Important: Allianz Care and Allianz Salud are not the same product
Allianz Care is an international private medical insurance product operated by AWP Health & Life SA, regulated by the French Prudential Supervisory Authority through an Irish branch. It is generally not the right product for a Spanish visa application.
Allianz Salud Spain is the domestic Spanish health insurance route. It may be possible for visa use, but it does not present a clearly named visa product with a fixed tariff and certificate process in the way Sanitas or Caser do. Verify in writing before purchasing.
Allianz vs Sanitas: at a glance
| Feature | Sanitas Residents Visa | Allianz Care | Allianz Salud Spain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product type | Spanish domestic visa product ✓ | International — not domestic | Spanish domestic insurance |
| Suitable for Spanish visa? | Yes — purpose-built ✓ | Generally no | Possible only if verified |
| Public visa from-price | €67.76/month ✓ | Quote required | Quote required |
| No copayments | None ✓ | Depends on plan | Must confirm exact policy |
| No waiting periods | None ✓ | Depends on plan | Must confirm — some broker material references waiting periods |
| Certificate (carta para visado) | Instant on payment ✓ | Not a visa-focused process | Not publicly confirmed |
| Dental included | Yes — 45+ free services ✓ | Depends on plan | Referenced — confirm exact conditions |
| Repatriation | Included ✓ | Often included — check plan | Must confirm exact policy |
| English-language support | Full — BLUA app, support, doctor filter ✓ | International support available | App in Spanish and English |
| Owned hospitals | 5 (Madrid & Barcelona) ✓ | Contracted network | Contracted network |
| Max joining age | 75 ✓ | Confirm at quote stage | Confirm at quote stage |
| Consulate track record | Extensive, well-documented ✓ | Not applicable — wrong product type | Less documented for English-speaking applicants |
The most important thing to understand about Allianz and Spanish visas
The first question any expat must answer when comparing Allianz to Sanitas for a Spanish visa is: which Allianz are you actually looking at?
Allianz Care — the international health insurance arm sold under the Allianz Partners and Care brands — is operated by AWP Health & Life SA, which is regulated by the French Prudential Supervisory Authority (ACPR) through its Irish branch. It is not a Spanish domestic insurance policy. Spanish consulates generally require a certificate issued by a Spanish-authorised insurer with the local visa certificate format. Allianz Care, even with strong medical cover, does not normally satisfy that local-insurer requirement.
Allianz Salud Spain — the Spanish domestic health insurance operation — is a different product entirely. It operates within the Spanish system and may, in principle, be used for visa purposes if the exact policy is issued with no copayments, no waiting periods, hospitalisation, full Spain cover and a certificate that meets consulate requirements. However, the public Allianz Spain pages do not show a clearly named visa product with a fixed visa tariff, certificate timing, and maximum joining age in the way Sanitas Residents Visa does. That transparency gap is the core issue.
The certificate question
For any Spanish visa application, the health insurance certificate (carta para visado) must meet specific requirements: issued in Spanish, confirming no copayments, covering the full visa period, valid throughout Spain, and issued by an insurer recognised for that purpose.
Sanitas has issued tens of thousands of these certificates. The format is well-tested across consulates in the UK, US, Australia, Canada, and worldwide. The certificate is sent automatically the moment a policy is activated — there is no waiting period or manual request process for the standard Residents Visa route.
Allianz Care does not issue a Spanish domestic visa certificate because it is not that product. Allianz Salud Spain may be able to issue a suitable certificate, but the process, timing, and exact wording must be confirmed with the issuing agent before purchase — and ideally verified with your specific consulate before committing.
Before buying Allianz for a Spanish visa
First confirm whether you are buying Allianz Care or Allianz Salud Spain — they are not the same product. If proceeding with Allianz Salud, confirm with your issuing agent in writing: no copayments, no waiting periods, hospitalisation from day one, repatriation if required, and a Spanish certificate with the correct visa wording. Then verify with your specific consulate that this format will be accepted before purchasing.
Network
Allianz Spain provides a contracted medical directory accessed through the Allianz Salud app. It does not own hospitals — care is delivered through agreements with independent GPs, specialist clinics, and partner hospitals. Allianz Care operates through a separate international network for its international product range.
Sanitas owns its healthcare infrastructure in Spain: five hospitals in Madrid and Barcelona (including Hospital Universitario Sanitas La Zarzuela, the largest private hospital in Madrid), a national chain of Sanitas Milenium outpatient clinics, and 216+ owned dental centres. For applicants who value integrated, owned hospital access — particularly in Madrid and Barcelona — Sanitas's network is more comprehensive and consistent.
Dental
Allianz Spain's expat health insurance pages state that dental insurance is included when contracting any level of health insurance. This is a useful feature if confirmed on the exact policy purchased. However, for visa use the dental conditions, waiting periods for dental treatment, and the exact scope of cover on the specific policy must be verified before purchasing.
