Spain has among the highest costs for medical treatment anywhere in the world and, as a UK citizen, should you require medical attention in Spain then you will likely have a large medical bill to pay unless you have comprehensive travel insurance.
Our AllClear policies will cover you up to £15million for unexpected medical costs, including repatriation should you need to be brought back to the UK. Medical travel insurance will insure you for pre-existing medical conditions as well any unforeseen medical circumstance that might occur, meaning you can travel relaxed in the knowledge that we have you covered should the unexpected happen. Visit our travel insurance information blog for more help on why you need travel insurance.
This has become even more important since the Coronavirus pandemic. In our Annual Survey 2020, 51% of over 55s said they wanted the best travel insurance cover (as opposed to cheapest) that fully covered them for a wide range of COVID-19 risks.
Spain has been one of the most popular holiday destinations for British holidaymakers for decades. Offering everything from resort holidays to golfing trips, Spain has so much to offer and is still one of our most loved destinations in Europe. Whether it’s the beaches and the swimming pools or the pina coladas and paella – not to mention the weather! – it’s no wonder we keep going back year after year.
Spain has a diverse cultural landscape from the mountainous undiscovered regions of the northern districts down through the centres of Barcelona and Madrid. With vast remote districts, should you require emergency medical treatment, it’s important to know that you have the right policy in place before you travel.
We have helped thousands of our customers with expensive medical costs for medical treatment abroad. Let us help you today.
Many British people own property in Spain. If you’re visiting your own property and are unsure about needing cover then let AllClear help. As a UK citizen abroad you will still be charged for any medical treatment and therefore will need to be insured the same as a holidaymaker.
However a full policy may not be needed and you may want to remove certain parts of the cover that you don’t need – remember at AllClear we can easily remove the cancellation cover from your policy – giving you just cover for unwanted medical bills.
The European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) scheme ended for UK residents in December 2020 and your card will be valid until its expiry date. The new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) agreement between the UK and the EU means that millions of UK Citizens can still access free healthcare across Europe after Brexit. The GHIC will eventually replace the EHIC card, although you can still use your EHIC card as it remains valid in the EU until the current expiry date.
The GHIC includes cover for emergency medical expenses, which you will receive at the same rate as local citizens. It is still important to have a separate medical insurance policy in place before you travel to Spain.
While a very favourable addition to the Brexit deal, the GHIC card will not entitle you to the same sort of care delivered by the NHS. You will not be covered to be repatriated back to the UK, meaning you could be required to pay for your transport back home which can be thousands of pounds.
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 changed the way we travel and plan to travel. The FCDO will continue to provide updated travel information and give information on the latest travel restrictions. Our Annual Travel Insight Report for 2020 showed that safety is now a primary concern to UK citizens when travelling. From our summer and autumn research, it is very clear to see that safety became a top priority for those who wanted to travel abroad. The vaccination programme will definitely ease concerns and will have an “enormous impact on holidaymakers” says Chris Rolland, CEO of AllClear.
In fact, 56% of those surveyed in the AllClear Annual Survey 2020 think Europe will be safe to visit within 12 months.
You’ll want to ensure that you have comprehensive cover in place before you travel. High-quality insurance will cover your pre-existing medical conditions as well as any unforeseen medical expenses and should include the following:
There are three things to check so that you can make sure you're covered:
You can then be covered for emergency medical expenses and cancellation for a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, with AllClear travel insurance with enhanced Coronavirus cover. Existing policyholders should read our Frequently Asked Questions if your trip is affected by Covid-19.
