase of your policy, including payment of course, so you can present it to obtain your visa.
We will send it to you in Spanish, the language in which it will be required.
You will get your official Sanitas certificate as soon as you complete the purchase of your policy, including payment of course, so you can present it to obtain your visa. We will send it to you in Spanish, the language in which it will be required.
If you are in a hurry because you already have an appointment to apply for your visa, you can speed up the process by promptly sending the required documentation and making the payment quickly.
Questions about BUPA Transfers
Yes, you will need to request a document from BUPA called a Transfer Form. This document must state what type of policy you have, if you have any exclusions, the length of time you’ve been with BUPA, etc.—information we need to accept the transfer.
And, if you have had your BUPA policy for at least one year, we can waive the waiting periods without any problem, which is the best advantage.
Get more information by clicking here.
In this case, the exclusions will transfer from your BUPA policy to your Sanitas policy.
You will have nothing to worry about as long as your BUPA policy covers this service.
No, as you come from BUPA, we will only ask you to fill out a statement about the pre-existing conditions, attaching the medical history.
In order to register a policy with Sanitas, you must have an address in Spain. Documents are always sent by email.
The transfer lasts between 10 and 15 days from the date of receipt, provided that the application is well filled out and is satisfactory.
You have nothing to worry about, you can continue with your treatment.
If your policy has expired, you cannot make a transfer. The only way would be if your premiums are paid on time and / or there was a break in your coverage.
In order for those members to be included in the transfer they must have an existing BUPA policy. If members do not have that BUPA policy, then they can be included in the same plan, but unfortunately they will not have the roll-over benefits applicable to the main coverage.
This is completed by BUPA with all the information concerning your existing BUPA Policy. You then forward the form to us and we take care of the rest. We will require you to request an International Transfer Form (ITF) from BUPA. Afterwards we will require you to request an International Transfer Form (ITF) from BUPA.
You will have no problem making the change. Simply contact your BUPA UK or BUPA Global agent to complete the procedures. But keep in mind that you must be current on your payments and not have suffered any gap in your coverage.
Questions about the International Students policy
1.- First, you should fill out a short form to get your personalized quote.
2.- Next, we will need a letter from your university or school, stating the exact start date of the course, the exact end date of the course, and proof that the full course has been paid for.
3.- Once the purchase is complete, we will send you your certificate if you need one to obtain a visa.
You can check this post on our blog for more information on how to purchase our international student insurance in Spain.
We will ask for a letter from your university or school, stating the exact start date of the course, the exact end date of the course, and proof that the full course has been paid for.
The duration of the student policy will be the same as the duration of the course.
- The student must have comprehensive health insurance with no limitations.
- The insurance must not have co-payments.
- There will be no waiting periods, so the student can use the services from day one.
- The policy must include repatriation coverage.
You also need to keep in mind that to purchase this medical insurance, you must be between 14 and 35 years old, the course duration must be longer than 3 months, and the policy will only have the same duration as the course you will be taking in Spain, with a maximum of one year.
If you are a minor, an adult will have to be the policyholder, and you will be the insured person or beneficiary.
By purchasing the International Students policy, you will have access to more than 58,000 doctors and can visit over 4,500 Sanitas medical centers, with access to a multitude of medical specialties (Dermatology, allergology, psychiatry, endocrinology, urology, cardiology, ophthalmology, gynecology, traumatology, oncology, dietetics and nutrition, etc.)
You can go to the emergency room, request a second medical opinion, receive surgical procedures, hospitalization in a private room, home emergencies, emergency care during your travels outside of Spain, and you will have dental coverage.
Repatriation in case of death will be included, and you will also have access to our 24-hour video consultation service, even for emergencies.
You can choose which doctors you want to see and which hospital you want to be in within our network of providers. You won’t have to wait, fill out forms, or pay anything.
You will have access to our online platform, where you can manage your policy and search for doctors and centers to visit.
Keep in mind that health policies are for full calendar months; whether you sign up on the 12th, 15th, or 26th of the month, the policy will start on the 1st.
Questions about the Más Salud and Más Salud Familia policies
The Más Salud range is composed of 5 products with comprehensive coverage, which differ in their co-payment structure.
– Sanitas Más Salud / Más Salud Familia: No co-payments.
– Sanitas Más Salud Plus / Más Salud Familia Plus: Low co-payment with the first 6 services free.
– Sanitas Más Salud Óptima: High co-payment with a lower premium.
Yes. The Sanitas Mas Salud plan will cover your antenatal consultations, diagnostic tests. Childbirth is covered as long as you fall pregnant after becoming a member. Check the waiting periods.
