Spain travel insurance - now mandatory?

jimboat1

Im absolutely distraught, We are both over 70 with quite a few stable health conditions. We normally get basic travel insurance and rely on the GHIC for anything health wise. We travel to Spain several times a year to stay with family and look after and see our grand children. The last time I had a quote for annual health travel insurance, it was over £800, 10 years ago. We just cannot afford to go. This will be devastating for older travellers. 

Hobbszze

Absolutely unreasonable.This is a reciprocal agreement renaiged.Not about cost.You can be refused cover just waiting for an outpatient appointment or a test result.Claims on insurance are a nightmare even if they pay out.Months of wrangling and steep excesses.An ageist policy.Our government should challenge this major downgrade of the Ghic.Premiums will rocket as firms will need to pay for private care 

DullGreyGuy

jimboat1 said:

Im absolutely distraught, We are both over 70 with quite a few stable health conditions. We normally get basic travel insurance and rely on the GHIC for anything health wise. We travel to Spain several times a year to stay with family and look after and see our grand children. The last time I had a quote for annual health travel insurance, it was over £800, 10 years ago. We just cannot afford to go. This will be devastating for older travellers. 

At the moment it's only a rumour with no official source confirming its even under consideration. 

There are lots of immigration requirements, like having $X per day in funds, which are very rarely checked but can give immigration officers an easy reason for declining entry when the real reason is something else. 

Fairly likely some will buy insurance, get the certificate, then cancel the insurance and just use the certificate to enter. Similarly immigration will have no way of checking if all pre-existing conditions have been declared etc so even if a policy is in force it could be something that will never pay out.

Juno_Moneta

DullGreyGuy 

At the moment it's only a rumour with no official source confirming it’s even under consideration. 

 

Not sure I agree ‘it’s only a rumour’. 

My original post about this on 12th was not simply speculation or a rumour - it quoted Moneyweek which is a well established UK journalistic source. 

And since then it has spread widely - you simply have to google “Spain travel insurance” and click News to see this.

One additional site covering this now I notice is ITIJ which describes itself as “The International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ) was launched in November 1999 following the growing success of the annual International Travel & Health Insurance Conference (ITIC). It is produced by a team dedicated to offering a resource that keeps those involved in the provision and service of travel and international health insurance up to date with all the latest news, views and analysis on the hottest industry topics.”

https://www.itij.com/latest/news/spain-enforces-mandatory-private-travel-insurance-british-tourists

Sites like Moneyweek and ITIJ take their credibility very seriously and are not in the business of simply spreading rumours. 

As for ‘official source’ that could only ultimately be the UK Gov, and their Spain entry page does say:

“At Spanish border control, you may need to show:

• proof of your travel insurance”

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements

So perhaps all we are really waiting for is this page to be changed from “may need to show” to “will need to show “ - although in practice this would likely cause huge delays at airports so perhaps random checks are more likely and therefore the UK Gov advice won’t change from “may”. 

So personally I am simply waiting for an MSE update about it… but I think it’s more than a rumour now. 

Juno_Moneta

Sky News are now reporting it too. 

https://news.sky.com/story/money-live-consumer-personal-finance-latest-newsletter-sky-news-13040934?postid=9882828#liveblog-body

sheramber

This new regulation, announced by Spain’s Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Health, comes as part of ongoing efforts to tighten travel regulations in the wake of Brexit.
……

Spain’s Health Minister Carolina Darias emphasised that this measure is designed to ensure that all visitors have the necessary financial resources to cover the costs of medical care, avoiding additional strain on the Spanish public health system. ‘The health of our visitors is a priority,’ Darias said in a statement. ‘We are committed to ensuring that all travellers, including British citizens, have the necessary coverage to protect themselves and the local health system.’


https://amp.majorcadailybulletin.com/holiday/travelling/2025/07/07/134535/spain-issues-holiday-warning-british-tourists-coming-this-summer.html

Hobbszze

Brexit is a nightmare.We have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with EU countries.I am concerned that apart from entry even with travel insurance and our Ghic we may be declined the services of the Centre Salud and public hospitals and made to go to private clinics.This seems reasonable if you come from a third country without reciprocal agreement but not from UK which has.Spanish citizens can use the NHS god help them for necessary care here.

poseidon1

Seems according to article below, Spanish Ministry of health  claim not to have made any new  changes/ announcements regarding health insurance for Brits ( or anyone else presumeably).

Begs the question as to the original source of the story which other news media jumped on. 

A massive hoax, or are the Spanish authorities rowing back  on something unofficially leaked?

In this 'post truth age ' who can say?

https://www-thisismoney-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-14910501/amp/Can-really-fined-6-900-going-Spain-without-travel-insurance.html?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From %1$s&aoh=17527514548862&csi=0&referrer=https://www.google.com&ampshare=https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-14910501/Can-really-fined-6-900-going-Spain-without-travel-insurance.html

sheramber

poseidon1 said:

Seems according to article below, Spanish Ministry of health  claim not to have made any new  changes/ announcements regarding health insurance for Brits ( or anyone else presumeably).

Begs the question as to the original source of the story which other news media jumped on. 

A massive hoax, or are the Spanish authorities rowing back  on something unofficially leaked?

In this 'post truth age ' who can say?

https://www-thisismoney-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-14910501/amp/Can-really-fined-6-900-going-Spain-without-travel-insurance.html?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From %1$s&aoh=17527514548862&csi=0&referrer=https://www.google.com&ampshare=https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-14910501/Can-really-fined-6-900-going-Spain-without-travel-insurance.html

and yet,  Spain’s Health Minister Carolina Darias has been quoted