An analysis on why baby insurance is a cost-effective way to protect your whole family
When preparing for a baby’s arrival, there’s more to it than decorating a nursery and stocking diapers: pediatría and puericultura will become common words as you attend check-ups and tests – both before and after baby.
For many families, insuring and protecting a baby’s health begins with conception rather than birth. Read on to find out more about baby insurance cost and coverage in Spain.
Babies are covered for the first few days of their lives under the mother’s policy, and the birth is communicated through the social security office when parents ask for family leave. From that point on, the baby is ensured through childhood and until they are of age (Spain considers age 18 to be legal age).
Like public insurance, babies are covered under the mother’s plan immediately after delivery. At this stage, interested families should consider whether or not to contract baby insurance through a private company. If so, the birth should be communicated to the private insurance company within a specific period of time that varies by policy and company (this time is typically 30 days from the date of birth).
Levels of coverage, costs and grace periods for the new bundle of joy will vary by company.
Many families opt for private insurance because of the highly individualized attention, free choice of pediatrician and specialists, being seen faster at an emergency room or a check-up, and even the option to be seen telephonically.
Medical coverage for a baby should have different sorts of specialists or types of premiums than, say, a 60-year-old needs, so it’s important to analyze what services your family could use and find a flexible package to meet those needs. Many families value plus unlimited calls with medical professionals, 24 hours a day, in addition to all hospitalizations and routine visits covered.
Consider specialists, too: coverage that includes several pediatricians and specialists (choosing a pediatrician you trust is a big deal!) or even more than the standard visits and immunizations: psychologists, dieticians or internal medicine experts, ear, nose and throat specialists and even dentists or orthodontists could be important. If you’re an expat or frequent traveler, you might want to add international emergency coverage for trips outside of Spain or the EU.
There are multiple ways to contract additional coverage for babies or young children in Spain: adding children to a parent’s existing plan, finding a new family plan that includes up to two children, or even taking out a plan specifically for a child (note that this may be impossible if one of the parents is not currently covered). Discover the perfect family health insurance checking out our integral plan.
Do consider that some companies may make a distinction between children up to three, and those between the ages of 3 and 18.
No, dental is not standard coverage in any health insurance plan; dental care is usually considered an add-on to any and all insurance packages or can be purchased separately. For example, Caser’s Adapta+Dental plan provides not only a comprehensive plan for both routine and the unknown, but includes more than 40 dental procedures in addition to discount for others.
As families adapt and change, insurance companies are expanding their coverage with a la carte offerings or even multiple-member options.
A family medical plan, often known as a seguro médico familiar, is a package deal that can be used by all members of the family – parents, children of all ages and even babies. It typically includes hospitalizations, vaccinations and all visits categorized as puericultura or pediatría. There are discounts applied for contracting this service, and add-ons are possible.
For new parents, ensuring your family’s health is a top priority – and cost is often less a factor. Spanish citizens and residents have access to excellent public health care, and coverage is free.
But it’s no secret that babies require additional medical care that older children or adults may not need. Babies need monthly or bi-monthly checkups until they are two years old in addition to routine vaccinations. Then, add fragile health and a developing immune system, and you’re likely to rack on a few late-night ER visits or specialist visits.
When I was pregnant with each of my young sons, I had access to public social security and health care through my job or the option to sign on to my civil servant husband’s mutual; I used a combination of both the public system in Andalucía and the Comunidad de Madrid in addition to the coverage provided by my Caser Activa plan. The additional options for check-ins with my obstetrician and the peace of mind knowing that I could count on in-home post-partum care was paramount for me despite two healthy, predictable pregnancies.
My children are on my husband’s mutual due to the levels of coverage and selection of specialists. We are finally out of the “scary” period of the first two years and knowing that we could easily get to the ER or make an appointment with little wait time has given us the security we needed to ensure that our boys are healthy and have access to care.
Ultimately, purchasing insurance for babies in Spain is a family decision. Be sure to weigh your options and your family’s health history, and also shop around for discounts with private insurers.
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If you are searching for health insurance in Spain, Caser Expat Insurance has the right policy for you!
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