Compliant no-co-payment cover for European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK) and other non-EU citizens living in Spain
In most cases, yes. EU citizens who register as residents without working or paying Spanish social security must show private health insurance with no co-payments. Non-EU citizens, including UK citizens since Brexit, need the same cover for a non-lucrative visa and again when they renew it.
Sanitas Mas Salud, Sanitas Mas Salud Family, Sanitas Top Quantum, Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500 are no co-payment plans and meet the residency requirement. The routes differ: EU citizens register as residents, while UK and other non-EU citizens hold a visa, then a residence card.
HealthPlan Spain is an authorised Sanitas agent (agent code 22395) in Marbella that arranges Sanitas residency policies in English, at the same price as buying direct from Sanitas.
If you are an EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss citizen, you do not need a visa to live in Spain – you have freedom of movement. To stay longer than three months you register as a resident and receive the certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Union (the "green certificate") along with your foreigner identity number (NIE). If you are not working in Spain and not covered by Spanish social security – for example early retirees or the economically inactive – you must prove you hold private health insurance with no co-payments, broadly equivalent to the public system, plus sufficient financial means. Sanitas no-co-payment plans meet that requirement.
If you are working in Spain and paying into social security, you are usually covered by the public system – private insurance is then optional, for faster private access rather than a registration requirement.
All no-co-payment, all compliant for your EU registration or your non-EU residence renewal. Choose the level of cover that suits how you live. Applying for your first visa from outside Spain? See Sanitas Residents Visa.
From 64,40 € / month
Cover in Spain + no co-payments
Sanitas Top Quantum offers comprehensive coverage, including any GP in Spain – a step up from Sanitas Mas Salud, and meets the residency requirement for EU registration and non-EU renewals.
From 61,40 € / month
Cover in Spain + no co-payments
Our most economical no co-payment policy for singles and couples completing their residency registration or renewal.
From 62,70 € / month
Cover in Spain + no co-payments
Our most economical no co-payment policy for families completing their residency registration or renewal together.
From 83,70 € / month
Cover in Spain + 70% worldwide
An all-inclusive policy covering you in Spain plus 70% worldwide with no co-payments – ideal if you split your time between countries.
From 94,00 € / month
Cover in Spain + 90% worldwide
Comprehensive care in Spain plus €500k worldwide cover, with prescription reimbursement and a hospital cash allowance – our highest level of protection for residents in Spain.
Age matters here. These plans have a maximum joining age – 75 on most of them, and 64 on Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500. It is the age you take the policy out that counts, not your age later on. Sanitas Unico has no upper age limit but cannot be used for your registration, because it has co-payments and no hospitalisation cover. If you are close to these ages, ask us to call you before you apply.
Since Brexit, UK citizens are non-EU citizens, like citizens of the United States, Canada or Australia. You normally need a visa to live in Spain, and you apply for it from outside Spain. Within 30 days of arriving, you apply for your foreigner identity card (TIE).
Health insurance for the visa application itself is covered on our health insurance for a Spanish visa page, and Sanitas Residents Visa is built for applying from abroad. This page covers what follows: living in Spain on your TIE and renewing your residence.
Renewing a non-lucrative residence asks for private health insurance again. A first non-lucrative residence is usually valid for one year, and the first and second renewals usually grant two years each. The policy should come from an insurer authorised in Spain and stay in force for the whole period you are renewing. The safest option is comprehensive cover with hospitalisation and no co-payments, and the policyholder details should match the applicant. See our step-by-step renewal guide.
If you arrived on Sanitas Residents Visa, the policy renews automatically each year, and once contracted there is no maximum age to remain insured. After a year of registered residence you can pay into the public system through the Convenio Especial, but non-lucrative renewals normally still need private cover. UK state pensioners with an S1 form can usually register with the public system instead. Our guide to public and private healthcare in Spain explains who is entitled.
UK and other non-EU citizens follow a different route: a visa from outside Spain, then a foreigner identity card (TIE) and its renewals. See the visa, TIE and renewal route above.
If you are not working in Spain or covered by Spanish social security, yes. You must show private health insurance with no co-payments to complete your residency registration. If you work and pay social security, you are usually covered publicly and private cover is optional.
In most cases, yes. Since Brexit, UK citizens are non-EU citizens and normally need a visa to live in Spain. Spanish consulates require full private health cover with no co-payments for non-lucrative, digital nomad and similar visas, and a non-lucrative renewal asks for the same. A European or Global Health Insurance Card (EHIC or GHIC) covers temporary visits only and is not accepted as proof of cover. UK state pensioners with an S1 form can usually register with the public system. Our visa health insurance page covers the visa application itself.
Full private medical cover with no co-payments, broadly equivalent to the Spanish public system, with no annual cap that would leave you exposed. Sanitas no-co-payment plans are written to meet this.
Our visa health insurance page covers the first visa application from outside Spain and leads with the Residents Visa plan you can arrange from abroad. This page covers residence itself: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens registering, and UK and other non-EU citizens living here on a TIE and renewing their residence.
Yes. Both adults and children can go on one policy with a single renewal date. Dependants not covered through a working family member's social security generally need their own private cover for registration.
No. You can set up the policy first and use the proof of cover at your registration appointment. We will guide you on timing.
It depends on your permit. Non-lucrative residence holders normally show private health insurance again at renewal. The policy should come from an insurer authorised in Spain and stay in force for the whole period you are renewing. The safest option is comprehensive cover with hospitalisation and no co-payments. Sanitas Mas Salud, Mas Salud Family, Top Quantum, Mas 90 and Premium 500 all qualify. If you arrived on Sanitas Residents Visa, it renews automatically each year, and once contracted there is no maximum age to remain insured.
Sanitas no co-payment plans that meet the residency requirement have a maximum joining age. The limit is 75 on most of them and 64 on Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500. The age when the policy is taken out counts, not the age later on. Sanitas Unico has no upper age limit but cannot be used for registration.
Sanitas Mas Salud is the no co-payment policy for singles and couples completing EU residency registration, and Sanitas Mas Salud Family is the version for families registering together. Sanitas Top Quantum adds any GP in Spain. Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500 add worldwide cover at 70% and 90%. The price depends on age and province, and the plan cards on this page show the monthly premium for each.
Yes, if you are coming to live in Spain. Sanitas no co-payment plans meet the residency requirement, and no NIE is needed to start the policy. EU citizens use the proof of cover at the registro appointment for the EU registry certificate. UK and other non-EU citizens need it for the non-lucrative visa and again when they renew it.
No. You show your card at Sanitas network centres, with nothing to pay at reception. You pay the provider directly and then claim back the eligible percentage only on the reimbursement route, where a plan has it: Sanitas Mas 90 pays 70% of eligible costs at providers outside the network, and Sanitas Premium 500 reimburses 90%.
Get an instant price, or talk it through with our English-speaking team – we do this every day.
Sanitas is one of Spain's leading private medical insurers, backed by Bupa and trusted by over 3 million members. Its no-co-payment plans are written to meet the residency registration and renewal requirements and give you fast private access to GPs, specialists, diagnostics and hospitals across Spain – without public-system waiting lists.
We are an authorised Sanitas mediator and our whole team is bilingual English/Spanish. We will match you to a compliant plan, arrange the proof of cover for your registro or residence renewal, and be on hand for renewals and any questions.