The cost will of course depend on your ages and the level of cover you require, Ank.

You can see the different options and get an online quote here (Spanish BUPA)..........

http://www.sanitas.es/

Click on 'English' top right hand side box.

You're probably looking at about 13 to 1500 euros per annum for full cover for 2.

Thanks Bawbee

What is the cost of private health care these days? When we lived in Tenerife last, we took out a Priviasa(sp?) which was quite cheap, but so easy and straight forward when we need to claim.

Do they still do them? Or is there a better type of insurance available? We just want to be covered until we start paying into the health care system via taxes.

cheers

With every respect to you why do you need private health care is Tenerife not in the EU if so you can get full medical cover from the Spanish system without any cost as though you were in the UK under a new EU ruleing. Or if you are visiting you just need your E111.

We are going to be living there, so the E111 does not cover us. Also, until taxes paid, I was under the impression that we would not be entitled to NHS-equivilant care?

If we are allowed to use it from the off , that would be great!! I know the whole issue of E111 is being overhauled at the mo, with a temporary one being in place until early next year then a card being issued. But again, as we will be resident in Tenerife we would be issued the new Spanish version rather than the UK one.

We are going to be living there, so the E111 does not cover us. Also, until taxes paid, I was under the impression that we would not be entitled to NHS-equivilant care?

If we are allowed to use it from the off , that would be great!! I know the whole issue of E111 is being overhauled at the mo, with a temporary one being in place until early next year then a card being issued. But again, as we will be resident in Tenerife we would be issued the new Spanish version rather than the UK one.

You say you are going to live there, are you going to retire or work there. The reason I ask is because if you intend to work there you will get automatic cover once you get a job from the state system and if you are over 65 (no disrespect meant) you will get it automaticaly also.

I take it that as you are going to live there you will apply for residence if so that will give you even more entitlement to get free cover from the state system.

Have you spoken to the Department for Work and Pension at Newcastle upon Tyne there phone number is 0191 218 777 and asked there advise.

Another thing to remember is that you must keep paying you NI contributions in the UK otherwise you will loose out on your UK pension. you will need to pay the Voluntary contributions, also before you move you will need to register with the Non - Resident side of the works & Pension side and there phone number is 0191 225 4811 just tell then your NI number and they can sort it out.

Hi, we are working age!! We also have 2 young children, hence the importance of proper health cover.

We just want to make sure that until we get our NIE's sorted and get jobs, we are adequately covered healthwise.

I reqistered with the Non - Resident side of the works & Pension after I moved out here. A quick call to a fellow Geordie chap up at the ministry in Newcastle and it was all sorted. We get billed every year for our UK Social Security contributions, which keeps our entitlement to a UK pension. If I live here for ever I will also get a Spanish pension aparently?!

I was very confused (and still am to an extent) about using the Spanish national health system. When I first moved out here I had no job and was not paying into the Social Security system. I was told that if I didnt pay in I couldnt use the Nat Health service, or even register with a GP!!

Before I had chance to get to the bottom of it I got a job, which cured this problem automatically. I would still be interested to find out how someone (EU resident) who has come here before retirement age and lives off their own savings gets such things as a GP etc.

I personally am sorted now and have the benifit of both National Health service and Private medical health insurance via my employer too.

If I continue to live and work here for ever will i get both a UK pension and a Spanish one? (he siad hopefully)

I was very confused (and still am to an extent) about using the Spanish national health system. When I first moved out here I had no job and was not paying into the Social Security system. I was told that if I didnt pay in I couldnt use the Nat Health service, or even register with a GP!!

What you say here was correct but now under a new EU rueling that came into force in September 2004 the Spanish Health Service have to give you the same medical cover as you would get in the UK, this is because any EU person coming to the UK has full medical cover without any cost to them. This is to stop the old loop hole whereby other EU citizens came to the UK for operations and dental work etc and did not have to pay anything now any EU citizen can have it done in the EU counrty they are in without cost.

Hope this makes sense

Can you give a link to that ruling, a1gjv?

I'd certainly recommend anyone not to take that as being the case before checking out the circumstances in their particular area, otherwise you may find yourself being handed a bill at the end of any hospital treatment. Like a lot of things in Spain, what applies in one part of the country does not necessarily apply in another.

I am sorry bawbee I do not have a link I only have information from friends to say that and I quote from information they have received and passed onto me.

"According to circular 1/2002 of the comunidad autonoma, citizens of members of the Europena Union who are resident in Spain and who are neither pensioners nor employed, have the right to health treatment. Such persons should apply for a health card at the relevant Health Centre making reference to 'the extension of health treatment on demand according to circular 1/2002'"

I know of quite a few people who have signed up to the Spanish Health system and they live here, are not retired and do not work.

I have been told that why a lot of EU members lining in Spain don't know about this new ruling is because the Spanish health service are keeping it to themselves and it is only if you push very hard will they admit that they have to give it to you.

I have some friends in Alicante who when they went to there local health office to get their card were told they were not entitled to it. It was not until they insisted that the office phone the main health office in Alicante and they were informed that yes they were correct and they had to be issued a Solicitud de Targeta Sanitaria.

