Sanitas Health Insurance for Spanish Visas 2026

About Sanitas

Sanitas was founded in Spain in 1954 and has been majority-owned by BUPA, the British healthcare group, since 1989. Today it is Spain's second-largest private health insurer by members, with a network of more than 58,000+ healthcare professionals across over 4,500 centres nationwide. The combination of deep Spanish roots and BUPA's financial backing makes Sanitas one of the most recognised and trusted names when consulate officers review visa health insurance applications.

For visa purposes, Sanitas offers three dedicated plans. Each is structured to meet the core Spanish consulate requirements: DGSFP authorisation, zero copayments, zero waiting periods for illness and accident, and a Spanish-language certificate. The plans differ in maximum entry age, geographic scope, and price — choosing the right one comes down to your age, visa type, and whether you need international coverage.

At a glance: the three Sanitas visa plans

The Residents Visa plan is Sanitas's core product for anyone moving to Spain on a non-lucrative visa (NLV), digital nomad visa, work permit, family reunification, or similar long-stay authorisation. It provides full access to the Sanitas in-network (cuadro médico) across Spain, with no copayments and no waiting periods for illness or accident from day one.

This plan accepts new policyholders up to age 75 — significantly higher than most competitors — making it the go-to choice for NLV applicants in their 60s and early 70s who would otherwise struggle to find cover. Below that age, it is straightforward, competitively priced, and consulate-proven across dozens of nationalities.

What the Residents Visa plan covers

• Full access to the Sanitas cuadro médico: 58,000+ specialists, GPs, and diagnostics centres across Spain
• GP consultations, specialist referrals, diagnostic tests (blood, imaging, scans) — all with zero copayment
• Emergency care in any Sanitas-networked hospital or clinic
• Hospitalisation, surgery, and post-operative care
• Maternity cover (standard waiting period applies for maternity — consult Sanitas for current terms)
• Mental health consultations within the network
• Preventive care and health check-ups
• Online GP and specialist appointments via the Sanitas app
• Spanish-language visa certificate — automatically sent once the policy is activated and payment is received

Residents Visa: April 2026 pricing (Resto zone)

Prices are per person, per month. The Resto zone applies to most Spanish provinces. Prices vary by age and region — your exact premium is confirmed on application.

Source: Sanitas official tariff, April 2026. Resto zone. Ages shown are representative bands — intermediate ages priced accordingly. Prices vary by age and region.

The Platinum Visa plan is Sanitas's premium offering for those who want the full picture. Everything in the Residents Visa plan comes as standard, and on top of that Platinum adds 90% worldwide reimbursement — so if you receive treatment anywhere outside Spain, Sanitas reimburses 90% of the eligible cost. It also gives access to a broader selection of premium private hospitals within Spain.

Platinum is the right plan for NLV holders who travel regularly, split their time between Spain and another country, or simply want the reassurance of world-class private cover wherever they are. You get more, and you pay more — but for the right person it is worth every cent.

What the Platinum Visa plan adds

• Everything included in the Residents Visa plan
• 90% reimbursement for eligible treatment received outside Spain
• Access to a broader shortlist of premium private hospitals within Spain
• Enhanced cover levels for some specialist treatments

Platinum Visa: April 2026 pricing (Resto zone)

Maximum entry age is 64. Prices are per person, per month.

Source: Sanitas official tariff, April 2026. Resto zone. Ages shown are sample points from the tariff schedule. Prices vary by age and region.

The International Students plan is purpose-built for foreign students studying in Spain on a student visa (visado de estudios). Available to applicants aged 14 to 35, it is the most affordable of the three Sanitas visa plans — with premiums starting under €43 per month for the youngest age band — and delivers the same zero-copayment, zero-waiting-period experience as the other Sanitas visa products.

Once the policy is activated and payment is received, the certificate is automatically sent — which matters when university enrolment deadlines are tight. For most student visa applicants, this plan represents excellent value backed by the quality and reliability of the Sanitas network.

International Students: April 2026 pricing (Resto zone)

Available to ages 14–35 only. Prices are per person, per month.

Source: Sanitas official tariff, April 2026. Resto zone. Prices vary by age and region.

Is Sanitas right for you?

Sanitas vs the other visa insurers

The Sanitas network in Spain

Sanitas has the strongest owned healthcare infrastructure of any insurer on this comparison. The 58,000+ professional network and 4,500+ centres cover the whole of Spain — but what makes Sanitas different is how much of this it owns directly, rather than simply contracting through partner agreements.

Hospitales Sanitas: owned hospital network

No other insurer on this comparison owns a hospital group. Sanitas owns five hospitals in Spain, all under the Hospitales Sanitas brand:

Beyond the five hospitals, Sanitas's owned infrastructure includes 31 multi-speciality Sanitas Milenium medical centres, 216+ dental clinics, and 25 advanced rehabilitation centres across Spain. Sanitas has announced a further hospital development in Madrid (Méndez Álvaro area, expected 2028), which would extend the owned hospital group further.

