Do you need to declare your chronic disease when applying for private health insurance in Spain?
In Spain, private health insurance plays a crucial role in the daily lives of residents, offering more opportunities to access medical care quickly and of higher quality without going bankrupt paying bills.
However, when applying for private health insurance, you will be asked to make a health declaration. Is this mandatory?
Yes, a health declaration is mandatory when you apply for your first health insurance in Spain. Also, when you change to the other insurance company, you have to declare your health status.Why declare illnesses when applying for private health insurance in Spain?
As much as we might not like to admit it, the insurance industry is not charity but a business. The insurer agrees to cover your future risks in exchange for your money. Therefore, to assess all risk factors, during the policy issuance process, you are obliged to disclose all existing illnesses, treatments, and any surgical interventions conducted before the date of the insurance contract.
When the insurance company receives your application, the company's risk assessment medical department will review the health declaration and make a final decision on policy coverage.
What are the possible outcomes?
1. The insurance company may agree to cover all risks under the contract.
2. The insurance company may limit coverage for the declared illness (for example, by imposing an additional waiting period for future diagnosis and treatment).
3. The insurance company may exclude medical services, diagnosis and treatment of the declared illness from coverage.
4. The insurance company may be unable to take on the risk coverage.
Predicting the insurance company's decision is quite difficult, as each case is considered individually, taking into account other physiological factors.
What if I don't declare an operation or illness when applying for health insurance?
The insurance contract includes a clause stating that by signing the contract, you declare that you were honest when completing the health declaration, and in case of providing false information, the insurance company reserves the right to limit coverage or terminate the contract.How can the insurance company discover that you didn't declare an illness?
Some services require authorization with the insurance company, such as complex diagnostics, hospitalization, surgeries, and treatment. The insurance company may request a medical report, where hidden information may be discovered.
If the insurance company excludes existing illnesses from coverage, what will the insurance cover?
Even if the insurance company excludes something from the coverage, you will have a lot of other possible risks covered. This is still more advantageous than paying for all medical services as a private patient.
Can a health declaration increase the cost of health insurance?
Yes, it can. The insurance company may offer to cover the declared illnesses with superior premium. The amount will be communicated by the risk department before signing the insurance contract, and if the proposed condition is not suitable, you can decline the insurance.
In conclusion, regarding the necessity of making a health declaration when applying for private health insurance, it is important to approach this question with intelligence and understanding of all pros and cons. If you have any doubts or questions, please leave a request for a free consultation with me.
