Do I Need Travel Insurance For Spain?

You are about to leave UK for the beautiful Spain? Lucky you!

But during one of your trips, have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to get emergency treatment, where you lost your baggage at the airport, or just about anything else unexpected?

Hence, you’re probably wondering how to find the best travel insurance for visiting Spain.

In the below ultimate guide for travelling from the UK to Spain, we will tell you everything you need to know about travel insurance for your trip: is it compulsory, what key features should you pay attention to, how much does it cost, what are the driving requirements and what are the emergency contact details you need to know in Spain? Let’s get started.

Why do I need travel insurance for Spain?

Imagine you are hitting the Spanish roads on a scooter for a romantic trip with your partner. At a roundabout, someone runs into you. You need to call the emergency services. An ambulance comes and you need to make IRM checks to ensure everything is alright.

Unfortunately, it happens much more often than we think, and it could leave both you and your partner with significant medical costs to pay if you didn’t apply for travel insurance before leaving.

Here is a list of the most common unexpected costs arising during people’s trips:

What if….	How much does it cost on average?	How much will you have to pay without travel insurance (but with EHIC*)?	How much will you have to pay with travel insurance?
You need air rescue	£3,251	£3,251	£0 until medical expense limit is reached
You need an IRM	£245	£0*	£0 until medical expense limit is reached
You need to have surgery and to stay at a hospital	£5,600	£0 in public hospital only*	£0 until medical expense limit is reached
You need medical repatriation	£38,500	£38,500	£0
You need dental care	£500	£500	£0 – if planned in policy
Your baggage has been lost at the airport	£780	£780	£0
Someone stole your money	£200	£200	£0 until limit is reached
You need to cancel your trip	£200	£2,200	£0 until cancellation limit is reached

* British people travelling to Spain can benefit from their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) until 31/12/2020, which any European citizen can get for free. The EHIC should, as required in law, cover any medical procedures and treatments you may get while you are in Spain. The EHIC will not, however, cover any emergency or repatriation costs and any medical care considered as non urgent. This is where travel insurance comes in.

For as cheap as £1/day, “Comprehensive Travel Insurance” is a contract which fully covers you for any trip to Spain or elsewhere abroad. Travel insurance is not mandatory for anyone holding a valid UK passport but is, however, absolutely necessary.

It is one of the highest value-for-money insurance products to consider as it gives you complete peace of mind for as cheap as £1 per day.

Comprehensive travel insurance is here to provide you with both financial compensation as well as assistance during your trip.

What are the best travel insurance policies for Spain?

How can you choose between the plethora of travel insurance policies on offer and find the least expensive policy? Many insurers, even some small ones, offer very good value for money deals.

We’ve come up with a selection of small and big actors offering tempting deals.

Among them you’ll find:

Travel insurer	Travel insurance price	Our reviews	100% online applying	Live chat feature
	£6,54	Provides all travel insurance types with 4 levels of cover (all rated 5 stars by Defaqto): Standard, Premier, Exclusive, Superior 4,8/5 on TrustPilot (very good customer care according to reviews) Offers dedicated family travel insurance No credit or debit card fees guarantee Possibility to apply for travel insurance 12 months in advance UK-based customer service and claim team Reimburse within 14 days	yes	yes
	£7,08	4,58/5 rate on Reviews Provides all types of travel insurance with 2 level of protection: Gold and GoldPlus Medical compensation for up to 85 years old Dedicated customer service according to reviews	yes	yes
	£9,48	4,8/5 consumers reviews rate on TrustPilot / 5 stars on Defaqto Specialist insurer providing full cover for up to 1000 medical conditions (including Alzheimer's, HIV, cancer etc.) Includes cover for pregnant women UK based-call center Provides all travel insurance types with 3 level of protection Medical compensation limit minimum is £3M Also provides cover for cruise and winter sports	yes	yes

*Quotes above are for a 30 years old person applying for a one week trip to Europe travel insurance.

