Valencia Property Blog

When you are moving to Spain or living here you will need insurance just like you do in your home country. Here's the good news, insurance in Spain is generally a lot cheaper than other countries. This is especially true for the two biggies, home and health insurance, but you may also need pet insurance (A legal requirement for anyone with a dog for example), travel insurance or even life insurance. In today's post we will go through the different types of insurance provided by our broker partner Gidea Insbrok* and what they cover. We'll also take a look at some of the weirdest insurance claims.

Home Insurance

Now the truth here is that you may have home insurance from your bank here as part of the deal so they don't make you pay monthly charges on your account or as part of their mortgage package. You should almost always take this in the first year just to smooth the process of opening an account but after that check out other offers, they might well be a lot better.

In order to get the best quote after consulting a variety of insurers, Gidea Insbrok's Home Insurance is a good starting point. As a broker they look into the various options for your particular case and give you the best quote available. Not every property will get the best quote with a single insurer so we prefer the brokerage route to find the best quote in your particular case. That's as true for home insurance as it is for all of the insurances that follow below.

"In 2021 a homeowner in British Colombia claimed for the fact that a meteorite had crashed onto her bed. The insurance covered it as damage from a falling object was covered even when that object is heavenly."

Health Insurance

The next one is health insurance and you might need this before you even get here as it is a requirement for anyone looking to get the Digital Nomad Visa and the Non-Lucrative Visa. Gidea Insbrok have been working for years with our clients to provide this insurance for these visas. They know exactly what needs to be included, no co-pays for example.

Obviously you need to declare prior and existing conditions and your current state of health but even then you will be surprised at what is covered and the price you are asked. It's extremely low compared with North American and even Northern Europe premiums and there is no excess, i.e. you don't have to worry about paying the first €10k of any treatment or stupid opt-outs like that which you can find in other countries.

"Aviva reports that they paid out to a hotel keeper in London in 1878 after he suffered a blow to the eye from the cork of a bottle of champagne he was opening. He successfully claimed £25 and 10s, or £20,120 in today’s money. (Today you'd potentially get a viral video and maybe earn some cash from the views on Youtube)

Pet Insurance

That other member of your family is important. From the moment they arrive in Spain you should get them insured. This is especially true of dogs.

The introduction of Spain's Animal Welfare Law brought important changes for pet owners. Every dog owner in Spain has to have Civil Liability insurance for their furry family members. The coverage supplied by Gidea provides up to €600,000 in case of incidents like dog fights, attacks, or property damage. It’s not just about dogs though. Plenty of clients come with cats and having pet insurance means you can have peace of mind in case of any illnesses or injuries that they may get when exploring their new home.

"Jax, the aging Pug, got heatstroke when recovering from an operation due to being snuggled under a blanket. Rushed back to the vets his dehydration was covered as had been the original operation"

"Possibly apochryphal but an insurance claims adjuster went out to investigate a claim for a dog bite. The same dog bit him. The insurance company paid out"

Car Insurance

The truth is that many of our clients come to Valencia and don't have a car. Valencia is a walkable city with excellent public transport options and many people just use a bike to get around. However, if you have a car then the right car insurance is important. You want to be covered in case of breakdown, tyre blow-outs and the usual bangs and scratches not to mention full-on crashes. Again, you don't want an insurance policy with carve-outs and Gidea make sure the policy you get is the best one for you and your particular circumstances.

"The Three Stooges car insurance claim. A claim was made and settled after a driver rear-ended someone slightly. He reversed so he could inspect the damage and hit the car behind and then when he got out to see what had happened his door took out a passing cyclist."

Life Insurance

Life Insurance is important for that peace of mind if anything should happen to you. Making sure your family are covered and are not left with payments they need to make when their income may have been taken away. But life insurance is not just in case of death it also covers disability. Whatever happens, you can live with the assurance of having everything planned in advance. Your worries should only be about enjoying the present moment with your family because the insurance will take care of the future. But you shouldn't take advantage of it like certain people have tried...

"Do I need to say more than "Canoe Man John Darwin" here? For those of you who don't know, John Darwin faked his own death while out canoeing and his wife claimed his life insurance before joining him abroad after paying off their mortgage. The elaborate deceit was discovered when they were pictured and used in publicity shots while buying a property in Panama with the insurance cash."

Travel Insurance

Living in Valencia is often your starting point for more extensive travelling around the rest of Spain, Europe and the World. Valencia is a great base. If you plan on travelling, even if it's only back to your home country to visit family, then a good travel insurance plan is essential.

Coverage includes illness and injury while on a trip, cancellations, loss of belongings, personal liability and even delays. If you travel a lot then make sure to say this when getting the travel insurance as annual travel insurance will likely work out even better than insurance for individual trips.

