The figure is resounding: 20% of the population in Spain has private health insurance. According to recent data from ICEA (Institute of statistics of the insurance sector in our country), it is one of the fastest growing insurance branches that have barely noticed the crisis. Today we analyze the reasons that have led to this.
Figures for the private healthcare sector
Indeed, a January study reflects the following:
- 7,975 million euros billed by health insurance companies in Spain
- Annual growth in premiums paid of more than 4%.
- Slightly less than 70% of policyholders are individuals, compared to just over 30% are groups (the latter grew by nearly 7% in 2016).
Specifically, there are 11.14 million policyholders in our country, which represents a growth of more than 3%.
As we said at the beginning, this is more than 20% of Spanish citizens.
Reasons for taking out a private health insurance policy
A CIS barometer from the beginning of the year reflects some symptoms in what Spanish citizens perceive about public healthcare:
- This is the third problem that affects them the most (only behind unemployment and the economy; even ahead of corruption).
- Health is becoming more and more of a priority, as is self-care and taking care of oneself in general.
- There is a slow but steady deterioration in public health care (its facilities, restrictions on free medicines and avoidance of certain costly tests).
Increased use and demand for health insurance
According to the most recent data provided by the Institute for the Development and Integration of Health Care (IDIS), for the first time ever, the barrier of 30% of private healthcare expenditure, with respect to the total.
Specifically, there were 28,558 million euros spent in 2014 on private healthcare. This represents close to 3% of Spanish GDP. Over a period of 10 years, it has increased by 8,000 million, or 40% (an average of 4% per year).
Public and private, complementary and dependent health care
Despite what it may seem, we always see health insurance as a necessary complement to public health care, which is the basis on which most efforts to improve should be focused.
Everyone agrees that both options are complementary and, at the same time, dependent on each other.
- Public health care could not accommodate all the services provided by private health care.
- In the same way, private health care could not cover all the costs borne by public health care.
The managers of the health insurance companies reaffirm that the public health service is of high quality.
Spain’s public healthcare system is among the best in the world, but its waiting lists are getting longer and longer.
If we add to this the fact that there are restrictions on public spending, the citizen decides to take out health insurance in the face of these problems.
If you want us to offer you the best health insurance that fits your needs, contact us and choose among the leading health insurance companies in Spain.
And, if what you want to know are the main guidelines to know how to choose a health insurance that meets your needs, we help you in this link.
