During an exchange program abroad, various situations can arise that make good insurance essential. Generally, we can summarize these needs or situations into two main categories. Many private insurance policies offer coverage for all of these.
Healthcare insurance (essential)
- Doctor visits and hospital care
- Surgeries
- Prescription medications
- Emergency care
- Sometimes, preventative services
For students coming from European institutions, these services are covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC will give you free access to the Valencian Community’s public healthcare system under the same conditions as any legal resident of Spain.
European Health Insurance Card – Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
If you do not have access to the EHIC, you must arrange for equivalent private health insurance valid in Spain.
Accident, travel, repatriation, and liability insurance (strongly recommended)
This covers various non-medical risks, such as:
- Accident insurance: compensates for accidental injury, disability, or death, often with fixed payouts.
- Repatriation insurance: covers the cost of transporting you back to your home country in case of serious illness, injury, or death.
- Travel and hotel expenses of a companion: covers the cost of transport and housing of a family member for some days in case you are hospitalized
- Liability insurance: covers damages you accidentally cause to other people or their property (e.g., if you are legally responsible for an accident).
- Various other concepts: compensations in case of delayed or cancelled flights, legal assistance, etc
These concepts are NOT covered by the European Health Insurance card. They are only covered by a private insurance policy.
The UPV has arranged a policy with the ONCAMPUS insurance company that meets our minimum requirements. For students who require a student visa, it also complies with the requirements defined by the Spanish Consulates.
The name of the policy is “Oncampus Healthcare”. Prices and conditions for the new academic year (September-June) are updated on their website around late May.
It is not mandatory to buy the Oncampus Healthcare insurance, but it is our recommended option for students who do not have access to the European Health Insurance card, as well as for accident, travel, repatriation, and liability insurance.