Moving to Spain

- Relocating to Spain - Guide
- Moving companies in Spain - Business
- Type 1 Diabetic Moving to Spain - 12 Replies
- Medical care in Spain - 4 Replies
- Birth in Spain - 1 Reply
- Moving from France to Spain or to Portugal - 6 Replies
- Health Insurance in Spain - 3 Replies
If you are already retired in the UK, or the EU when you register as resident, you can apply for a targeta sanitaria which provides free healthcare.聽 Once you are here you can find a local gestor if you don't want to apply yourself.聽 Until then use your EHIC as long it has not expired.聽 One tip.聽 If you do want to apply for a tarjeta sanitaria, contact the uk social services now and ask for an S form (sorry cant remember the number right now).聽 It will give a statement of your current pension income, to prove you are receiving a uk pension.聽 It can take a while to get it so the sooner the better. And you will need to get it translated to Castillian,
One thought.聽 If you took early retirement I do not know if it will affect the age you can get the targeta sanitaria.聽 Someone else may know this.聽 It may depend on whether it is was on health grounds.

Remember you will need further advice if you took early retirement, but if you are over state pension age you will definitely get free treatment.聽 And I have found our local hospital very good.聽 May pay depending where you end up, to try to find a local gp who speaks some English unless you have reasonable Spanish.
I'm 10 months into my 1-year tourist visa and have 100% coverage from HCC Atlas. Sanitas was slow to respond; I don't think they want people over 65. HCC's price is lower than what I am paying for the 20% Part B coverage that the US Social Security system does not cover. ALSO, I had to continue paying a little over $100 / month for that US coverage in case I had to get whisked back for treatment. Yea. Spain is ranked 7th by the World Health Organization; the US, 37th.
I almost had to use my HCC insurance here in Spain and they were prepared to pay 100% of the charges. Luckily, it was a false alarm and I didn't need to use my insurance here.
AND some supporting documents:
Enjoy! -- Ron
If you have a serious pre-existing condition things will be though here. Impossible to get approved by any underwriter here then. And without insurance you cannot stay here. Alternately you could then sign up as an independent worker, an autonomo, and get state insurance by paying the minimum tax for that here, but it is of course not of great quality and then one gets involved in all kinds of taxation issues, which also require hiring a local accountant. Try to avoid that.
Here in Galicia my experience is that there is no competitiveness between health care providers, so they really do not run for you as a customer. Not sure if that is different in other areas. Drugs are relatively expensive here and heavily regulated. Try buy online instead if you can from reliable online pharmacies.
I discovered that it is of no use to try ask quotes from agents of insurers here, since the information of which clinics they cover is not always up to date or easily available. Instead I now chose clinics and doctors I would like to have as my providers and inquired with them which insurer networks they are in. From those lists I sought a common denominator that I could ask a quote from.
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My name is Walter lived in Anaheim Hills, CA for almost 30 years and since 2011 I am living in Sydney Australia.
I am retired collecting my SS.
For the last 3 months my plan is to live in spain, Malaga for sure moving this September, I have been in Barcelona and Madrid twice last time in Barca last year.
The reason for moving in September is waiting for my Colombian wife to get Australian citizenship hope this August.
Here we go:
I am going with AUS Passport live in Malaga probably Torremolinos or Centro of Malaga, By the end of the first month I should be able to find out if I like spain or not but Since I been in South America and almost all the islands in and around Indonesia so the only countries for my retirement is California, Australia or Spain I choose Spain, because I speak the language, very, very cheap to live, safe and the food.
Questions:
1.- Good area to live in Malaga EU 500 to EU700 place, No car just a push bike and a good weather
2: Do you think that I can get an extension like to one year or get the pensionista visa while staying in Spain?
Your thoughts
Saludos
Walter
As to your questions: 1) I had a great time in the historic district (Calle Larios). There was always something going on. Your rent range should be okay. It's always better with more money, isn't it? 2) My understanding is that one cannot get a (>90 day) visa(do) while in Spain. Landing there without a "visa" gets your passport stamped with what amounts to a 90 visa. After that, one must reside outside the Schengen area for 90 days before getting another airport (90 day) visa.

Good luck with your adventure!

@Seawch: Go for it! It's safe and lots of fun being in Spain. There is always something to do. Just get out there and let it happen.
This geeting if you are in Medellin
I was very impressed of your experience in Malaga but particular in Ecuador your were probably a professor or writer the way you put together very easy to follow and understand. I am an engineer and i alway have problems communicating in spanish and English so when I going to deal with spaniards I will try to tell them that hablo poquito espanol same for the anglo-saxons thus habla espanol you're in Spain, my goal is to meet spanish people so can be friends and have cenas at 1am in the morning and bla bla bla聽 for hours! play tennis and go to the gym.
I am a ecuadorian native pls. don't tell the spaniards you what they think about the latinos and in particular ecuadorians, by the way I off to Guayaquil and galapagos this Wednesday sydney time for 2-weeks last time in Ecuador was in 1996 for 3 days I could make it longer.
Thx. for the tip on the area in around of the Mercado Central, there is quite a few apartments for Alquilar, I am trying to sign a 3-months lease even if I have to leave early.
I have researched all the areas, internet, Gym, in fact cost of living which is kind of reasonable for my budget.
Ron Thx for your thoughts ii has been very helpful, pls check your email.
Regards
Walter
If you have a pre-existing disease it is sheer impossible to get insured here (as opposed to for example the Netherlands where it is possible).
One option to get beyond that may be to take a small local or regional insurer as one of my docs suggested. They are often less demanding. So that means looking at local providers' their networked insurance partners and contact those.
2) Buying realty is more hazardous here in Spain as ownership is often not clear and requires a lot of legal research or may never become clear.
3) Realtors are not licensed. Anyone can become one. In Galicia I notice that realtors are not too proactive and value their siesta and days off a lot. An open house here in Galicia is non existent. It is also very hard to fidn realtors who will work in weekends.
4) Getting financing is very hard so bring lots of cash, then they love you.
5) Setting up a bank account is now a pain since recently. It varies per bank and per bank office, Smaller banks are much more helpful. Skip the big ones.
6) If you must by one of many ruins here (with often stunning locations, remaining materials (walls, roofs etc) be sure to be handy to do part of the work yourself or it will cost way too much per m2. For experts in fixer uppers this is heaven. In Galicia alone there are over 1400 complete abandoned villages for sale! Many single fixer start being sold at 15,000 euro or less here in Galicia. Living here is also inexpensive.
Health insurance is a huge rip-off in the US. Pray that private health care doesn't become the norm for all in Spain. It is certainly justifiable to require foreigners to pony up though.
I see an inline promotion for health insurance on this forum. It doesn't say what company it is with nor how much it costs on the first screen. Maybe after filling in the contact information it will show that
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