I would agree with you that what happens in one part of Spain might not happen in another but I don't think that is the case with the health system because even if you are Spanish and belong to the system and say live in Barcelona but have an accident in say Madrid and go to hospital you would still get treated and not have to pay anything. To the best of my knowledge surly the Spanish health system covers the whole of Spain with local benefit offices in various areas the same as we have or had local DHSS offices in the UK.

If anybody can shed more light on this subject please do I am sure it would help a lot of people out.

Thanks a1gjv, That tally's with what I was told. Then again loads of others told me I could not register without paying in, so as Bawbee says we need clarification.

One other thing to note on the UK pension contributions is that if you don't continue to voluntarily contribute you wont loos all your state pension. You will loose your "SERPS". This is in addition to your UK Basic State Pension.

My Dad is 80 and had worked in the UK all his life. so i asked him how much his SERPS amounted to. He said that it added up to 80% of the value of his basic state pension. So from that I surmised that It IS worth contributing for.

One other thing to note on the UK pension contributions is that if you don't continue to voluntarily contribute you wont loos all your state pension. You will loose your "SERPS". This is in addition to your UK Basic State Pension.

I was under the inpression that if you did not pay all you contributions you would only get pro rata for what you had paid in for but maybe you are up on it more than I am.

As I pay voluntary contribution I am not worried but I can see some people would be.

Hmmmm,

I'll ring them back and ask I think.

I too pay mine AND Mrs Makum's too, (just in case we part ways before retirement) ((not that I'm planning on parting ways pet, if your reading this :oops:))

If you ring the Retirement Pension Forecast and Contributions Advice Centre for Non-Residents in Newcastle, they will tell you exactly what pension you are entitled to if you make no further contributions, as well as what annual payments, and for how long, you have to make to receive a full pension.

(0044) 0191 2253827

Just for everybodys information I spoke to the Spanish equivelent of the DHSS about full health cover under the EU ruleing and they said we are fully entitled to cover under this ruleing if you are living in Spain retired and/or not working. Of course if you are working you will get health cover anyway once you get your NI card.

I do not know how this works for Tenerife because I am not sure if you are part of the EU but I think you are.

These comments are made because of this statement I made the other day

"According to circular 1/2002 of the comunidad autonoma, citizens of members of the Europena Union who are resident in Spain and who are neither pensioners nor employed, have the right to health treatment. Such persons should apply for a health card at the relevant Health Centre making reference to 'the extension of health treatment on demand according to circular 1/2002'"

I hope this is of help to everybody and I am not saying it will be easy to get the cover, you will most likly have to go from one govenment office to another filling in forms but don't let them put you off what you are entitled to.

Have fun everybody.

Regards
a1gjv

I spoke to the Dept of Work & Pensions as we are moving out to Tenerife in 2 weeks (not that I'm counting the days or anything). We will be working after having a few months off so I wanted to check if there was anything I needed to do as the E111 for does not cover us.

They sent me an E106 form which I filled in & returned with a copy of my P60. They sent me a certificate within a few days which entitles me to NHS equivilent treatment in Tenerife for 2 and a half years. Apparently, as long as you have paid enough National Insurance this applies to you. If you are retirement age then you need form E121.

Hope this helps.

I spoke to the Dept of Work & Pensions as we are moving out to Tenerife in 2 weeks (not that I'm counting the days or anything). We will be working after having a few months off so I wanted to check if there was anything I needed to do as the E111 for does not cover us.

They sent me an E106 form which I filled in & returned with a copy of my P60. They sent me a certificate within a few days which entitles me to NHS equivilent treatment in Tenerife for 2 and a half years. Apparently, as long as you have paid enough National Insurance this applies to you. If you are retirement age then you need form E121.

Hope this helps.

What you say Samanthapom is 100% correct except for one little thing, it depends on how long you have been paying UK NI contributions as to how long the E106 will last normaly the shorter time you have pay the shorter time you will get.

Once you get out there and register with the Department of Employment and sign on and/or get a job you will be entitled to health care in you own right under the Spanish system

I hope you enjoy living in Tenerife and manage to get work ok, wishing you good luck.

Regards
a1gjv

Once you get out there and register with the Department of Employment and sign on and/or get a job you will be entitled to health care in you own right under the Spanish system

Now I'm a bit confused as you said in a previous post..........." under a new EU ruling that came into force in September 2004 the Spanish Health Service have to give you the same medical cover as you would get in the UK". So why do you have to register with the Department of Employment, and if you don't, does that mean you don't have cover? Also, if you do, are you supposed to be legally looking for work?

Thats what I was told by the Spanish DHSS office because that was where I went to get my health card but they could not give it to me. As I said before they knew all about this new ruleing and said yesy I was fully entitled to health cover as I live here all the time.

I will be going to the Employment Department some time next week when I have found out all the froms I need to take if any, but what I can say is no you do not have to be working to get full cover you just have to be living here permenantly.

Watch this space and I will keep posting here with the latest info as and when I get it.