Healthcare insurance Spain 

Spain has a public healthcare system funded by social contributions. If you’re in paid employment, this is automatically deducted from your salary. If you have your own business, you need to pay this every month yourself. For residents, care is virtually free of charge, although you sometimes pay a personal contribution for medicines or additional services. 

If you need medical care, you go to a health centre, the Centro de Salud. Several GPs and nurses usually work there. You generally see the doctor who’s available, which means you don’t always see the same GP. 

To see a medical specialist, you need a referral. If you want to be seen quicker, you can choose to go private. This requires supplementary healthcare insurance. For example, OOM Healthcare insurance. 

• If you live or work in Spain and pay social security contributions, you’re entitled to public healthcare. This also applies to foreigners in employment or who run a business in Spain
• If you receive a Dutch pension (AOW) or other benefit in the Netherlands and you live in Spain, please contact het CAK
• Only staying in Spain temporarily, for example for holiday? The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you the right to necessary medical care according to local rules and rates. You can request an EHIC from your Dutch health insurer. You could also consider travel insurance with medical cover for extra certainty. Take a look at our insurance

Register with the Seguridad Social. This can be done at one of their offices or online. Their website also has information available in English. Often, you’ll also need an NIE (Foreign Identification Number) and proof of your municipal registration. Take your proof of registration and register with a Centro de Salud near you. 

• Certain medical specialist treatments are not available on all of the Spanish islands
• Dental care is not covered under the public system, except in the case of emergencies or accidents
• Referrals and waiting times can be long
• Emergency care is always available, but for faster and broader care, people  often opt for private insurance, for example OOM Healthcare insurance
• This often also gives you access to a GP or specialist who speaks English 

• Information by the Seguradad Social about healthcare in Spain
• Information about from CAK about retiring or living with a benefit in a contracting country

If you remain registered in the Netherlands, your Dutch national health insurance will cover emergency care anywhere in the world up to a maximum of the cost in the Spain. Dutch national health insurance generally doesn’t reimburse the cost of repatriation or evacuation in the case of illness or an accident.  If you’re no longer registered in the Netherlands, you’re no longer entitled to Dutch national health insurance and you must arrange your own insurance.  

Healthcare in Spain can be quite different to what you’re used to in the Netherlands. Not every country has national health insurance, there may be strict rules and waiting times may apply. Healthcare costs can also be much higher than in the Netherlands. Without proper cover, this can leave you with unexpectedly high bills. 

With OOM, you don't have to worry. We’ll make sure everything is properly taken care of. 

We’re here for people with extraordinary stories, who want to be well insured. We always offer a solution that will suit your situation during your stay in Spain. 

Our healthcare insurance gives you certainty when Dutch national health insurance no longer applies or doesn’t provide sufficient cover. Your OOM insurance can also serve as a supplement to local insurance in Spain. Providing you with proper cover for costs outside your local policy. This is especially important in a country where the rules are different to in the Netherlands, or healthcare costs can be unexpectedly high. 

With OOM Healthcare insurance you can: 

• Insure yourself while staying abroad: if your Dutch national health insurance expires and you can’t or don’t want to use the local healthcare system, our international healthcare insurance provides you with the certainty you’re looking for
• Insure yourself while you wait for your local insurance to come through
• Get additional insurance if your Dutch national health insurance or local public insurance are not enough

OOM's insurance is for anyone who wants to be properly insured in Spain. Whether you’re only staying abroad temporarily or permanently emigrating. Our solutions suit different situations, such as: 

• Expats and entrepreneurs going to Spain for work, or who need insurance to be able to register locally
• Dutch nationals who do not have, or who are no longer entitled to Dutch national health insurance 
• Students and travellers temporarily staying in Spain
• Emigrants permanently settling in Spain
• Backpackers or global travellers who want to avoid unexpected costs during their adventure in Spain

OOM provides worldwide cover and helps you avoid unexpected bills. This is reassuring in a country where healthcare is regulated differently than in the Netherlands. 

Choosing OOM means choosing certainty that travels with you. Wherever you are in the world:

• Worldwide cover: Including if you visit the Netherlands or travel while living abroad
• Always available: Our Assistance Centre is available 24/7
• Tailor-made: You choose the cover that best suits your situation
• Extra certainty: Supplement your insurance easily with additional options, such as household contents, personal accident or liability insurance

With OOM you can arrange your own healthcare insurance quickly and effectively. Helping you focus on your plans in Spain, without unexpected worries.

Do you want to start your adventure without worry? You can calculate your premium easily online and apply for your insurance immediately.  

If you’ve any questions, our team will be happy to help you.

According to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain is currently code green. This means that there are no particular safety risks. Note: The situation can change. Always check the current travel advice from The Netherlands Worldwide (in Dutch). 

As for medical care, Spain's public healthcare system is reliable, but waiting times for non-emergency care remain a challenge. There may also be differences in the availability of specialists per region. If you want to make sure you’re seen quickly, or if you want to speak to a doctor in English, private healthcare insurance such as OOM Healthcare insurance, is a valuable addition.