Sanitas vs DKV: Spanish Visa Health Insurance 2026

Sanitas vs DKV: at a glance

Price: DKV costs less — but Sanitas includes significantly more

DKV Visado is published from approximately €57/month, while Sanitas Residents Visa starts from €67.76/month. That is roughly €10–11/month more for Sanitas at entry level — a real but modest difference. The comparison changes when you look at what each policy actually includes for that premium.

Sanitas includes dental cover as standard — 45+ free dental services and 20%+ discounts on all other treatments, with no waiting periods, from day one. DKV Visado does not include dental. A policyholder who needs dental access through DKV will need a separate arrangement, which adds cost. When that additional expense is factored in, the effective price gap between the two narrows considerably.

Sanitas also includes the BLUA app — 24/7 English-language GP access, video consultations, digital physiotherapy, mental health programmes, nutrition coaching, and pregnancy plans — all in English. DKV's MyDKV app is focused on health and wellbeing tracking and is primarily Spanish-language. There is no equivalent to BLUA through DKV.

Add automatic certificate delivery, 6-month advance contracting, owned hospital infrastructure, the optional 50/50 payment split, and 10 exclusive add-ons — and the price difference between the two policies reflects genuinely different products, not just a marginal premium variation.

Sanitas optional add-ons — not available through DKV

Sanitas offers 10 optional add-ons that can be built on to the base policy. None of these exist through DKV Visado. They include:

None of these add-ons exist through DKV. For applicants building a comprehensive health package in Spain, Sanitas provides a level of customisation that DKV Visado simply does not match.

Dental: Sanitas includes it, DKV does not

Both Sanitas Residents Visa and Sanitas Platinum Visa include dental cover as standard with no waiting periods. The Sanitas dental benefit covers more than 45 free dental services — consultations, X-rays, fillings, extractions, and more — plus discounts of over 20% on all other dental treatments. Platinum Visa includes a more comprehensive dental package. Sanitas operates 216+ owned dental clinics across Spain, so dental is part of the same integrated infrastructure as the rest of the policy, not a separate arrangement.

DKV Visado does not include dental as standard. DKV does operate a dental network separately, but this is not bundled into the Visado policy. For applicants who want dental from day one without a separate arrangement, Sanitas is the clear choice on this dimension.

Network: owned infrastructure vs contracted providers

The fundamental difference in networks is ownership. Sanitas is its own network — it owns and operates five hospitals (including Hospital Universitario Sanitas La Zarzuela in Madrid and Hospital Universitario Sanitas CIMA in Barcelona), a national chain of Sanitas Milenium clinics, and 216+ owned dental centres. When you use Sanitas, you are accessing facilities that Sanitas controls and operates directly.

DKV has no owned hospital infrastructure. Its network of 51,000+ professionals and 1,000+ medical centres is built entirely from contracted relationships with third-party providers. DKV does operate 23 DKV Espacios de Salud health centres across Spain — but these are complementary outpatient facilities, not full hospitals. For complex inpatient care, emergency surgery, or any situation requiring a hospital admission, DKV policyholders are directed to contracted third-party hospitals, not DKV-owned facilities.

For routine GP and specialist consultations, both networks provide adequate access in most major Spanish cities and coastal regions. Sanitas's owned-infrastructure advantage becomes most significant for complex or long-term care, where the integrated management of your pathway — GP to specialist to hospital to aftercare — within a single owned network is a genuine quality advantage.

DKV does have a strong environmental and prevention focus through its Ecobono programme — a genuine differentiator for health-conscious applicants. But for the purposes of visa compliance and day-to-day healthcare in Spain, the owned-network distinction matters.

Certificate & process: Sanitas is faster

Sanitas sends the visa certificate automatically once the policy is activated and payment is received. There is no manual step, no agent delay — the certificate arrives as soon as the transaction completes. For applicants with an imminent consulate appointment who need confirmed documentation in hand quickly, this is the most reliable process of any insurer on this comparison.

DKV issues the certificate within 48–72 hours via your agent after acceptance and payment are confirmed. In practice this works smoothly for the vast majority of applicants — but the two-to-three day window is a real consideration if your consulate appointment is within 48 hours of your payment being processed.

Advance contracting: Sanitas gives you 6 months

Sanitas allows you to contract the policy up to 6 months before the required start date. This is a significant advantage for applicants planning a move to Spain well in advance — you can lock in health insurance and have the certificate ready months before you actually need it.

DKV can normally be contracted a maximum of approximately 90 days before the required start date. For most applicants applying 1–3 months before their move this is sufficient. But for those planning further ahead — or who want to start the visa process early — Sanitas is the only insurer on this comparison that gives you the full 6-month window.

English support: a clear practical difference

Sanitas provides English-language support throughout. The BLUA app operates in English and gives you 24/7 access to a GP who can consult in English, book appointments, and issue digital prescriptions. Customer service is available in English. The Mi Sanitas app has an English interface with a doctor filtering system that shows which doctors speak your language. For a new arrival who does not yet speak Spanish, this is a genuine practical advantage from day one.

DKV's corporate customer service and MyDKV app are primarily in Spanish. MyDKV focuses on health tracking, wellbeing programmes, and prevention — a genuinely useful product for health-conscious users, but primarily Spanish-language in its interface and support. English support through DKV corporate channels is limited. In expat-heavy areas, many DKV-affiliated doctors and clinics may have English-speaking staff, but this depends on the individual provider, not on DKV directly.

Who should choose Sanitas?

Who should choose DKV?

Our verdict

Both Sanitas and DKV share the same maximum joining age of 75 — a genuine point of parity that distinguishes them from ASISA (70) and Caser (69). For applicants in the 70–75 age bracket, this is worth noting. But on almost every other dimension, Sanitas is the stronger policy. The BLUA app provides 24/7 English-language GP access that DKV's MyDKV simply does not replicate. Dental is included in Sanitas from day one — no separate arrangement, no waiting period. The certificate is sent automatically on payment. You can contract 6 months in advance. The network includes five owned hospitals, not just contracted third-party providers.

DKV Visado's core advantage is its lower from-price — approximately €10–11/month less at entry level. For younger, healthier applicants primarily seeking visa compliance at a lower cost, and who are comfortable in Spanish or primarily dealing with routine health matters, DKV is a workable option. DKV also has a genuine reputation for prevention-oriented healthcare through its Ecobono programme, which may appeal to health-focused applicants.

The honest summary: DKV is cheaper at entry level. But Sanitas includes dental, BLUA in English, owned hospitals, an automatic certificate, 6-month advance contracting, and confirmed repatriation cover. Before choosing DKV, applicants must verify directly with DKV whether repatriation cover is included in the Visado policy — this is not clearly confirmed in standard documentation and is a potential visa compliance issue. For applicants who want certainty, comprehensive coverage, and strong English-language support from day one, Sanitas is the better long-term investment.

Frequently asked questions

Pricing shown is sourced from each insurer's own published pages and is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Premiums are individually underwritten and confirmed at quote stage. Always verify current terms directly with the insurer or your specialist before purchasing.