"You might want to make sure your travel insurance covers theft of your personal belongings even if that theft is carried out by a gang of monkeys. There are scores of reports of claims being settled in Thailand after bags have been grabbed by monkeys"

Student Insurance

If you are looking to move to Valencia and study for a while then student insurance covering health and dental treatment that is valid for all student visas is important. Some of our clients have come for three-month periods staying in our Stepping Stone Rental properties whilst studying short courses here and this insurance was an attractive option as it lasts for the period of the course.

Other Insurance Products

There are other insurance products that you may, or may not, want but they are maybe a bit too niche to go into in this post. You can ask about them on the general insurance information page here. Whether you want funeral insurance, dangerous sports cover or even alien abduction insurance (Lloyd's of London have around 20,000 policies covering this eventuality) there's a good chance Gidea can supply you with it (Ed: Maybe not the alien abduction one). And there's one thing you may want to look into if you are an employer. This is hugely common in Spain and it's called lottery insurance.

It may not be a factor for you but people buy Xmas lottery tickets in groups in Spain at workplaces, social and sports clubs and more. As a business owner you can be insured against a big win at your workplace because what often happens is an immediate mass of resignations from the newly minted, now ex-staff members and suddenly you have no people to do the work any more!

"And here's another you may not need. In 2006, three Scottish sisters were insured against the possibility of a virgin birth in the event of the Second Coming of Christ. Why they thought the Lord would pick on them is anybody's guess but people are strange. It was a policy worth £1 million each but was taken away after one too many legal complaints by the Catholic Church. Maybe they thought only they could be responsible for (ahem!) "Virgin" Births. Anyway I'm pretty sure Gidea Insbrok will not cover you for this eventuality. I could be wrong but I'm guessing I'm not."

*As is usual if you visit Gidea Insbrok through our links and contract any of their insurance products then we will get a referral fee. We would recommend them even if we didn't because we have found they provide the best customer service around.

Property of the Week

195K Duplex in La Pobla

When The Photos Don't Tell The Whole Story.

We do not dress up photos with AI to make a property look better than it is (We sometimes get given Ai photos but if you take a look at one of our recent blog posts about hilarious Ai aberations you'll know why we avoid it). The cost of that rule of course is that the pictures of many places are dark, wonky and a bit sad, and they do not do the property any favours. This is one of those occasions. Not too dark, not too sad and not even a bit wonky in this case but definitely not giving you enough information to decide to see it. What is it that estate agents say? "Better viewed in person" Well this is a textbook case of that. You would definitely be better off seeing it in person because this is a property you will change your opinion of on viewing.

It is a large home of 151 m² usable space over two floors in a central building in La Pobla de Vallbona. That is a lot of flat, and the photos make it look about half the size. Why do they do that? Well because many of them are missing.

There is no lift, so be ready for the stairs, the usual joke applies here about savings on gym membership but let's face it, two floors isn't that onerous for most people. The living and dining room is bright and leads up to the third bedroom on the top level. Downstairs there are two double bedrooms, which may suit a family. There are two full bathrooms, fitted wardrobes, a balcony, and a separate kitchen with space for your table and breakfasts so you can cook without feeling shut away from everybody else. A utility room opens off the kitchen for the washing machine and the drying and has strangely been partitioned off with frosted glass, must be a noise thing.

There is also a large storage room which keeps your belongings out of the way and leaves the living space clear of your bikes, scooters, Christmas decorations, spare tiles and things that you know will come in useful one day until the real day comes when you give in and throw them out.

The building dates from 1970 and the flat is in good condition for a resale but would benefit from a little refurbishment. Liveable for sure but if you want mod cons you need to do some work. It has no heating, so budget for that before this winter because despite us feeling that it may never get cold again in this eternal summer of 2026 it will and tiled floors mean cold feet.

Come and see it. The photos will not have prepared you, and for once that works in your favour as many people will just walk away and not take a look at this place.

Featured Stepping Stone Rental

Perfect for your initial landing in Valencia as a single person or couple. Lo Blanch Valencia is a fully self contained Stepping Stone Rental perfect for your first few months here.

Looking for a smooth landing in the city? This bright, practical, and modern 1-bedroom apartment is just a short walk south from Ruzafa, one of Valencia’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. Set on the third floor of a quiet residential building (no elevator), it’s a quiet and fully furnished space that makes settling in effortless.

Inside, you’ll find a sunlit living area with a private balcony, a double bedroom with built-in storage, and a separate room that works well as a home office or guest room. This apartment's recent renovation combines a touch of sleek modernity with convenience and functionality and amenities such as, Fast Wi-Fi and air conditioning in both the living room and bedroom ensure comfort year-round.

Step outside and you’re close to local cafés, supermarkets, and public transport, with the rest of the city just a bike ride or bus ride away. Whether you're staying for a few months or just in transition, this place is set up to support easy day-to-day living.

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