If you’re a legal resident in Spain and want to travel abroad to other countries in the European Union, find out if it’s necessary to get travel insurance.
Many people wrongly assume that because they live in an EU country, they’re automatically covered against issues that may happen while travelling in other EU countries.
The mistake usually happens because as a resident of Spain you are allowed to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which ensures you can receive medical treatment when travelling throughout the EU.
In Spain, it’s known as the Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea or TSE and is designed to be used in emergencies when you are visiting or on holiday in Europe. It is not valid when moving to another country or if the trip is for the purpose of receiving medical treatment.
READ ALSO – TSE card: How to get a Spanish European Health Insurance card
As you can see, this only covers you for medical emergencies, but it doesn’t cover private ambulance transfers, repatriation, or co-payment coverage in certain countries, so you could still end up needing to pay out a lot in case you need treatment.
The EHIC doesn’t cover you against any other non-health problems you may come across either. For example, it won’t cover for cancellations, robberies, loss of luggage, delays etc.
While it’s not obligatory to have travel insurance for the EU if you already live in Spain, it’s a good idea and is recommended by many travel experts.
The European Union website confirms: “No. You are not obliged to have travel insurance when travelling within the EU. However, the EHIC will not cover private medical healthcare or costs such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, lost or stolen property or repatriation. Therefore, if you would like to be covered for such risks, you may want to take out travel insurance in addition to your EHIC”.
The website also confirms that non-EU nationals cannot use their EHIC in Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
So, if you’re a resident in Spain, but a non-EU national and plan on travelling to those countries above, you will not be covered for healthcare and will need to get extra insurance, which includes health coverage.
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Remember, this is different if you are coming to the EU on vacation and are not a resident here. In this case if you’re applying for a Schengen Visa, travel insurance is a legal requirement, and the policy must provide a minimum coverage of €30,000.
For travellers who can enter the EU visa-free on an ETIAS, the ETIAS website confirms that “travel insurance is not required when travelling on an ETIAS, but it is recommended as it can provide great benefits and protection”.
It also states that for EU citizens “Private insurance plans may also be beneficial for travellers wanting extensive coverage”.
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If you follow the experts’ recommendation and get travel insurance for EU travel if you live in Spain, you will need to make sure you get a policy that covers you as a Spanish resident. You can’t just get travel insurance from any company or the same companies you may have contracted when you lived outside Spain, such as in the UK or the US.
Some examples of travel insurance companies that will cover you if you live in Spain are Heymondo, IATI, InterMundial, Chapka, MAPFRE and AXA.
Costs of travel insurance vary a lot depending on the destination, type of package you get and what you’re covered for, but for most of the EU it should be between €1.50 and €5 per day, so it’s not a huge expense and can give you peace of mind.
