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Bupa International offers complete 'cover' in Spain 17 October 2003 A new health insurance product from Bupa International has been devised to suit the lifestyles of the one million expatriates who live in Spain. Bupa International and Spanish company Sanitas, which is also part of the Bupa group, have joined forces to enable expatriates who live in Spain to insure themselves for medical treatment, for the first time, in Spain and one other European country of their choice. The new product, Sanitas Health Plan Complete, is designed to bridge the gap between Bupa International, which specialises in global medical insurance cover, and Sanitas, which provides medical insurance cover mainly in Spain. Many expatriates in Spain divide their time between their Spanish property and their home country. Previously, local policies only offered cover in Spain and a Bupa International policy gave them global cover which was normally in excess of their requirements. Now Sanitas Health Plan Complete provides the focussed cover many expatriates actually need. The product, which is for individuals and not corporate clients, will be available via Bupa International and Sanitas. Sanitas Health Plan Complete is also the first to give cover for only two countries, which helps to keep the cost of the policy competitive in comparison to other policies offering cover all over Europe. Bill Ward, managing director, Bupa International said: “Our customers told us that they wanted insurance products that matched their local needs. In Spain this meant taking the best of our global infrastructure and combining it with local knowledge. We also had to ensure that the price reflected specific Spanish and home country risks. “Launching this type of cover illustrates our ability to answer customer demands and provide them with a comprehensive service that will give them excellent medical treatment and peace of mind. With a further 800,000 Europeans expected to move to Spain in the next four years, Bupa International and Sanitas will continue to work together to deliver exciting new products. “I believe that the years of experience that the Bupa group and Bupa International have puts us in a unique position to offer this type of bespoke cover.” Around one million properties in Spain are owned by non-Spanish nationals, 50 percent of these are owned by Britons and 28 percent are owned by Germans. People from any part of the world can join Sanitas Health Plan Complete as long as they select a second European country for cover in addition to Spain. Sanitas will pay all medical bills for treatment in Spain within the company’s approved network of 20,000 doctors and 520 hospitals and clinics. The network covers the entire Spanish mainland, islands and Gibraltar. Bupa International will pay 90 percent of all medical bills for treatment in the second European country and the patient pays the remaining 10 percent. Members will be issued with a list of approved hospitals in both countries, together with details of doctors in Spain who speak English, German or another language. Bupa International customers will receive a ‘swipe card’ containing their details which will allow them to access treatment without their having to pay for it at point of delivery in Spain. All of their documentation will be in English and they will have access to a healthcare helpline operated by English speakers from Sanitas whilst in Spain. In order to facilitate treatment new technology has been put in place so information can be updated and transferred between Bupa International in the UK and Sanitas in Spain to ensure quick access to medical services in either country. There are also benefits available within the Spanish network, including a child health programme, colorectal cancer prevention programme, coronary risk prevention programme, family planning, contraceptive pills, IUD implant, sterilisation, dental services, vasectomy, six months of speech therapy and five sessions of chiropody per year.
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