Talk Quesada forum

Hello there,

Thanks in advance for replies. We have been looking on the forum to find out how we can get medical cover in the most economic way possible. We are 56 & 57 respectively and intend to retire to Spain next year from Ireland. For the first few years we intend to rent with the possibility of buying a number of years down the line if we find the perfect place.

From searching the forum and the web, it looks like we would need to pay for at least a years medical insurance while we get residency and once we have that, we could then avail of the Convenio Especial for approx €60 per person per month.

Is this correct or are we missing something?

Cheers.

John & Angie.

Looks about right to me! However, given you are still young, you might find there won’t be a huge difference between the private health premiums and the convenio costs. Private cover will most likely be a bit more but possibly worth the extra bit for the instant access to treatment etc? Worth considering when you have actual figures to work with.

As long as you don't claim for anything on your insurance Paul M is correct there won't be much difference in cost, but i had a blood test on our insurance & the next year the insurance rose by about €400 so would of been cheaper to pay for the blood test myself.
I am now on convenio especial but be aware dependending on your bank you may have to create standing orders to pay it each month rather than by direct debit.
Also when you reach 65 the price rises to approx €157, but i have read that there is a time period approx 5 years then convenio especial cost is free, i can't remember if its being on the padron for 5 years or being permanent resident.
Im sure someone on here can be more accurate about this.

Same age as you and went with DKV insurance. Cheaper than convenio especial and no price increase or penalty for claims.. Been with them for almost 5 years now and highly recommend.

Also when you reach 65 the price rises to approx €157, but i have read that there is a time period approx 5 years then convenio especial cost is free, i can't remember if its being on the padron for 5 years or being permanent resident.
Im sure someone on here can be more accurate about this.
Topcat

Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:53 pm
Which part of Spain are you from?: Quesada
Gender: Male

When you reach 65 you will be entitled to an S1 from the UK Pension service so will go on to the health service in Spain free

jpeg wrote:Also when you reach 65 the price rises to approx €157, but i have read that there is a time period approx 5 years then convenio especial cost is free, i can't remember if its being on the padron for 5 years or being permanent resident.
Im sure someone on here can be more accurate about this.
Topcat

Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:53 pm
Which part of Spain are you from?: Quesada
Gender: Male

When you reach 65 you will be entitled to an S1 from the UK Pension service so will go on to the health service in Spain free

Thought you were entitled to S1 once receiving UK state pension, which is now at age 67 for those born after April 1961??

I had Convenio Especial for 3 years at 57 euros until I reached 65 then the price went up to 157 euros. When I reached 66 and got my pension I got SI and now I do not pay anything as am on the Spanish health system.
Convenio Especial was better for me as I was covered for everything whereas private healthcare would not cover my pre existing conditions

According to the NHS website, you can only get an S1 if you lived in Spain prior to December 31st 2020.
If you were under retirement age as a resident, you can apply for an S1 when you reach retirement age but not if you became resident after 2020. "If you started living in Spain before 1 January 2021, you may also be entitled to an S1 if you receive some other ‘exportable benefits’. The state pension is an exportable benefit.

Yes, you can apply for the convenio especial after being a resident for 1 year. It actually states being on the padron for over a year so if you registered before taking out residency that's when the one year starts. That gives you full access to the Spanish NHS but not the cost of prescriptions. For the first year, and to get the visa to come and apply for residency, you need private health care which gives the same cover as the Spanish NHS.

Once you have been resident for 5 years, you apply for permanent residency which gives you access to the Spanish health system on the same basis as a Spanish citizen. You do need a legislation letter (documento de no exportacion) which you can get from the Overseas Health department and then register your permanent residency with the INSS.

A tale of 2 neighbours.
Chap a couple of doors down from me has owned his house for about 9 years. He decided to move permanently last year and took out residency in October 2020. Received an S1, got his TIE and a healthcard. No problems and all went smoothly. Even though he is classed as a temporary resident until he's been here five years, he doesn't have to register every so often but just change to permanent after 5 years. Had to prove income under the old rules.

Couple across the road, in their 70s, moved over in July this year. They had to go through the Spanish consulate in Edinburgh, got a visa, came over and got a TIE which is valid for a year then have to reregister again. Had to show private medical insurance for at least the first year, were unable to get an S1 from UK as their residency wasn't before 2021 but he tells me the private insurance for him and his wife is cheaper than the convenio especial at their age.

He went to INSS and was told he had to be a resident for 5 years before becoming permanent and able to move across to the Spanish NHS system but could take out the convenio especial in July next year but he's declined as €130 a month is more than his private health insurance. Sticking with the private insurance if it doesn't go up too much in the next 5 years.

The Withdrawal Agreement included the S1 so if you receive a State Retirement Pension from the UK you are entitled to an S1 form to have your healthcare in spain paid for by the UK Health service It does not matter when you came to Spain before or after 31st December 2020
read this carefully
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare- ... islands#s1

"Once you have been resident for five years you apply for permanent residency which gives you access to the Spanish health system on the same basis as a Spanish citizen"
Marcliff, I'm guessing that doesn't apply to people under state pension age who have been resident more than five years??