Spain: Free insurance to tourists who get Covid – find out which region qualifies

09/03/2021

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Summer might be officially over according to the seasons but many Britons are fleeing for sunshine abroad. One destination may want to visit in Spain, but with it currently on the Government’s amber list because of the number of coronavirus cases, many are nervous about flying there. Some regions in Spain are offering free insurance to tourists who get COVID-19 while on holiday in a bid to entice holidaymakers to go. Here is the full list of the regions that qualify.

For anyone considering visiting Spain or anyone currently soaking up the Spanish sunshine, if you develop COVID-19 symptoms you are required to self isolate in your accommodation and avoid physical contact with other people.

Tourists must then contact the health authorities of the region they are in and based on their evaluation of symptoms, they will decide whether the person in question has to take a COVID-19 test.

If the test comes back positive, they will have to quarantine either at their hotel accommodation or wherever they are told to.

For anyone staying in the Valencia region, hotels have set up self-isolation rooms for tourists who develop COVID-19 to stay in.

Anyone found breaking the self-isolation period face a €30,000 fine from regional authorities.

In most cases, these quarantine periods last 10 days in Spain and are paid for by the tourists themselves.

But there are some regions that have factored how the uncertainty of tourism and travel will dissuade many tourists from venturing abroad and have therefore decided to take action.

Andalusia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Galicia and Murcia are the regions that have so far signed contracts with private insurance companies to provide travel insurance to tourists who fall ill with COVID-19 while visiting.

What are the requirements of each region and what is covered?

Andalusia

Unlike the other regions listed, they don’t offer this benefit to tourists who are Spanish nationals or residents.

As for what expenses Andalusia will cover, they are medical, surgical and include hospitalisation in the case of contracting COVID-19, up to €4,000.

It also includes possible transport and repatriation expenses, as well as the stay in Andalusia for a quarantine period of a maximum of 15 days and with a price limit of €5,000.

The Balearic Islands

Back in May 2021, the Balearic Government announced it would launch its own comprehensive package of COVID-19 travel insurance for tourists, but following a bidding process, it has just come into force..

The free travel health cover offered through insurer RACE covers the costs of interpreter service, expenses derived from transport to the tourist’s place of residence, repatriation costs in case of death as well as extra hotel expenses incurred during isolation or quarantine if they have COVID-19.

According to the Balearic Islands’ Tourism Strategy Agency (AETIB), the insurance is valid after 24 hours from the moment tourists check-in at regulated and official tourist accommodation on any of the four islands and then on for the rest of their holidays.

Balearic authorities have also set up a call centre that assists tourists in Catalan, Spanish, English, German, French, Italian or Portuguese when they call 900 100 124.

As things stand, tourists visiting the Mediterranean archipelago will be able to take out the free Covid travel health insurance until December 31, 2021.

To find out more about the Balearics’ free insurance policy, click here.

The Canary Islands

Since the summer of 2020, the Canary archipelago has offered free travel insurance to tourists through insurer AXA.

This covers healthcare expenses and accommodation for foreign and national tourists who visit the Canary Islands or travel between them, therefore Canary residents are also included.

The insurance begins in the event the visitor tests positive for COVID-19 while staying at tourist accommodation on the islands.

Although Canary authorities have not announced when the free insurance offer will end, they did extend their contract with AXA in August 2021.

Galicia

Since June, the northwestern Spanish region offers free COVID-19 travel insurance for visitors from outside the region through Europ Assistance, in order to “offer tranquillity to tourists and Camino de Santiago pilgrims who visit the region”.

All visitors with residence outside Galicia who stay at tourist accommodation and who have not contracted the disease before arriving will be able to benefit from free coverage.

In this case, Galicia takes on the health, accommodation or transportation costs derived from a COVID-19 infection, including for the family members or companions of the traveller.

The expenses they cover starts at €500 to a maximum of €15,000 in the event of repatriation.

Galician authorities also ask tourists who’ve been in high Covid infection areas in the past 14 days to register their details before travel on their regional database here.

Murcia

Since July 1, the southeastern coastal region of Murcia has had COVID-19 insurance in place for tourists through RACE Seguros, covering the expenses derived from healthcare, travel and any extension of their stay due to self-isolation.

This applies to national and foreign tourists, as well as for the accompanying family members or people on holiday with the affected person if they are staying at hotel accommodation regulated by the Murcian Government.

For more information please visit this page.

If the region in which you will be staying in Spain doesn’t have free COVID-19 insurance, keep in mind that the Spanish Government travel website states that “in all cases, Spanish emergency healthcare services are guaranteed and provided at hospitals and healthcare centres”.

For anyone staying in either Murcia, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Galicia or Andalusia, it is advisable to take out personal comprehensive travel insurance to be covered for all eventualities, not just COVID-19.

It’s worth noting as well that national tourists in mainland Spain are allowed to return to their homes in another region to self-isolate as long as they do it in a private vehicle and avoid all possible contact with others.

What are the rules for returning from Spain?

The Government’s amber list rules state COVID-19 tests must be taken three days before travelling back to England.

And for those who are fully vaccinated, after arriving in England, another COVID-19 test must be taken on the same day or before the second day of returning.

For anyone who is not vaccinated, on arrival in England, you must quarantine at home one in the place you are staying for 10 days.

Then a COVID-19 test must be taken on or before day two and on or after day eight.

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