When choosing medical insurance in Spain you’ll meet two types of policy: with co-payments (con copago) and without (sin copago). Here’s the difference in plain words.
Policy with co-payments (con copago)
- Lower monthly premium.
- You pay a small fixed fee for each visit or procedure.
- Suits people who rarely see a doctor.
The downside: with active treatment the fees pile up and the saving disappears. And crucially — it doesn’t work for a visa.
Policy without co-payments (sin copago)
- Slightly higher monthly premium.
- No per-visit fees — everything is included.
- This is the version consulates require for a visa and residency.
Which to choose
- Applying for residency or a visa — no co-payments only. There’s no alternative.
- Already a resident and using healthcare a lot (family, children, chronic conditions) — no co-payments is more convenient and predictable.
- You barely see doctors and don’t need a visa — a co-payment policy can be considered.
For most newcomers on Tenerife the answer is the same: a no-co-payment policy — it works for the visa and keeps costs transparent.
Not sure which type fits your situation? Ask in the chat — we’ll help you choose and a manager will calculate the cost for free.