Sanitas includes dental in both the Residents Visa and Platinum Visa policies as standard — more than 45 free dental services, 216+ owned dental clinics across Spain, and discounts on all other treatments with no waiting periods. Caser Adapta + Dental + Repatriation also includes dental from €46.95/month. For applicants who want dental-included cover on a visa-verified policy, Sanitas and Caser are the clearer routes.
Digital health and English-language support
The Allianz Salud app provides general medicine services in Spanish and English, video consultations, symptom-check support and a digital health card. This is a genuine feature for day-to-day healthcare access.
Sanitas provides the BLUA app — 24/7 video GP consultations in English, digital prescriptions, physiotherapy booking, and an English-language doctor-filter through Mi Sanitas to find English-speaking specialists within the network. For newly arrived expats who need comprehensive English-language healthcare access from day one, Sanitas's English infrastructure is more developed and specifically designed for that use case.
Using Allianz Care alongside a specialist Spanish visa policy
One arrangement that works well for some experienced expats is using a specialist Spanish visa insurer for the visa application and domestic compliance, while maintaining Allianz Care for additional international coverage.
Allianz Care provides things Spanish domestic insurers do not: worldwide cover outside Spain, international emergency assistance, English-language telehealth in multiple countries, and cover continuity during travel between your home country and Spain. If the combined cost works for your situation, this approach — specialist Spanish insurer for the visa, Allianz Care for international travel — is a practical and logical combination.
The specialist alternatives to Allianz
These are the six insurers with clearly published visa products, documented consulate acceptance and established certificate processes:
| Insurer | From price | Dental | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitas | €67.76/mo | Included ✓ | Overall quality, BLUA, owned hospitals, dental, English support, max age 75 |
| Caser | €46.95/mo ✓ | Included ✓ | Best bundled value: dental, repatriation, travel assistance, no NIE required |
| Adeslas | €51.67/mo | Not included | Broad national network and competitive annual pricing |
| DKV | From €57/mo | Not included | Simple annual visa policy, max age 75 |
| ASISA | €42.88/mo ✓ | Not included | Lowest published from-price and immediate certificate |
| ASSSA | Quote required | Not included | No age-based premium increases — worth considering over 60 |
For a full side-by-side comparison of all six, see our main comparison page.
Not sure whether Allianz, Sanitas or one of the other specialist insurers is right for your age, visa type, and consulate? Use our free enquiry form — we'll compare all options and recommend the right plan.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Sanitas is the clearer choice for the vast majority of Spanish visa applicants. Sanitas Residents Visa is purpose-built for NLV, DNV, and retirement visa applicants — with automatic certificate delivery, dental included, the BLUA 24/7 English digital health app, and a well-documented track record at consulates worldwide. Allianz requires careful handling: Allianz Care is generally the wrong route entirely, and Allianz Salud Spain may be possible but needs explicit verification of the certificate and policy wording before purchasing.
Allianz Care is Allianz's international private medical insurance product, operated by AWP Health & Life SA and regulated by the French Prudential Supervisory Authority through an Irish branch. It is not a domestic Spanish insurance policy and is generally not the right product for a Spanish visa. Allianz Salud Spain is the domestic Spanish health insurance operation — regulated within the Spanish system and possible for visa use if the exact policy is verified. The two products are structurally different and must not be confused when applying for a Spanish visa.
Generally no. Allianz Care is an international health insurance product not issued as a domestic Spanish visa policy. Its regulatory home is outside Spain — AWP Health & Life SA is regulated by the French Prudential Supervisory Authority through an Irish branch. Spanish consulates typically require a policy from a Spanish-authorised insurer with the local visa certificate format. If you are considering Allianz Care, your specific consulate must confirm acceptance in writing before you purchase.
Allianz Spain's expat health insurance pages state that dental is included when contracting any level of health insurance. The exact dental conditions, waiting periods and scope of the specific policy being purchased for visa use must be confirmed before buying. Sanitas includes dental in both the Residents Visa and Platinum Visa as standard — 45+ free dental services and 216+ owned dental clinics. Caser Adapta + Dental + Repatriation also includes dental from €46.95/month.
Sanitas owns five hospitals in Madrid and Barcelona, a national chain of Sanitas Milenium outpatient clinics, and 216+ owned dental centres. Allianz Spain operates through a contracted medical directory. For applicants who value integrated, owned hospital access — particularly in Madrid and Barcelona — Sanitas's network is more comprehensive and consistent.
Yes — there is no rule against holding both. Many expats use a specialist Spanish visa insurer (Sanitas, Caser, or similar) for their visa application and domestic healthcare in Spain, while maintaining Allianz Care for international travel, worldwide cover, and English-language telehealth benefits. This is a practical arrangement if the combined cost works for your situation.
This site focuses on six insurers that consistently market visa-specific products with clear pricing, documented consulate acceptance and established certificate processes: Sanitas, Caser, Adeslas, DKV, ASISA, and ASSSA. Neither Allianz Care nor Allianz Salud Spain presents a comparison-ready visa product with the same clarity. This is not a reflection on Allianz as a global insurer — it is a reflection of the specific transparency requirements for Spanish visa comparison purposes.