# Spanish Private Healthcare 2026: Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV Compared > A healthy 40-year-old pays roughly EUR 55 to 90 per month for a mid-tier Spanish private policy in 2026, rising to EUR 180 or more at 65. Here is how Sanitas, Adeslas and DKV actually differ for buyers settling on the coast. Published: 2026-10-11 Author: Oleg Fesechko Canonical: https://wesnagroup.com/blog/spanish-private-healthcare-2026-sanitas-adeslas-dkv-compared License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Cite as: Wesna Group, "Spanish Private Healthcare 2026: Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV Compared", wesnagroup.com --- A healthy 40-year-old pays roughly EUR 55 to 90 per month for a mid-tier Spanish private health policy in 2026. At 55 that doubles. At 65 it doubles again, and most insurers close the door to new applicants by 70. Before signing a Non-Lucrative Visa file or moving your family to the Costa Blanca, the choice between Sanitas, Adeslas and DKV deserves real scrutiny. ## What does private health insurance actually mean in Spain in 2026? Private insurance in Spain, *seguro médico privado*, is a parallel system rather than a top-up to the public one. You buy access to a defined network of private hospitals and specialists, and the insurer pays the clinic directly through *cuadro médico* arrangements. There is no reimbursement model like in France or Germany; you either use a listed provider or you pay cash. Two product families matter. The standard *copago* policy charges a small fee per act (EUR 3 to EUR 15 for a GP visit, EUR 8 to EUR 30 for a specialist). The full-coverage *sin copago* policy costs 30 to 60 percent more each month but adds no fees at the point of use. For visa purposes, only the latter counts. Unlike the UK's NHS or Sweden's regional system, there is no universal gatekeeper. You book the specialist directly through the insurer's app, usually within a week. Waiting lists for elective surgery exist but are measured in weeks, not months. For how this stacks up against the state service you may also be entitled to, see our note on [NHS vs Spanish healthcare for UK buyers](/blog/nhs-vs-spanish-healthcare-2026-uk-buyers). ## How do Sanitas, Adeslas and DKV compare on price and network? The three cover roughly 70 percent of the private health market between them, according to ICEA sector data. Adeslas is the largest by premiums, Sanitas is owned by UK group Bupa, and DKV is part of Germany's Munich Re group through ERGO. Their footprints on the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida differ in ways that only show up when you need a hospital. | Insurer | Age 40, no copay | Age 60, no copay | Costa Blanca hospital network | Max entry age | English-speaking support | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Adeslas Plena Plus | EUR 75 to 95 | EUR 170 to 220 | IMED Elche, IMED Levante (Benidorm), Vithas Medimar Alicante, HLA Vistahermosa (partial) | 65 | Via Adeslas Salud y Bienestar line, limited | | Sanitas Más 250.000 | EUR 80 to 110 | EUR 190 to 250 | Hospital Perpetuo Socorro Alicante, Clínica Vistahermosa, concert with IMED in some areas | 65 to 69 by product | Bupa Global expat line, strong | | DKV Mundisalud | EUR 95 to 140 | EUR 230 to 310 | IMED network, Clínica Benidorm, Vithas, Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja (partial) | 70 to 74 | Dedicated international desk, best of the three | Adeslas has the deepest cuadro on paper but visible practical gaps in the Vega Baja; buyers in Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa should check which Quirónsalud and HLA units are actually in-network before signing. Sanitas is strongest in Madrid and Barcelona and thinner south of Valencia. DKV is pricier but written for foreign residents, with claims handling in English and German and a product (Mundisalud) marketed at visa applicants. ## Which policy satisfies the Non-Lucrative Visa requirement? The consulate wants a certificate stating full coverage in Spain, no copayments, no deductibles, no waiting periods, no coverage caps, and repatriation. Any insurer authorised by the Dirección General de Seguros can issue this; in practice three products do the vast majority of the paperwork. - **DKV Mundisalud** was built for the file. The certificate arrives in two working days, in Spanish and English, and the product has survived scrutiny at every Spanish consulate we have seen. - **Sanitas Más 250.000 sin copagos** is accepted everywhere and is often cheaper for applicants under 50. - **Adeslas Plena Plus sin copagos** works but requires an explicit rider confirming no waiting periods, which a careless broker sometimes omits. For the Digital Nomad Visa the same rules apply, with the added option of extending employer group cover if the policy is Spanish-issued. The full application sequence is covered in our [Non-Lucrative Visa step-by-step guide](/blog/spain-non-lucrative-visa-2026-step-by-step-2026-06-10) and in the broader [Spain residency visa paths for 2026](/blog/spain-residency-2026-visa-paths). UK, Irish and Nordic retirees who intend to switch to the public system via the S1 form still need private cover for the first year of residency, because the S1 only kicks in once you are registered as resident. Budget twelve months of premiums, not three. ## Who should buy which policy? **Under 45, healthy, flexible on hospital brand.** Adeslas Plena with modest copago is usually the cheapest route and the network across Alicante and Valencia provinces is wide. Expect EUR 45 to 65 per month per adult. **45 to 60, NLV or DNV applicant.** DKV Mundisalud. The premium runs 20 to 30 percent above Adeslas, but the consulate paperwork is clean and the English-language claims handling matters when you are new in the country. Sanitas is a reasonable second choice if you live within an hour of a Sanitas-owned hospital. **60 plus, buying for retirement.** Compare all three on actual quotes, not list prices. Many brokers can lock in a lower premium if you apply before your next birthday. Above 65, DKV is often the only insurer that will accept you as a new client, and the premium at 68 can exceed EUR 300 per month. If you are a UK pensioner, test whether the S1 route makes private cover a bridging product rather than a lifetime commitment, as discussed in our [British retirees Costa Blanca guide](/blog/british-retirees-spain-2026-costa-blanca-post-brexit). **Families with young children.** All three cover paediatrics well. Adeslas tends to win on dental extras bundled into family policies. Sanitas has the best digital app for booking. **Pre-existing conditions.** All three underwrite aggressively. Declare everything. An undeclared condition voids claims, and the insurer will find out when the first specialist report lands. ## Frequently asked questions **Can I buy a Spanish private policy before I have an NIE?** You can get a quote and reserve a policy, but activation requires an NIE and a Spanish bank account for direct debit. Most buyers get the NIE first; our [NIE for property buyers guide](/blog/nie-number-spain-property-buyers) walks through the process. **Do these policies cover me when I travel back to the UK or Germany?** Standard products cover emergency treatment abroad up to 60 or 90 days per trip. DKV Mundisalud and the Bupa Global tier of Sanitas offer wider international cover for an extra EUR 30 to 80 per month. Routine care at home is not covered under any standard Spanish policy. **What happens to my premium if I claim a lot?** Spanish private insurers do not raise individual premiums based on claims history. They do raise the whole book each January, typically 3 to 8 percent, and more sharply at age brackets (50, 60, 65, 70). A policy that costs EUR 90 at 59 can jump to EUR 140 at 60 on the standard tariff. **Can I switch insurers after a few years?** Yes, but new underwriting applies and anything diagnosed during the previous policy becomes a pre-existing condition at the new insurer. Switching after 55 rarely pays. Negotiate your current insurer down at renewal instead. ## Next steps Get quotes from all three insurers, then ask your Wesna agent for an introduction to the broker who services our foreign clients; the group rate usually sits 10 to 15 percent below retail. [Contact us](/contacts) with your age and preferred town.