HEALTH INSURANCE

Hi guy's, my wife and I are retiring early from work this September ages 61 and 59, we are planning on spending 6 months in Mallorca and 6 months in the UK, do we have to take out medical insurance in Spain or can we just come back to the uk and just use the NHS?

Any advice on this matter will be grately appreciated.

Thanks,

Harrieman.

Telephone  EHIC in the U.K. and just ask them, as they will give you the definitive answers to all your questions.

Thanks Stephen, I will call them tomorrow!

No doubt you already have the answer to your question, but just in case - 

"do we have to take out medical insurance in Spain or can we just come back to the uk and just use the NHS?"

You can use your UK issued EHIC for emergencies whilst in Spain. But it won't cover certain things, such as repatriation, and you can't see a GP or get prescriptions etc. (although many drugs that are prescription only in the UK can be bought over the counter in Spain), so it would be advisable to get private medical insurance of some kind. As long as you remain UK residents, you can pop back to the UK anytime to use the NHS. But this means you must not stay longer than 182 days a year in Spain.Theoretically you shouldn't stay more than 3 consecutive months without registering as a foreign resident. I cannot advise you not to register, only suggest that doing so may complicate matters for you.