Sanitas network in popular expat areas

For expats moving to the coastal and city areas where most international residents live, the Sanitas network is well established. The table below gives an indication of Sanitas presence by region — always verify current availability in the Sanitas cuadro médico online or through the app before purchasing.

What to check before buying: Sanitas network access

• Search your local area in the Sanitas cuadro médico to confirm GP and specialist availability at your specific address
• Check whether the nearest Sanitas Milenium or partner clinic covers your required specialisms
• If you have complex or chronic conditions, check which partner hospitals are accessible in your area — or plan to use the Sanitas-owned hospital network in Madrid or Barcelona
• Confirm your province falls in the Resto pricing zone or a city band — this affects your premium
• Download the BLUA / Mi Sanitas app before you need it — set up your account, verify your health card, and familiarise yourself with booking GP appointments online
• Dental is included as standard across all three visa plans — 45+ free services from day one across 216+ owned Sanitas dental clinics with no waiting periods

Pre-existing conditions

Every application involving a pre-existing condition is assessed individually by Sanitas's underwriting team — there is no blanket exclusion list and no automatic rejection. When a declared condition is reviewed, the underwriter will reach one of four possible outcomes:

• Full acceptance — the policy is issued with no modification, and the condition is covered on the same terms as any other.
• Acceptance with condition excluded — the policy proceeds in full, but that specific condition (and directly related treatment) is excluded from benefit. All other cover remains intact.
• Acceptance with a premium loading — Sanitas accepts the condition into cover but applies an adjusted premium to reflect the additional risk. This is common for well-managed chronic conditions where Sanitas is prepared to cover ongoing treatment.
• Decline — in cases where the risk cannot be accommodated, Sanitas may decline to offer cover. This is the least common outcome for stable, treated conditions.

The outcome depends on the nature, severity, and current management of the condition rather than a one-size-fits-all rule. Sanitas has a reputation for considered underwriting, and many applicants with managed conditions — including controlled hypertension, well-managed diabetes, and stable cardiac conditions — are successfully placed. If you have a medical history to declare, it is well worth speaking to a Sanitas specialist before applying so you understand exactly what to expect.

Certificate speed and consulate acceptance

Once the Sanitas policy is activated and payment is received, the certificate is automatically sent. You can download it from the Sanitas customer portal or it arrives by email — typically within minutes. This is one of the fastest turnaround times among Spanish visa insurers.

The certificate is issued in Spanish and includes all of the information consulates require: DGSFP registration number, policy start and end date, policyholder details, confirmation of zero copayments, and confirmation that the plan provides comprehensive cover without territorial restrictions within Spain. Sanitas certificates are accepted at Spanish consulates worldwide, including high-volume consulates in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.

BLUA and Mi Sanitas: digital healthcare advantage

BLUA is Sanitas's digital health platform, accessible through the Mi Sanitas app. It is one of the most capable digital health tools offered by any insurer on this comparison, and for new arrivals in Spain — still navigating a new language and healthcare system — it provides a genuine advantage from day one.

What BLUA gives you as a Sanitas policyholder:

• 24/7 GP consultations — video or text-based appointments with Sanitas doctors, available any time of day or night, with no appointment needed for GP access
• English-language support — BLUA doctors can consult in English and multiple European languages, so new arrivals are not dependent on finding a Spanish-speaking GP immediately
• Specialist appointment booking — search and book in-network specialists directly from the app, including filtering by location, speciality, and language
• Digital prescriptions — BLUA doctors can issue digital prescriptions that are valid at Spanish pharmacies
• Full medical history — test results, specialist letters, referrals, and consultation notes all stored in one place, accessible to any treating doctor
• Digital health card — your Sanitas card available on your phone at all times, accepted at all network providers
• Works from abroad — BLUA is accessible from outside Spain, so travellers and part-time residents can still consult a Sanitas doctor remotely

No other insurer on this comparison offers a digital health platform at the same level of capability. For expats who are likely to use their cover regularly — rather than simply filing the certificate for a visa application — this is a meaningful difference in day-to-day experience.

Documents needed to apply for Sanitas

The standard documents required for a Sanitas visa insurance application are:

• Valid identity document (passport, national ID card, or equivalent)
• Spanish address — a rental contract, utility bill, or empadronamiento letter is typically sufficient
• Bank account details for payment — Sanitas offers a one-off upfront payment for the full year, or the option to split into 2 payments (50% upfront, 50% after 6 months); confirm accepted payment methods with the broker or Sanitas at application
• Health declaration — all pre-existing conditions must be declared accurately at the point of application; undisclosed conditions may not be covered
• For family applications: documents for each family member, including date of birth for each person to be added to the policy

A NIE is not required to start the application process — Sanitas can begin the application with a passport or national ID card. A NIE may be required at a later stage as your residency is formalised; confirm the specific documentation requirements with Sanitas or your broker before applying.