Yes. Travel assistance addon.
- Sanitas Más Salud includes coverage in case of an EMERGENCY due to illness or accident abroad, up to a limit of 12,000€ for medical expenses, per person and year, in case of illness or accident in any country in the world.
Pre-existing illnesses refer to pathologies prior to the date of contracting the Sanitas health insurance. Before taking out the plan, you must fill in a form, declaring these pathologies. You should then speak to one of our doctors to check the status of this pathology and carry out a complete assessment which will be included in your file.
Coronavirus COVID-19 is fully covered.
The Mas Salud plan include Dental 21 addon.
Nothing for now, however, we will need you to complete the application form.
The price of the insurance is annual and can be paid in instalments as agreed.
Payment shall be made by direct debit to the policyholder’s bank account or other methods of payment provided that they are expressly agreed in the insurance application.
Questions about pet insurance
Yes, Sanitas offers veterinary insurance policies for your dog or cat. With it, you can go to any veterinarian and will be covered for unforeseen events such as illnesses or accidents, emergencies, and an annual check-up for your pet.
If you are already a Sanitas client, we will give you a special discount of 100 euros per year.
Fill out this short form, and we will send you your personalized quote.
Companion dogs and cats.
Dogs for commercial or professional purposes or those used for security, surveillance, farm guarding, hunting, rescue, breeding, guide dogs, racing, fighting, etc.; or cats for commercial or breeding purposes are not insurable or covered.
Pathologies of the pet prior to contracting the product.
If you wish to take out a policy for your pet and he/she suffers or has suffered from any illness, symptom, injury or has had an operation, you must declare it in the health questionnaire during the contracting process. This does not mean that you cannot apply for pet insurance. The corresponding department will call you to evaluate it.
Payment of veterinary services.
This insurance coverage is a reimbursement coverage and allows you to choose the veterinarian of your choice nationwide. You will pay the veterinary services to the veterinary clinic and then Sanitas will reimburse you a percentage of the expenses upon presentation of the bill for the service and within the economic limit of the product.
If you wish to take out a policy for your pet and he/she suffers or has suffered from any illness, symptom, injury or has had an operation, you must declare it in the health questionnaire during the contracting process. This does not mean that you cannot apply for pet insurance. The corresponding department will call you to evaluate it.
From 3 months to 9 years.
The pet must be older than 3 months and younger than 10 years old. Once your pet has reached 10 years of age, if it has already contracted insurance with Sanitas, the policy is maintained.
If your pet is a newborn, you can set a future effective date and the coverage will begin at the pet’s third month of age.
Questions about the repatriation add-on
To obtain residency in Spain or to get a visa, the repatriation add-on will be necessary. In the unfortunate event of death in Spain, this coverage will cover the costs of repatriation to your home country, even up to the city where the burial takes place.
When you contract the policy for the first time or when it is renewed.
All Sanitas Mas Salud plans / All Sanitas Mas 90 plans / All Sanitas Professional plans / Sanitas Premium 500 plan / Sanitas Students plan (Free).
Questions about the pharmacy add-on
It includes the reimbursement of the amount of those drugs whose sale is authorized by the government, provided that they are necessary for the treatment of pathologies suffered by the insured and that they are covered by their health care policy.
Yes, as long as they meet the requirements described above and the refund request is processed correctly.
A prescription from a medical practitioner will always be necessary to verify that it is a prescribed prescription.
Yes, the doctor must be requested to indicate the name of the insured on each prescription.
The refund process must be done within a maximum of 90 days from the invoice date, and it can be done in two ways: online application or postal delivery.
Online application: Login to your misanitas account online, fill in your details and upload the receipt and prescription. You can monitor the status of your claim.
Postal Delivery: You must send the Reimbursement request form, Original invoices or pharmacy ticket, Medical prescription in the name of the insured. Important: the documents must always be original.
Questions about dental policies
Several Sanitas policies already include dental coverage, but if you need extra coverage, we offer various options like Sanitas Dental Milenium and Sanitas Dental Premium, all of which can be chosen with or without co-payments.
Get more information by clicking here.
Without co-payment you will pay a fixed policy.
If you contract with co-payment your fee will depend on the use of your insurance, and you will pay 3€ for the included services consumed per day of visit.
No waiting periods or pre-existing conditions .
Whether you come from another dental insurance company or if this is your first insurance, you will be able to enjoy your Sanitas dental insurance from the first day of contracting it.
The period of permanence in Sanitas Dental Plans will be at least 12 months.