Need health insurance in Spain but have a pre-existing condition, ongoing medication or medical history? We can help you request a personalised Sanitas quote — but acceptance, exclusions, waiting periods and cover always depend on your health declaration, Sanitas underwriting and the current policy terms. This page explains what to expect and how to send us your history so we can quote accurately, without overpromising.
Quote intent
This page is for people who are ready to request a quote and disclose their medical history properly. If you are still researching how pre-existing conditions are treated in Spain, start with our full pre-existing conditions guide — this page is focused on getting you an accurate, personalised quote.
The single most important thing to understand is that a pre-existing condition does not automatically mean you cannot get cover. It does mean your application goes through underwriting, where Sanitas assesses your history under its current underwriting criteria and confirms whether terms can be offered. We are honest about this: we never promise acceptance or cover for any specific condition, but we do help you present your history properly and request the most accurate quote possible.
Declare
Insurers rely on the information you provide. If something relevant is left out and later comes to light, a claim can be refused or the policy cancelled, which is far worse than an exclusion agreed up front. Declaring fully protects you, and it also lets us request a realistic quote rather than one that falls apart later.
Definition
A pre-existing condition is broadly any health issue that exists, or has existed, before the policy starts. In practice this includes a previous diagnosis, current medication, ongoing symptoms, previous surgery, a chronic illness, recent investigations, planned treatment or specialist follow-up. This is general information rather than underwriting advice — the only way to know how your specific history will be treated is to declare it and let Sanitas assess it.
Conditions we are regularly asked about include high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, diabetes, heart conditions, a history of cancer, asthma or COPD, thyroid conditions, arthritis, back, neck or joint problems, mental-health history and recent or ongoing investigations. Each is assessed on its own facts.
Common conditions
These are the conditions we are asked about most often. The notes below are general guidance on what underwriting usually wants to know — they are not a promise of cover, and every case is assessed individually under the current Sanitas underwriting criteria.
Very common and routinely assessed. Even where the condition is well controlled, the medication and any related history should be declared, along with how long it has been stable and whether there have been any complications.
The type (1 or 2), how it is managed (diet, tablets or insulin), how well controlled it is, and any complications or specialist follow-up all matter to underwriting, so declare the full picture.
The diagnosis, treatment, key dates, current status (for example in remission) and any ongoing scans or follow-up are all relevant. A past diagnosis does not automatically rule out cover, but it is assessed carefully and may affect terms.
Conditions such as an arrhythmia, a previous stent or surgery, and current medication or cardiology follow-up should be declared, including dates and how stable things are now.
Severity, inhalers or other medication, any hospital admissions and how well controlled the condition is are the key points for underwriting.
Declare what was done and when, and crucially whether there are any ongoing symptoms, restrictions or follow-up — a fully resolved procedure is viewed differently from an ongoing issue.
Scans, physiotherapy, injections, surgery or any planned treatment should be declared, along with whether the problem is currently active or historic.
Common and usually straightforward to declare — the condition, the medication and the fact that it is stable are the main points.
Handled sensitively. Where the health-declaration questions ask, relevant history such as medication, specialist care or hospital treatment should be declared. As with any condition, honest disclosure protects you.
Whatever your history, the same principle applies: declare it fully and let underwriting assess it. That gives the most accurate quote and avoids problems with claims later. We never promise cover for any specific condition.
What we need
The more complete your information, the more accurate and faster the quote. Please be ready to share:
Outcomes
It helps to know the range of outcomes underwriting can produce, so there are no surprises. An application may be:
We cannot predict which outcome you will receive, and we never guarantee acceptance or cover for a pre-existing condition. What we can do is present your history clearly and explain the response when it comes, in plain English.
Over-60s
Most over-60 applicants have some medical history or take regular medication, and that is completely normal. It does not automatically prevent cover, but it does mean the quote must be personalised — age and the health declaration are assessed together, and the more detail you give, the more accurate the result. This is one of the biggest groups we help, and we handle it carefully and without overpromising. If you are over 60, our over-60 quote page is designed for you, and our non-EU retirees guide covers the retiree routes.
Families
On a family policy, each member is assessed individually, so one child or spouse having a condition does not automatically decide the outcome for everyone else. The member with the condition declares it and is underwritten on their own facts, while the rest of the family is assessed on theirs. This means a family can often still be covered together even when one person has medical history. Each relevant person’s history simply needs to be declared honestly so we can request an accurate quote for the whole family.
Visas
Visa applicants need a suitable policy and certificate. If an exclusion is applied to a condition, this may affect suitability depending on the route and how it is interpreted, so it is worth understanding the response before you rely on the policy for an application. Where a route requires comprehensive no-copay cover, an exclusion does not necessarily disqualify the policy, but it is something to check carefully.
A concrete example helps. Suppose an NLV applicant needs comprehensive private cover and Sanitas applies a specific exclusion for one condition. The policy may still be perfectly valid as private medical insurance, but the applicant should check whether it still satisfies the requirements of their particular visa route given that exclusion. In most cases comprehensive no-copay cover with a single exclusion is still strong cover, but borderline situations are worth confirming, and specialist immigration advice may be needed.
Routing
Depending on your situation, these pages will help you take the next step or understand the background:
Important information
Tell us about your situation and we will guide you on what may need to be declared and how the Sanitas medical questionnaire works. We cannot confirm cover, exclusions or any additional premium for a pre-existing condition until Sanitas has reviewed the formal application and medical questionnaire. Sanitas may accept the condition at no additional cost, accept it with an additional premium, exclude it, request further information, or decline the application — the decision is made by Sanitas underwriting. 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 applicants with medical history request an accurate Sanitas quote in English, without overpromising.
FAQs
Honest answers for applicants with medical history. Acceptance and cover are never guaranteed and depend on the health declaration and Sanitas underwriting.