Authorisations and using the Sanitas policy

For routine consultations within the Sanitas cuadro médico, access is direct — you book through the app, online, or by phone, and attend your appointment. No prior authorisation is needed for GP visits, standard specialist consultations, or routine diagnostics.

Prior authorisation (autorización previa) is required for:

• Planned hospital admissions and surgery — any non-emergency operation or hospital procedure requires pre-authorisation from Sanitas
• Some high-cost diagnostic procedures — advanced imaging such as MRI and PET scans may require a referral and authorisation from a Sanitas-network specialist first
• Rehabilitation and physiotherapy beyond initial sessions — longer courses of treatment require continued authorisation
• Worldwide claims (Platinum Visa) — treatment received outside Spain should be notified to Sanitas as soon as reasonably possible; emergency care abroad can be treated first, but notify Sanitas promptly to facilitate reimbursement

The Mi Sanitas app and BLUA platform simplify the referral and authorisation process considerably — most requests can be initiated digitally. For urgent situations where authorisation cannot be obtained in advance, emergency care is always available without prior approval. Contact Sanitas as soon as possible afterwards.

What the Sanitas visa certificate should confirm

Before submitting your Sanitas certificate to a consulate or immigration office, check that it confirms all of the following. Missing or ambiguous wording has caused delays at some consulates.

• Policy type described as comprehensive private health insurance (seguro de salud completo or equivalent) covering illness, accident, and hospitalisation
• Policyholder's full legal name, date of birth, and nationality as they appear on the travel document being used for the visa application
• Policy start date and end date — must cover the full intended visa application period from day one
• DGSFP registration number and full legal name of the insurer
• Explicit confirmation of zero copayments (sin copago or copago cero) for all covered services
• Explicit confirmation of no waiting periods for illness and accident (sin períodos de carencia para enfermedad y accidente)
• Territorial scope: Spain — confirming the policy provides cover within Spanish territory for the purposes of the visa application
• No benefit caps or coverage limits that would effectively exclude major medical treatment or hospitalisation
• Spanish-language format — most consulates and immigration offices require the certificate in Spanish

If anything on this list is missing or unclear, contact Sanitas or your broker before submitting the file. Sanitas issues the certificate promptly, so there is time to request a corrected version if needed.

Our verdict on Sanitas

Sanitas is the strongest all-round option on this comparison for applicants who are going to actively use their health insurance — not just file a certificate and hope they never need it. The combination of Spain's largest private hospital group, a 58,000+ professional network, genuine owned infrastructure, and the BLUA digital platform means you are buying into one of the most capable private health systems in the country. BUPA's ownership provides financial depth that independent insurers cannot match.

The automatic certificate delivery alone puts Sanitas ahead in practical terms for many applicants. Once payment is received, the certificate is sent automatically — no waiting, no manual step. If your consulate appointment is imminent, Sanitas removes that anxiety entirely. This is one of very few insurers on the market where certificate delivery is genuinely not a concern.

The BLUA app (Mi Sanitas) is the standout reason to choose Sanitas over cheaper alternatives. English-language GP consultations 24 hours a day, prescription management, specialist booking, and a full digital medical record — all from your phone. For new arrivals who are still finding their feet in Spain, the ability to speak to a doctor in English at any hour is genuinely valuable. No other major Spanish visa insurer comes close to the same digital healthcare experience.

Residents Visa is the natural first choice for NLV, digital nomad, and work visa applicants. The highest maximum entry age on this comparison at 75 means Sanitas serves applicants who most competitors simply cannot cover. For applicants in their 30s and 40s, the price-to-quality ratio is strong — and you get the full Sanitas infrastructure, not a stripped-back visa product.

Platinum Visa is worth the premium if your lifestyle demands worldwide cover. Frequent international travel, splitting your time between Spain and another country, or simply wanting the reassurance of comprehensive private cover wherever you are — Platinum delivers. The 90% worldwide reimbursement removes the anxiety of falling ill abroad with no meaningful cover.

International Students combines affordability with genuine quality. Students get the same Sanitas network and BLUA digital tools as any other policyholder — including English-language support — at some of the keenest prices available for under-35s. It is a proper health insurance product, not a watered-down student plan.

Where Sanitas is not the answer: applicants who only need the cheapest possible compliant certificate, or those on very tight monthly budgets (Caser is cheaper at €46.95/mo and also includes dental). Sanitas is not cheap — and it does not try to be. You get what you pay for, and for anyone who plans to use their cover, the value proposition is clear.

Frequently asked questions