Included cover
Travel insurance for Spanish residents: what Sanitas includes
Travel Assistance, included with every comprehensive Sanitas plan
Yes, Sanitas health insurance includes travel cover. Every comprehensive Sanitas plan comes with Travel Assistance: emergency medical treatment abroad up to €12,000 per person a year, €15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum, and repatriation, for trips of up to 90 days. It is not included on Sanitas Accede, Unico or Avanza.
Does Sanitas health insurance include travel insurance for Spanish residents?
Yes, for medical emergencies. Every comprehensive Sanitas health plan includes Sanitas Travel Assistance: emergency treatment abroad up to €12,000 per person a year (€15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum) and repatriation, on trips of up to 90 days. It is not full travel insurance, so trip cancellation, lost baggage and delays are not covered.
Travel assistance is the travel insurance cover built into your Sanitas health plan. It comes free with every comprehensive Sanitas plan - all plans except the basic Accede, Unico and Avanza. If you fall ill or have an accident while travelling outside Spain, it covers emergency medical treatment and getting you home - up to €12,000 per person (€15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum).
Cover includes doctor and hospital charges, prescribed medicines, ambulance transfers and emergency dental treatment, as well as the cost of bringing you home when it is medically necessary - by air ambulance, scheduled flight, first-class sleeper train or ground ambulance.
It looks after your family too: if you are hospitalised for more than five days, a relative's travel and accommodation is covered at €60 a day for up to five days. A 24/7 multilingual helpline, urgent-message relay, emergency medicine delivery and legal bail advances (up to €10,000) are included as well.
Travel assistance applies for trips of up to 90 days anywhere outside Spain, and the emergency helpline is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Included as standard: Travel assistance comes with every comprehensive Sanitas plan - there is nothing extra to add or pay. It is not included on the basic Accede, Unico or Avanza plans. If you need help while abroad, call the Sanitas overseas assistance line and they arrange and pay for your care directly.
What changes by plan
- Sanitas International Students: included, with emergency medical treatment abroad up to €12,000 per person a year, for trips of up to 90 days.
- Sanitas Residents Visa: included, with emergency medical treatment abroad up to €12,000 per person a year for trips of up to 90 consecutive days, plus emergency dental treatment up to €300, hospital support for a companion and repatriation, as set out on the plan page.
- Sanitas Top Quantum: included, with emergency medical treatment abroad up to €15,000 per person a year.
- Not included on Sanitas Accede, Avanza or Unico.
Sanitas Travel Assistance at a glance
- What it is: Sanitas Travel Assistance is the emergency travel cover included free with every comprehensive Sanitas health plan.
- Medical limit: Sanitas Travel Assistance pays up to €12,000 per person a year for emergency medical treatment outside Spain, and up to €15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum.
- Trip length: Sanitas Travel Assistance covers trips of up to 90 days anywhere outside Spain, including visits home, holidays and work trips.
- Getting you home: Sanitas Travel Assistance includes repatriation by air ambulance, scheduled flight, first-class sleeper train or ground ambulance when it is medically necessary.
- Family support: Sanitas Travel Assistance pays a relative's travel and accommodation at €60 a day for up to five days if you are hospitalised abroad for more than five days.
- Waiting period: Sanitas Travel Assistance has no waiting period, so it applies from the first day of the policy.
- How to use it: call the Sanitas overseas assistance line listed in your policy documents (reverse charge accepted) before you are treated. You can also call us on (+34) 952 835 600 and we deal with Sanitas for you. In a life-threatening emergency, go to the nearest hospital and tell Sanitas within 7 days of admission.
- Not covered: Sanitas Travel Assistance is for emergencies only: it does not cover trip cancellation, lost baggage, delays or planned treatment abroad.
- Not included on: Sanitas Travel Assistance is not included on Sanitas Accede, Unico or Avanza.
- Who arranges it: HealthPlan Spain is an authorised Sanitas agent (agent code 22395) in Marbella that arranges Sanitas health plans in English, at the same price as buying direct from Sanitas. Sanitas is part of the Bupa group.