Even better, use our comparison tool to find the best deal for you! At Safe, we’ve checked out hundreds of travel insurance providers and we are now able to allow you to compare dozens of holiday insurance deals in only a few seconds without giving any personal details.

Which travel insurance type do I need for Spain?

You can apply for different insurance types depending on your type of trip, from frequent luxury or business travel to cheap holidays to Spain.

The most common ones are:

Travel insurance type	Explanation	Main features
Single trip insurance	These travel insurance policies are for one-off holidays. You will be covered from the start of the journey until the end. You can decide the number of days you want to be covered for.	Covers for the period of the stay
Annual multi-trip insurance	These policies are made for frequent travellers going away for holidays, business trips or for any other reason several times a year. You would need to check whether it is more competitive to buy two or three single trip insurance policies or an annual multi-trip policy. You can choose between a worldwide, worldwide excluding the USA, Caribbean and Canada or a Europe travel plan.	Covers for a period of 12 monthLength of each trip usually limited to 31 days (but can vary from 10 days to 90)Sometimes there is an age limit (66 years old on average)
Long stay and gap year insurance	These plans are made for students or any british resident wanting to explore the world, including for backpacking, gap year trips or for any other long stay reason.	Usually covers periods between 90 days for up to 18 monthsFor gap year trips,, there might be some age restrictions (from 16 to 45 only, for example)

What are the must-have features for travel insurance?

Each travel insurance policy is different, since it is the insurer who determines the content of the contracts it offers: guarantees, compensation limits, deductibles, travel insurance prices, etc.

However, all contracts on the market must include at least the following guarantees, applicable in Spain and elsewhere abroad:

• Medical expenses: compensation by the insurer for your health expenses during your stay (consultation, analysis, emergency treatment, longer hospital stay, etc.).
• Repatriation assistance to the UK: financial and logistical support by a dedicated 24/7 team for your early return to your country of residence if it proves necessary.
• Trip cancellation and cover for delayed or missed departure: compensation if you need to cancel your trip for whatever reason or if you missed your departure.
• Personal liability: compensation for any damage or injury made to a third-party (consider adding it as extra if not included in standard cover).
• Baggage: compensation for any lost or theft of baggage while travelling (consider adding it as extra if not included in standard cover).

Most of the time, travel insurers offer different formulas. Cover types involved are usually the same, but the compensation limits and deductibles vary.

Main guarantees	Cover you should get for your travels to Spain	Min - max limit amount you should get for your trip to Spain	Good to check
Medical travel insurance	Any emergency transport, medical procedures and treatments at the hospital 24/7 assistance team and helplines	Average £1 million limit	Are private or public hospitals included in your policy? Will there be advance fees? If you haven’t declared any pre-existing medical conditions or a pending diagnosis, any claim related to healthcare will be declared as invalidated by your insurer. Are dental emergency treatments included? Will any “accompanying person” fees be reimbursed?
Trip cancellation / curtailment	Illness, injury or even death of you or one of your relatives at the time of departure Very bad weather conditions at your destination Terrorist attack at your destination	Minimum £2,000 limit	Is it included as standard or as an option? Will you get compensation if you cancel your trip for “all justified reasons”? Which reasons exactly are included to get compensation for your trip cancellation?
Baggage	Compensation for baggage and belongings theft or loss up to the limit known No receipt required	Minimum £1,500 limit	Is it only valid during return transport or during the entire stay? Do you need the receipts for any belongings for baggage claims?
Missed departure, delay	Compensation if you miss your flight or train when it is beyond your control or if your journey is delayed	Minimum £500 limit (minimum £200 limit for delay)	Are all justified reasons for missed departure covered? How many hours delay to get compensation?
Repatriation	Cost of repatriation before or after your original ticket	Real fees	Is any transportation mode included (by alternative schedule flight or by air ambulance)?
Personal liability	Compensation for any damage or injury made to a third-party during your trip up to the limit known	Average £2 million limit	What is the limit by article and valuables (don’t focus on overall limit only)?
Legal expenses	Legal fees for claiming compensation to another person	Average £15,000 limit	Does it cover any lawyer fees (including appointment fees)?

