Essential Tips for Spanish Medical Insurance for Visa Applications - Avoid Spanish health policies with waiting periods.

Make sure your Spanish medical policy for visa has NO waiting period.

As an agency providing Spanish medical insurance policies to many visa applicants, we are noticing a growing number of people contacting us after they submit a policy that has a "Carencia".

This issue can lead to delays or rejections in visa applications.

Understanding Carencia in Spanish Medical Insurance

The Carencia is a waiting period that typically applies in the first 12 months of most Spanish medical insurance policies. The Carencia clauses usually exclude treatment options for the first six months of the policy. This can include essential services such as surgery, colonoscopies, hospitalisations, and psychiatric sessions. In many cases, oncology treatments and transplants may also be excluded during the first 12 months.

Recently, the Carencia clause has caused significant issues with visa applications. Many consulates are now rejecting medical policies that include any form of waiting period. This can be frustrating for applicants who are unaware of these stipulations.

Criteria for a Medical Policy That Meets Visa Requirements

Based on our extensive experience in providing Spanish private health insurance for visas to thousands of customers, we previously advised applicants to ensure their policies met the following criteria:

1. Medical network across all of Spain.

2. Comprehensive primary care.

3. Access to full specialists.

4. Hospitalisation coverage.

5. No copago (policy excess).

6. No limitations on treatment costs.

7. Annually contracted and renewable.

8. The policy is in Spanish.

   
   

The New Requirement: No Waiting Period

Now, we have added a crucial ninth requirement: the policy must have no waiting period whatsoever, with the exception of an 8-month waiting period for pregnancy-related coverage.

Why Waiting Periods Can Cause Issues

It is important to recognise that not every official scrutinising medical insurance policies will focus on the same aspects. Occasionally, customers believe their lawyers are correct when they insist they can pay monthly or that starting the policy a month after the consulate appointment will not pose any issues. More often than not, this leads to complications.

Many clients return asking for modifications to their policies within seven days. When this occurs, the existing policy must be manually removed from the system before the new application process can be initiated. This additional step can result in longer wait times than anticipated.

Choosing the Right Policy from the Start

For those applying for visas, the best course of action is to select a policy that meets all these proven criteria from the beginning. To assist with this, we offer two reliable policy options:

• Integral Elite Spain Only Policy (Version Colectivo Estranjero)

• Mundisalud Classic (the freedom to choose any doctor policy) (Version Colectivo Estranjero)

  
  

Both of these visa-approved medical policy options cannot be accessed online. Be aware that their prices may differ slightly from the online standard policy equivalents, depending on your postal code location in Spain.

Getting More Information

For more details regarding pricing and brochures, please contact Andy or Francis at (+34) 956 777 905, or feel free to email enquiries@tailormadehealthcarespain.com.

In conclusion, when applying for a visa, securing a medical policy without waiting periods is crucial. It ensures a smoother application process and helps avoid unnecessary delays.