Health insurance company

There are international health insurance options (from IMG, Cigna, Allianz, Aetna, AXA and more), but they tend to be rather expensive.

It might be better to have a medical policy for your main country (if you're planning to live mostly in Spain, for example), together with a good travel insurance to cover you when visiting other countries. Spain has lots of good options including Sanitas, ASISA, DKV, Adeslas, Aegon, Cigna. We had ASISA policies and they seemed pretty good. DKV quite inexpensive too, and seems to be recommended by several expat members here.

If you're in the French or Belgian national health system, then you should be able to get an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) which covers you when travelling in the EU. If you're a pensioner, and you were entitled to health cover in France or Belgium, then I believe you can get some proof of this that Spain will accept so that you are also covered here.

If you're planning to do the immigration formalities in Spain for your "EU citizen registration", then you will need proof of medical insurance. This can be a private policy or public health treatment entitlement (usually as a pensioner, Spain doesn't accept the EHIC). The private policy can be a Spanish one, or an international one, but you have to be careful that it provides the right level of cover, and that it has a zero copay. You'll also need to get a certified Spanish translation if the policy is not in Spanish.

So, for example, in my case, I contribute to the Bulgarian social security system so that I have access to free health care in Bulgaria. I have an EHIC issued in Bulgaria, which I can use, if I need to, when I am in Spain or Cyprus. And I have an annual worldwide multi-trip travel insurance with cover for 60 days in any one journey.

Thank you very much for your reply.

We are currently covered by DKV in Belgium and I was think whether it could be possible to extend our current coverage to include Spain. I will find out from DKV.

Thank you again

Georges