Private Healthcare for Residency

[Kris]

Hello! We have just exchanged contracts on a villa here. We will be in Lajares 😊 Very exciting! We are moving from UK and will need to apply for residency. My husband Bill has EU passport which means we do not need NLV. We know we need private healthcare and are currently looking at Sanitas. Has anyone got experience of using them or have any other recommendations? Any advice gratefully received. Many thanks ... Kris

[Tardis]

We use Mapfre Health insurance:

https://www.mapfre.es/insurance/

Clinica Brisimar & Clinica Parque in Corralejo both accept Mapfre

Hospital Parque and CEM in Puerto are also registered with Mapfre

[Kris]

Thank you, could I ask have you found accessing healthcare straight forwards with them? Did you use them for residency? Many thanks Kris

[Tardis]

Thank you, could I ask have you found accessing healthcare straight forwards with them? Did you use them for residency? Many thanks Kris

Mapfre provides what looks like a credit card that you hand over when you visit a clinic or the private hospital.  If you need something like an MRI scan or an operation etc, you might have to request authorisation from Mapfre.  They now have English speaking staff.

We used them for residency but we are now also registered with the Canarian Health Service.  When we first moved out here our private health care was with Aseca who were taken over by Mapfre.  This entailed visiting Aseca’s office in Puerto del Rosario where a man smoking a cigarette entered all our information on a typewriter and was not interested in any previous health conditions! Those were the days.

In 2016 I had a minor operation at Hospital Parque.  The operation went well and the nursing staff were good but the food was worse than the general hospital!

When you do your yearly Spanish tax return, you can claim back as an expense your health insurance, private doctors and dental fees. I was told earlier this week that all payments should now be by credit card or direct debit.

[Kris]

Thank you so much - that is very helpful. I do like the report of the man taking your details smoking a cigarette!!!! 

[Cotillo_Tom]

I don't think you can claim back ALL of your medical expenses. Our accountant claims back 10% for us.  

Tom.

[DavidP]

There is an interesting article in Canarias 7 today about health insurance requirements in Spain for foreigners,EU and others.
There is also a click on and although it is a subtle advertisement it is also quite informative

Edit by Tamara to add link:
Canarias7 - private healthcare