What are the nice-to-have features for travel insurance?

Main guarantees	Cover you should get for your trip to Spain	Min - max limit amount you should get for your trip to Spain	Good to check
Money and cash	Covers for loss or theft of money or equivalent such as cheques	Minimum £500 for money (pre-paid tickets, travelers cheque etc.) Minimum £200 for cash	How long can you make a claim to the police to be covered? Is there a 24-hour claim limit?
Dental emergency	Covers for emergency dental care	Minimum £250	What is included in emergency dental care? Cosmetic will most of the time be excluded
Loss of passport or documentation	Covers additional fees such as accomodation or travel replacement as a result of loss of documentation	Minimum £250	How many nights are covered? Do you need receipts of any additional fees incurred?

Which upgrades could you add as extras for your travel insurance?

Additionally, you may tailor your policy for your trip to Spain with optional extras such as:

• Business trip cover
• Sport, winter sport, extreme sport cover
• Schedule Airline Failure (at least £1500 covered)
• Gadget insurance
• Cruise cover
• Etc.

What does your travel insurance to Spain not cover?

Most travel insurers will not give financial compensation for:

• Any claim made as a result of pre-medical condition or pending diagnosis undeclared at the time of purchase
• Any claim made as a result of you being under drugs or alcohol
• Difficulties due to natural disaster, war, civil unrest (watch out for strikes)
• Any claim made as a result of a terrorist attack (except if you took this cover as an option)
• Pregnancy and childbirth complications during travel.

What else should you pay attention to while shopping around for travel insurance for Spain?

While shopping around for travel insurance for your trip to Spain, always pay attention to:

• The compensation amounts you will get for a claim by consulting our up-to-date reviews on each insurer (especially for medical expenses, trip cancellation, personal liability, baggage and personal belongings)
• The deductible amounts you’ll have to pay in case of claim (don’t forget that you’ll need to pay the excess on each claim)
• The exclusions you may have in your policy (strike, cancellation trip due to the carrier defaulting etc.)
• Coverages included in policies or available as upgrades (winter sports, business trip etc.)
• The claim process (100% online? How many days do you have to make a claim?)
• The maximum duration of each trip included as standard (at least 31 days)
• The upper age limit (if you are a senior travelling)

How much is travel insurance to Spain?

For example, this is the cheapest price for a single trip policy of seven days (with an excess at £100):

Age	Worldwide cover	European cover
18 - 35	From £17.65	From £8.44
36 - 50	From £21.17	From £9.30
51 - 65	From £24.81	From £13.34
66 - 75	From £29.66	From £18.91

It is, however, quite difficult to give precise ranges of how much a travel insurance will cost you for Spain, as prices are based on a wide range of criteria. It will mainly depend on:

• If you’re going for a single or annual multi-trip as mentioned above
• If you’re subscribing to upgrades such as cruise, business or gadget cover
• If you have pre-existing medical conditions
• The length of your stay in Spain
• If you’re travelling alone, with your partner, a group or your family
• The financial limits you’d like to get in case of a claim
• The excess amount you’re willing to pay
• What will you be doing in Spain (e.g. winter or extreme sports)?

Is travel insurance for Spain mandatory?

Travel insurance for Spain is only mandatory if you need to apply for a Spanish Schengen visa as mentioned below. You are obliged, as required by law, to take out a Schengen visa travel insurance policy.

In this case, you will need to apply for healthcare travel insurance with a medical expense minimum limit of £30 000 and covering all member states of the Schengen area. You will need to show this insurance proof with your visa application.

Travel insurance for Spain is otherwise not mandatory but is highly recommended.

Check out travel insurance for your trip to the Schengen area here.

When do I need a Schengen visa to go to Spain?

If you’re a UK citizen with a valid UK passport, you do not need a visa to visit Spain.

However, from the 31/12/2020*, British citizens will need to apply online for a visa application for Spain called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) which is valid for a period of three years.

They will also have to pay a 7€ fee.

