Spanish Insurances
Protecting you and your property in Spain
Owning a holiday home in Spain, or living here permanently, comes with responsibilities, and having the right insurance is one of the most important ones.
At NICLA-RMB Inmobiliaria, we support you from A to Z, and that includes helping you understand and arrange the key insurances you may need for your Spanish property, your vehicle, and your personal well-being.
In short: NICLA-RMB is also here to assist you with insurance solutions for you and your life in Spain.
Below you’ll find an overview of the most common insurances we can help you with.
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Health Insurance in Spain
In Spain, you can use both the public healthcare system and private health insurance. We usually recommend a combination of both, as together they offer a level of care comparable to the UK healthcare system.
Public Healthcare in Spain (Seguridad Social)
If you work for a Spanish company or are self-employed in Spain, you pay monthly contributions to the Spanish Social Security system (Seguridad Social). This entitles you to:
• Free or subsidised medical care
• Access to public hospitals and health centres
• Subsidised medication
Once registered, you will receive your health card (tarjeta sanitaria) by post within approximately 4-8 weeks, or in some cases you can collect it from your local Centro de Salud.
Family members (such as a spouse or children under 16) are usually covered under the same Social Security number.
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Private Health Insurance in Spain
Private health insurance is a popular option, especially for non-residents and retirees. With private cover, you benefit from:
• Shorter waiting times
• Free choice of doctors and hospitals
• Broader coverage, including specialists, dentists and physiotherapy
Premiums are generally reasonable and comparable to UK healthcare costs. Please note that the maximum entry age for many policies is around 55 years, depending on the insurer.
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Property Insurance in Spain
Home, contents and liability - often combined
In Spain, it’s common to combine home insurance, household contents insurance and liability insurance into one policy.
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Spanish Home Insurance (Buildings Insurance)
This insurance covers structural damage caused by events such as:
• Fire
• Explosion
• Lightning
• Storms
• Earthquakes
Your property should be insured for its rebuild value, not the market value. This is the cost of rebuilding the house from scratch, excluding the land and foundations.
New-build properties:
If you are building a new home, you must ensure the Decennial Insurance (Seguro Decenal) is in place. This provides a 10-year guarantee against structural defects and must be arranged before construction begins by either the developer or the self-builder.
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Household Contents Insurance
Household contents insurance covers damage or loss of your personal belongings due to:
• Fire or water damage
• Burglary
• Accidental damage
The policy is tailored to your personal situation, taking into account the value of your belongings and how the property is used (holiday home or permanent residence).
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Spanish Liability Insurance
Liability insurance protects you if you or a family member cause:
• Injury to another person
• Damage to someone else’s property
This insurance can prevent serious financial consequences and usually also covers damage caused by pets.
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Car Insurance in Spain
There are two main types of car insurance in Spain:
• Third-party insurance
• Fully comprehensive (all risks), with or without excess
A car can only be insured once it is registered in Spain. NICLA-RMB can assist you with this process.
In some cases, your no-claims discount from the UK may be transferred to a Spanish insurer, usually up to a maximum of 55%.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is essential when travelling to or staying in Spain, especially if you own a holiday property.
Travel insurance typically covers:
• Loss, theft or damage to luggage
• Medical treatment while travelling
• Additional accommodation costs due to illness
• Visits from family members if you are seriously ill
• Repatriation costs
Policies can be arranged for European or worldwide coverage.
If you participate in special or high-risk sports (such as climbing, hang gliding, caving or ultra-light flying), always check whether additional cover is required.
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Important Advice
Do not cancel your existing insurance in your home country until your new Spanish insurance is fully in place.
This helps avoid gaps in cover and unexpected problems.
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NICLA-RMB | Clear advice, trusted partners, and professional support — so you’re fully protected in Spain.
