Insurance in Spain For Expats

EXPAT INSURANCE SPAIN

This page is dedicated to helping expatriates, more commonly known as expats, who are looking for insurance in Spain.

If you have recently moved to Spain then your command of the Spanish language is probably basic at best.

So you are probably looking for English-speaking Spanish insurance companies or English-speaking insurance brokers who can help find you insurance in Spain.

The good news is that there are many companies who can help you with your insurance needs in Spain and who concentrate on servicing the expat market. In fact a number of expats themselves have started up insurance businesses but also there are many major Spanish insurance companies that have set up dedicated teams and staff to deal with the expat market and the growing expat population in Spain.

Most companies and brokers we recommend to help expats with insurance in Spain are based in Spain, however there are some multinational companies based in other places of Europe such as the United Kingdom that do also offer relevant policies that will cover your insurance needs in Spain. For example companies that can offer holiday home insurance in Spain such as Schofield's and Intasure are based in the United Kingdom.

INSURANCE BROKERS IN SPAIN WHO CAN HELP EXPATS

In some instances you will be better off going direct to an insurance company and getting a quote however there are many Spanish insurance brokers who can compare quotations from many different providers and in this way they find you the cheapest insurance quotes. Do remember that cheapest is not necessarily the best or the most appropriate for your circumstances.

Obviously these insurance brokers get a commission but often they can get better deals than you could do if you were searching yourself. Insurance brokers save you lots of time and if there are problems later on should you need to make a claim on your policy, you can go back to them and they will deal with the insurance company directly. The best thing of all is that unless you speak fluent Spanish, these brokers will be able to communicate with you in English and deal with the Spanish insurance companies directly.

There are three major insurance brokers in Spain who concentrate on servicing the expat market, all three of these companies have been started by British expatriates so you can telephone them and speak to them in English and the policies will be in English. These insurance brokers are Knight Insurance, Jennifer Cunningham and Abbeygate. Other companies include: BC-Seguros, Dragon Insurance, Easy Insurance, Ibex Insurance, INOV Insurance and IIS.

At the moment there are no price comparison websites for expat insurance in Spain so to get the cheapest deals you either need to phone the various companies or just ring and insurance broker and get them to compare the market and give you the cheapest quote they could find.

INSURANCE COMPANIES IN SPAIN WHO CAN HELP EXPATS

In this section we list the major insurance companies in Spain. You will find with most of these companies that they have staff who speak English because the English expat market in Spain is now a significant part of their business.

Major companies you will come across include Liberty Seguros who are best known for providing car insurance in Spain but also provide household insurance, Linea Directa who are the Spanish version of Direct Line insurance in the United Kingdom, INOV Insurance, Mapfre Insurance who are mostly known for car insurance, Schofields known for holiday home insurance, IBEX Insurance and Reale Insurance.

Below we have a quick guide to the various different types of insurance you are probably looking at as an expat who is new to Spain.

EXPAT HEALTH INSURANCE IN SPAIN

When people first move to Spain on the top of their agenda is usually their health as they are concerned about what to do if they fall ill and they need medical assistance. Many expats come to Spain having previously lived in the United Kingdom where the National Health Service is free to all.

Spain also has its own National Health Service however this is only free if you are making contributions through employment or being self-employed. As you have probably just arrived in Spain realistically this would not be the case.

In this case you can either go to an international medical centre and pay as you go or you can take out private health insurance Spain. The expat insurance brokers we listed above will all be able to give you private health insurance through companies such as ASSSA, Arresa, Sanitas etc.

These private Spanish companies operate in a very similar way to that of BUPA in the United Kingdom. By going to an English-speaking insurance broker or agent they can explain exactly what coverage you can expect to get. Expect to pay approximately €1000 a month for private health care in Spain.

If you need a dentist in Spain then even if you qualify for the Spanish national health service, dentistry is not included, so you will still need to find a private clinic.

EXPAT CAR INSURANCE IN SPAIN

The second most popular type of insurance that expats in Spain will look to deal with is usually car insurance, otherwise known as motor insurance. Many expats arrive in Spain with a vehicle such as a car or van which is registered on United Kingdom license plates. This is fine but you have a limited time with which to import or re-register your car.

It is possible to find insurance companies and insurance brokers who will obtain car insurance for you even on a British registered car or van. We recommend the same insurance brokers as listed above as well as going directly to companies such as Liberty Seguros, Mapfre and Linea Directa.

As well as cars they will also be up to help you with Scooter insurance in Spain, motorbike insurance in Spain, caravan insurance in Spain for expats, and quad bike insurance in Spain.

EXPAT INSURANCE IN SPAIN FOR HOMES, HOUSES AND PROPERTY

Many expat people move to Spain and buy a property such as an apartment or villa. In this instance you will be looking for either buildings insurance, contents insurance or both. if you have bought an apartment in Spain you will also need community insurance.

Home/house insurance in Spain is so important that it is vital that you understand your policy and that you do not under insure your property, so do use an English-speaking broker or company.

OTHER TYPES OF EXPAT INSURANCE FOR SPAIN

We have already covered the major types of insurance that an expat in Spain will be searching for and we have mentioned specific insurance companies, insurance brokers together with directing you to more detailed pages on our website.

There are other types of insurance you may be searching for these include life insurance and pre-paid funeral plans. Also boat insurance, marine insurance, golf insurance, travel insurance, business insurance, commercial insurance, pet insurance and public liability insurance. For these types of insurance please see our main insurance in Spain page.

We also have other sections on this website to assist you with your move to Spain including relocation tips and advice as well as stories, interviews and advice from others who are now expats in Spain.