Question
About non Lucrative Spain visa application: What Spain health insurance starting date did you choose? Was it the date you intended to enter Spain or right before? Was it the date of the personal appointment at the consulate? Please mention in which consulate you applied.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
“At Miami consulate. Presented my application 02 Jan 2020. Insurance was future dated for 01 Feb. My intention was enter around the 10 Feb. Ended up being approved 30th Jan and entering Spain 12 Feb. 2020”
“I applied in NYC and just used the same date I put for travel on the application, which was two months after the appointment.”
“it’s for the date you arrive in spain, i asked the LA consulate and they confirmed. the insurance agencies try to make it seem like you need it from when you apply for NLV, but this is not correct”
“It depends on the insurance company. Some will allow you to write a policy effective on your date of arrival. A lot of insurance companies won’t. Also, read the policies carefully. Some have up to a 10 month waiting period for hospitalizations and expensive tests making them virtually worthless for the first year. It is possible to get insurance without waiting periods. IMHO it’s a good idea to check with a broker who can shop different companies and look out for your best interests.”
“When I did mine, I chose a month later than my appointment date. That’s taking my probable application processing time into consideration. So you have to manage this carefully. Also most insurance companies allow you to change starting dates according to your appointment dates in case of any delay in securing the appointment. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates consulate”
“SF consulate. I just went ahead and got an immediate start on the insurance policy. Didn’t occur to me to ask whether it could be delayed. Spanish health insurance is so cheap, I didn’t want to risk having my vida denied over 50 euros”
“NYC Consulate. We tried to start it on our travel date but Sanitas would not sell a policy that started more than three months out (I wanted to be sure it was in place for our NLV appointment). So we started the insurance a month before we traveled. A waste of money BUT it was securely in place for our appointment.”
“My start date was September 1st, but since I ended up pushing my travel back all the way to November I effectively paid two months’ worth of health insurance that I didn’t get to use. Oh well. This was NYC consulate, and the intended entry date was September 22nd, but they only issued the visa September 30th.”
In conclusion, according to Spainguru’s Facebook group members, when it comes to selecting the starting date for Spain health insurance during the Non Lucrative Spain visa application process, there is some flexibility. It appears that the choice of the starting date can vary based on personal preferences, travel plans, and the policies of different insurance companies. Some applicants opt for a starting date that aligns with their intended travel date, while others choose a date closer to their consulate appointment or even earlier to ensure coverage is in place. It’s essential to be aware of the specific requirements and options provided by your chosen insurance company and consulate to make an informed decision that suits your needs. The experiences shared by applicants at various consulates highlight the importance of understanding the insurance policies and their effective dates to avoid unnecessary expenses.