Important information
Medical cover abroad
Up to €12,000 per person for emergency treatment (€15,000 on Top Quantum) - doctor and hospital charges, prescribed medicines, ambulance and emergency dental care.
Getting you home
Repatriation by air ambulance, scheduled flight, first-class sleeper train or ground ambulance when it is medically necessary.
Family support
If you are hospitalised for more than five days, a relative's travel and accommodation is covered at €60/day for up to five days.
24/7 helpline
A multilingual emergency helpline open around the clock, all year, plus urgent-message relay and emergency medicine delivery.
Trip length
Cover applies for trips of up to 90 days outside Spain.
What it costs
Nothing extra - included free with every comprehensive Sanitas plan (not the basic Accede, Unico or Avanza).
What is included, and what is not
Included
- Doctor and hospital charges abroad, and prescribed medicines
- Treatment for accidents and illness while travelling
- Emergency dental treatment (within limits)
- Ambulance transfers arranged by a doctor
- Repatriation home - air ambulance, scheduled flight, first-class sleeper train or ground ambulance
- A relative's travel and accommodation (€60/day, up to 5 days) if you are hospitalised for more than 5 days
- Emergency delivery of medicines not available locally
- Legal bail advance up to €10,000 (to be repaid within two months)
- Urgent-message relay and a 24/7 multilingual helpline
Not included
- Individual doctor charges under €3
- Spectacles, contact lenses, prostheses and crutches
- Pre-existing conditions (except unexpected complications)
- Pregnancy-related treatment after 150 days
- Claims arising from natural disasters, war, competitive motor sport or nuclear radiation
- Mental and chronic illnesses
- Treatment not authorised by Sanitas in advance, except in a life-threatening emergency reported within 7 days of admission
Which Sanitas plans include travel insurance cover?
Travel assistance is included free with the comprehensive Sanitas plans:
- Sanitas Mas Salud
- Sanitas Mas Salud Plus
- Sanitas Mas Salud Family
- Sanitas Mas Salud Optima
- Sanitas Top Quantum
- Sanitas Mas 90
- Sanitas Mas 90 with co-payments
- Sanitas Premium 500
- Sanitas Professional
- Sanitas Professional Plus
- Sanitas International Students
- Sanitas Residents Visa
It is not included on the basic Sanitas Accede, Unico or Avanza plans.
Do I still need separate travel insurance?
For medical emergencies on a trip of up to 90 days, no. Travel Assistance already covers emergency treatment and repatriation, with nothing to arrange before you leave. HealthPlan Spain does not sell separate travel insurance.
If you are comparing expat travel insurance, Travel Assistance already works as travel health insurance for emergencies. It pays up to €12,000 per person a year, or €15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum, on trips of up to 90 days on every comprehensive Sanitas plan. Sanitas lists its helpline as Asistencia en el extranjero; in Spanish searches the same cover is often called seguro de viaje.
You may want a separate trip policy for what Travel Assistance does not cover: cancellation, lost or delayed baggage, travel delays, trips longer than 90 days, or living outside Spain rather than visiting.
Travel Assistance is for emergencies only, so planned treatment abroad is not covered. For planned care abroad with any doctor or hospital, Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500 include worldwide reimbursement: 70% up to €90,000 or 90% up to €500,000 a year. On the Mas Salud, Professional, Residents Visa and Top Quantum plans, see the worldwide reimbursement add-on.
Applying for a visa? Travel Assistance is not the same as repatriation cover. Some consulates ask for repatriation cover, which is an add-on on most plans and can only be taken when the policy starts or at renewal. See our guide to health insurance for a Spanish visa.
Compare the Sanitas plans that include Travel Assistance, or read Can I use my health insurance outside of Spain? in our frequently asked questions.
Travel Assistance frequently asked questions
Does Sanitas health insurance include travel insurance for Spanish residents?