The whole process of getting this visa online may take only 15 minutes and the travel authorisation should be immediately available to the traveller applicant.

*The UK and EU are due to sign a visa-free reciprocal agreement to allow both British citizens and European citizens to freely travel between both countries. This is to prevent citizens from needing to obtain a Schengen visa. However, this is still conditional depending on what the UK decides for European travellers reaching the UK.

If you are a UK Resident but are a national of one of the countries listed here, then you’ll need a Spanish Schengen visa to travel to Spain.

Do I need a passport to go to Spain?

Yes, a valid passport or ID will be required at Spain airport customs.

What should I know before travelling to Spain?

Is Spain safe to visit?

This is what the Foreign Travel Office writes about Spain:

Spain declared a State of Emergency (“Estado de Alarma”) on 14 March, which introduces a series of measures including significant restrictions on movement throughout the country in response to the coronavirus outbreak. We expect the Spanish government to order that hotels and short-stay accommodation (such as short-stay campsites or caravan parks) must close in the coming days. We do not expect these measures to apply to long-term accommodation. British travellers who are currently in Spain and who wish to return to the UK are advised to make travel plans to do so as soon as possible.

Nearly 19 million British nationals visited Spain last year. Most visits are trouble-free.

Liverpool FC take on Atletico Madrid and Manchester City take on Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League round of 16 matches in February 2020. If you’re travelling to Madrid, check the match-specific information and advice pages for travelling Liverpool and Manchester City supporters, in addition to this travel advice.

Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Spain.

There have been large gatherings of people and demonstrations in some parts of Barcelona and other areas of the Catalonia region in relation to political developments there. Some demonstrations have become violent and may cause disruption to public transport, including access to airports.

Some cities in Spain operate low emission schemes and apply vehicle restrictions to city centres.

There have been several deaths as a result of falls from balconies. Don’t take any unnecessary risks, especially when under the influence of drink or drugs.

Be alert to the existence of street crime. Thieves tend to target money and passports so don’t keep them all in one place. Keep a copy of your passport somewhere safe.

Temperatures regularly reach over 40ºC in Spain during the summer months. These temperatures bring an increased risk of forest fires.

There have been reports of an increase in holidaymakers being encouraged to submit a claim for personal injury if they have experienced gastric illness during their stay. You can find more information about the action you can take if you have suffered a personal injury on the Citizens Advice website. You should only consider pursuing a complaint or claim if you have genuinely suffered from injury or illness. If you make a false or fraudulent claim, you may face legal proceedings in the UK or Spain.

You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.

If you’re abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission.

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

How to drive a car in Spain?

Maybe you would like to rent a car in Spain, or maybe you’ve imagined a whole road trip driving from the UK to Spain. You may be wondering what exactly you need to do for driving on your holiday in Spain.

Before 31/12/2020: any UK resident with a full and valid UK licence is allowed to drive on Spanish roads.

As from 31/12/2020: any UK resident might need an international driving licence depending on what is decided.

If you want to go from the UK to Spain with your vehicle, you will also need:

• A green card
• A valid proof of insurance and ownership (called V5C form)
• A GB sticker
• A valid passport or ID

Find the best European car insurance here.

The Spanish drink drive limit is 0,5 g/L (0,3 g/L for less than 3 years licence holders).

Healthcare in Spain for UK citizens

• Before 31/12/2020: your EHIC, as mentioned above, will cover any of your medical treatment just as for French people. However, it will not cover emergency dental treatment, etc. Your travel insurance will (the emergency landline linked to EHIC card is 0300 330 1350).

• As from the 31/12/2020: your EHIC will no longer be valid. Only your travel insurance will cover you for any medical cost you may have to face.

How to contact the British Embassy in Spain?

Depending on where you are located, you can contact:

	British Embassy Madrid
Address	British Embassy Madrid Torre Espacio Paseo de la Castellana 259D 28046 Madrid Spain
Phone (if you’re in Spain)	+34 917 146 300 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Phone (if you’re in the UK)	020 7008 1500
Email