Winter in Spain - health insurance?

[valinspain]

Calling all retired refugees from the British winter!!

We are heading off to Spain at the end of October, and other than a short 3 week trip home by air for Christmas, expect to return to the UK around mid April.

We are finding health insurance for such an extended stay difficult to find and very expensive. Most annual policies only allow 31 days away, and single trip policies for a long stay are very expensive (even Saga and Age Concern). We have good cover for the car, caravan and breakdown for up to 180 days away, now it is just us!! We are generally in good health and are considering relying on our status as citzens of the EU (we are now over retirement age and entitled to the same service as the nationals of which ever country in the EU we happened to be in). We appreciate that while this would ensure that our health needs were catered for, there would be other expenses and possible repatriation costs to consider in case of severe illness. People we spoke to last winter in Spain had joined a local emergency scheme at a very reasonable cost that ensured swift removal to hospital in an emergency. Has anyone found anything better?(Not Red Pennant, as it is an excellent service, but the cost for such a long stay is prohibitative).

 

[angela_5125767]

I used Sainsbury's multi trip travel policy this year and it is for trips up to 60 days at a time but we do come home a couple of times over the winter months. You could try Caravanning and Camping Club as they do have an annual policy.

angela

 

[DavidKlyne]

I suspect the trouble is that you get what you pay for. Those policies which are cheaper have to cut back somewhere. We have always used Red Pennant but usually the Multi Trip policy as we won;t be away as long as you. Please let us know if you find anything.

David

 

[cabapino]

we are off to spain sept14 for 6 months we are staying with our daughter's (La Cala de Mijas andalucia)whilst there i will make some inquires i will try and find any info and post back.Do you know what is the max time you are allowed with your car is it 3 or six months?

Roy

 

[valinspain]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I am checking out the C&CC policy Angela, it seems it does allow up to 180 days away, but it appears to cover motoring breakdown as well as health insurance. We already have C&CC Arrival European motoring insurance. We have made sure that home,caravan, car and motoring insurance all allow up to 180 days away (car is Caravan Club, home and caravan are with the Camping and Caravan Club). I will ring the club and post back.

I'll keep checking back for your post Roy, thanks very much.

David - I appreciate what you are saying in terms of getting what you pay for, my issue is that with insurance companies you very rarely do get what you paid for! I mean that, luckily, we have never needed to claim, but there dosn't appear to be any sort of recognition of this in the premium charged and as we get older of course the cost goes up and the restrictions become ever more numerous.

Regards,

Val