If you have a serious or life-threatening emergency in Spain, call 112 immediately. Private health insurance can be useful for urgent or emergency care where covered, but it does not replace Spain's emergency services. Sanitas emergency access depends on your policy, the current network, the type of emergency and any policy conditions that apply.
Emergency number
112 is the general emergency number in Spain for life-threatening emergencies. It connects you to emergency services across Spain, regardless of your insurer.
Sanitas
Some Sanitas policies may include access to private emergency or urgent care, but exact access depends on the policy, network, location, medical situation and current conditions. See does Sanitas cover emergency care.
Public vs private
When to call 112
Call 112 for situations such as chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe breathing difficulty, a serious accident, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, major trauma or any suspected life-threatening situation. This is general guidance, not medical triage — if in doubt in a serious situation, call 112.
Urgent care
You might use Sanitas urgent or emergency care for urgent symptoms, sudden illness, injury, private hospital emergency access where covered, or urgent doctor access where available. Always call 112 if the situation is life-threatening.
Hospitals
Sanitas Hospitals in Spain · Sanitas Hospitals in Madrid · Hospital Sanitas CIMA Barcelona.
Checklist
Visas
Emergency cover alone is not enough for visa suitability. The policy must meet the full visa or residence requirements. See hospital access for visa applicants.
Avoid these
Talk to us
We can explain what emergency and urgent cover your policy may include, before you need it. We help expats compare Sanitas plans and request personalised quotes in English. We do not provide medical advice, book medical appointments, manage authorisations or override Sanitas systems.
We'll help you understand what emergency and urgent care your policy may include, and request a personalised quote. For life-threatening emergencies in Spain, always call 112. Please check the actual current policy terms and your personal conditions before purchasing or using any Sanitas policy. Policies change and individual terms can vary.
We help expats compare Sanitas cover in plain English before they buy or use it.
FAQs
Common questions about Sanitas emergency care and numbers. For life-threatening emergencies in Spain, always call 112. This is general information, not medical advice.