| This table shows how AllClear Travel Insurance compares to other providers i | AllClear | Staysure | Avanti | Saga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trust | ||||
| 5-star Trustpilot reviews | 82% | 77% | 77% | 71% |
| TrustScore | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| 5-star Defaqto rated | ||||
| Good Housekeeping endorsement | ||||
| Established for 20+ years | ||||
| Product | ||||
| Maximum cancellation cover | £25k | £15k | £7.5k | £10k |
| Minimum standard excess | £0 | £65 | £0 | £70 |
| Baggage delay benefit after 12 hours i | £250 | £0 | £75 | £250 |
| Number of product choices | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| No age limits i | ||||
| Travel companion cover | ||||
| Terminal conditions cover | ||||
| Cancellations | ||||
| Admin fee for cancelling during the cooling off period | £0 | £25 | £25 | £0 |
| Refund provided outside of cooling off period | ||||
| Claims | ||||
| Claims paid within 5 working days i | 100% | 95% | N/A | N/A |
Spain has a diverse amount of cultures and places to visit that will all give you quite a different holiday experience. Famed for the sun-kissed beaches and resorts of Costa del Sol and Marbella, Spain does have a lot more to offer. Why not take a trip to Almeria where film studios filmed old Westerns as the landscapes are a lot like the wild west of the USA. Maybe you would like to explore the southern regions full of historic towns and rural splendour. Wherever you go in Spain make sure you can travel in comfort with a secure insurance policy in place.
It is not compulsory but the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office says “Wherever you’re travelling, it’s important to take out comprehensive travel insurance before you go”.
Good travel insurance for Spain will include: cancellation and curtailment cover in case you have to cut your holiday short or you’re prevented from travelling; cover for lost baggage and other property; high levels of cover for medical bills in case you need treatment while travelling and repatriation if you need to be returned to the UK.
Check your policy documents for details about what is and isn’t covered, particularly with respect to high-risk activities. Make sure you declare your pre-existing medical conditions so that we can take them into account and provide the right choices for you.
Some policies won’t cover high-risk activities such as skiing unless you pay an additional premium. Be sure to declare all pre-existing medical conditions so that you can be covered in case they cause problems when you’re on holiday. Check the policy documents to see what is and isn’t covered.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to the same quality of healthcare that a Spanish resident has, which is generally the same standard as in the UK. However, there may be medical costs that EHIC cannot cover. Also the EHIC doesn’t cover private healthcare. Arrangements for UK residents may change after Brexit on 31 December 2020.
A travel insurance premium will be based on a number of factors. These will include your age and any pre-existing medical conditions you may have. The duration of your trip and local medical costs of your destination will also contribute to the final price. Also any optional extras or the removal of an excess will also have a contributing factor to your final premium. Call AllClear for a quote today on 0800 077 777.
You can call us for free on 0800 077 777 or start a quote online.
The following areas are covered by Single Trip travel insurance for Spain and Annual multi-trip travel insurance for Europe:
It is useful to check the FCO travel advice for Spain before you travel.
The general emergency number is 112. Police are on 091 and ambulances on 061.
All 17 Spanish regions use the Euro as currency so make sure you have changed your pounds to Euros before you leave. You can use a bank card for access to cash from a cashpoint whilst away providing your bank offers that kind of service on your account. Use our handy AllClear holiday check-list to help.
Be aware that some cash machines charge for withdrawals and some of those are quite expensive, particularly in tourist hotspots.
Spain has a few dialects throughout the regions. Based on Latin with variations such as Castilian, Catalan, Galician and Basque (to name a few) Spain is a melting pot of the romantic languages. However, most British people visiting Spain do not know the local languages and, depending on where you visit, there will most likely be no shortage of locals or workers who are able to speak English. Most resorts and the most popular destination spots will definitely have English-speaking staff to help you out when needed.
Nightlife tends to start and finish later than in the UK – restaurants may be very quiet before 9pm.
It’s customary but not required to leave small change to round up a bill to the nearest 50 cents. Larger tips are of course welcomed but they are not expected – perhaps a euro per person at lunch or dinner, or 5-10% for good service. Bear in mind that service can sometimes seem slow – particularly when you come to ask for la cuenta (the bill) – generally it’s because they don’t want to rush you in and out but they will come when you signal for attention.
Here is a checklist for mandatory and recommended items when driving.
☑ Original full valid driving licence issued by the UK, EU or EEA country (and drivers must be over 18 if they have a foreign licence) – required
☑ Proof of ID (e.g. passport) – required
☑ Proof of insurance – required if the vehicle isn’t registered in Spain
☑ V5C certificate – required if the vehicle isn’t registered in Spain
☑ Vehicle registration documents
☑ If you need glasses to drive you must keep a spare pair with you / in the vehicle
☑ A warning triangle is compulsory in every vehicle with four or more wheels
☑ High-vis or reflective jackets are not mandatory but you could be fined for not wearing one while walking on the road or hard shoulder after breaking down
☑ Helmets are mandatory when riding motorbikes, mopeds or scooters – and trikes or quadbikes if they don’t have seatbelts
☑ GB sticker or Euro plates
☑ Headlamp beam deflectors (depending on your car)
☑ Passengers in the front and rear seats of private vehicles must wear their seat belts if fitted.