Yes. Every comprehensive Sanitas plan includes Travel Assistance, which works like travel insurance for medical emergencies. It covers treatment abroad up to €12,000 per person a year (€15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum) and repatriation, for trips of up to 90 days. It does not cover cancellation, baggage or delays, and it is not included on Sanitas Accede, Unico or Avanza.
Do I need separate travel insurance if I have Sanitas?
Not for medical emergencies on trips of up to 90 days. You may want a separate trip policy for cancellation, lost or delayed baggage, trips longer than 90 days, or planned treatment abroad. HealthPlan Spain does not sell separate travel insurance.
Is there a waiting period for travel assistance?
No. There are no qualification periods, also called waiting periods, for travel assistance, so it applies from the first day of your policy.
Can I claim for planned treatment abroad?
No. Travel assistance is for emergencies only, so planned treatment abroad, including routine check-ups, is not covered. For planned care with any doctor or hospital abroad, look at the worldwide reimbursement included on Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500.
Does travel assistance cover trips to the United Kingdom or my home country?
Yes. Travel Assistance applies on any trip of up to 90 days outside Spain, including visits to family, holidays and work trips. It is for temporary trips, not for living outside Spain.
Is travel assistance included or an optional extra?
It is included free with every comprehensive Sanitas plan - there is nothing extra to add or pay.
Which Sanitas plans include travel assistance?
Every comprehensive Sanitas plan includes it free - including Mas Salud, Mas 90, Premium 500, Top Quantum, Professional, Students and Residents Visa. The three basic plans - Sanitas Accede, Unico and Avanza - do not include travel assistance.
Is travel assistance the same as travel insurance?
It is the travel medical cover built into your health plan: emergency treatment and repatriation while you are abroad, up to €12,000 per person. It is not a full holiday or trip insurance, so it does not cover things like cancellation, lost baggage or delays. This applies to Sanitas Residents Visa too. If your luggage is lost or delayed, Sanitas helps you trace it and forwards it to your home in Spain, but does not pay for it.
How much medical cover do I get abroad?
Up to €12,000 per person for emergency medical treatment while travelling outside Spain - or €15,000 per person on Sanitas Top Quantum.
How long are my trips covered for?
Cover applies for trips of up to 90 days outside Spain. On most comprehensive Sanitas plans, the emergency care must happen within 90 consecutive days of the start of the trip. On Sanitas Top Quantum, the trip itself must last no longer than 90 days.
Will it bring me home if I am seriously ill or injured?
Yes. When it is medically necessary, repatriation is arranged and paid for - by air ambulance, scheduled flight, first-class sleeper train or ground ambulance.
Can a relative come to be with me?
If you are hospitalised for more than five days, a relative's travel and accommodation is covered at €60 a day for up to five days.
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
Pre-existing conditions are generally excluded, apart from unexpected complications. Pregnancy-related treatment is not covered after 150 days.
Is there an emergency helpline?
Yes - a multilingual emergency helpline is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to arrange your treatment and any transport.
How do I use it while abroad?
Call the Sanitas overseas assistance line listed in your policy documents (reverse charge accepted) before you are treated. You can also call us on (+34) 952 835 600 and we deal with Sanitas for you. Sanitas will then arrange and pay for your treatment and transport directly. In a life-threatening emergency, go to the nearest hospital and tell Sanitas within 7 days of admission, keeping the emergency report, invoices and receipts.
Does Sanitas Travel Assistance work in the United States?
Yes. Sanitas Travel Assistance works in any country outside Spain, including the United States, for emergency treatment up to €12,000 per person a year (€15,000 on Sanitas Top Quantum). For planned care abroad, Sanitas Mas 90 and Sanitas Premium 500 include worldwide reimbursement.
How do I get a Sanitas plan with Travel Assistance in English?
You can arrange one through HealthPlan Spain, an authorised Sanitas agent (agent code 22395) in Marbella that arranges Sanitas policies in English, at the same price as buying direct from Sanitas. Choose any comprehensive plan in our Sanitas plan comparison and Travel Assistance is included from the first day of the policy, with nothing extra to pay.
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