Rental cars should be supplied with the documentation and equipment required by law.
In Spain it’s illegal to use radar and speed camera detectors.
The drink driving limit is stricter than in the UK: 0.5 mg/ml compared to 0.8 mg/ml in the UK. It may be safer to not drink at all if you intend to drive.
The police can demand on-the-spot fines from law breakers.
The legal status of medication may be different in other countries compared to the UK. You may need the original packaging, a doctor’s prescription or letter or the medicine may be completely prohibited. If you need a prescription or letter, make sure the brand name and the active ingredient are both included, as the brand may not be recognised.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine contains a “controlled drug” and seek their advice about how to store it, for example whether it must be kept at a certain temperature.
Consider packing some medication in your hand luggage and hold luggage (if any) just in case one of them is lost, although bear in mind that hold luggage can be exposed to temperatures that could degrade some medication. UK pharmacists are very helpful with these questions.
The UK’s FCDO recommends checking what rules apply to your medication with your local embassy before you travel. This can be difficult to do online so it may be easier to phone them.
The sun and heat can be dangerous in Spain, particularly in the summer. If there is a cool breeze you might not realise the intensity of the sun. Do consider sunscreen to protect your skin, sunglasses to protect your eyes and a hat to protect your head and ears. Keep a bottle of water handy.
Mosquitos can be common in some places depending on the weather and time of year. Mosquito repellent is widely and inexpensively available from shops and supermarkets.
Spain uses plug socket types C and F so you will need an adapter if you want to use a UK plug.
If you’re over 60 and you want to travel by train, consider purchasing a senior discount card – the Tarjeta Dorada. You can get it from train stations for €6 and it will save you 25-40% on train tickets.
If you want a bus timetable ask for “los horarios de autobuses”. If you want a train timetable ask for “los horarios de trenes”.
Spain’s modern culture is steeped in history. Spain is a Roman Catholic country with languages rooted in Latin. Its coastline to the Atlantic sea made it a pioneer of early seafaring and the colonisation of the Americas. Spain’s influence can still be heavily felt across many parts of the Southern Americas today. Spain is famous for its wine and has numerous vineyards across many districts distributing high-quality wines to across the world. Perhaps one of Spain’s most famous exports, however, is the Flamenco dance – grown out of the folklore and the traditions of southern Spain, this colourful energetic artform is a joy to behold. Spain has long been rich in the arts and romances and as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Spain, the Beautiful Country of Wine and Songs”.
If you need an excuse to travel to Spain or want to build a trip around a festival, Spain has many festivals throughout the year. These include:
6th of January is Los Tres Reyes or Three Kings: the annual gift-giving day, with huge processions in the larger cities and sweets thrown to children in the streets on the night before.
1-19th March in Valencia: high-tech giant puppets and other creations are on display at hundreds of locations before being burned at Las Fallas de Valencia, a celebration of spring.
14-21 April is Semana Santa or Holy Week: this Easter festival is celebrated across Spain with processions of elaborate floats bearing religious icons accompanied by brass bands. Listen for the “saeta”, a song typically sung solo and unaccompanied from a balcony overlooking the cavalcade. Truly an enthralling moment on your first experience.
23 June, night of San Juan (St. John): a celebration of the summer equinox, with beers, barbeques and bonfires on beaches around Spain.
Many villages and towns have their own festivals, particularly at special times of the year such as grape or olive harvests or local saints’ days. Whatever time of year you holiday in Spain it is well worth looking up the “actividades” (activities) local to where you’re staying – open-air parties with food, drink, live music and fireworks are typical and there is always a great atmosphere.
Author notes. By Daniel Davies, AllClear Medical and Travel Content Creator. “It’s important to us that our customers are given all the information they require before making their decisions. We go the extra mile, making sure customers are well informed and feel secure before they travel.”
Edited by Letitia Smith, MSc, Content Manager at AllClear.
