Accidents and childhood illnesses arrive without warning. A simple trip at the park or an unexpected fever can cause anxiety and unexpected costs for any parent. Faced with this uncertainty, having child medical insurance offers the peace of mind of having protection that covers consultations, check-ups, and treatments.
That’s why, at Ambler, we work with you to find the policy that best suits your family. If you are considering purchasing child medical insurance, in this article you will find all the information you need. Let’s get started!
Types of child medical insurance
When taking out this type of insurance, it is important to differentiate between the different types to find the best possible solution:
Family private insurance with paediatric cover
A frequent way to get child medical insurance is to add the minor into a family health policy. In practice, many insurers allow the newborn to be included from the day of birth, but there are usually deadlines and requirements (for example, notifying the insurer within a period that, in many cases, is up to one month).
In some cases, it is also required that one of the parents has been insured for a certain time beforehand (some companies set thresholds such as 240 days before birth).
Specific child insurance
Another option is to purchase insurance specially designed for minors, without depending on whether the father or mother is insured under the same policy. There are a large number of options, and at Ambler we make sure to find the one that best suits your budget and needs.
This type of policy usually focuses on paediatrics and common childhood specialities, with variants that can range from more basic modalities to complete policies with hospitalisation and emergencies.
Supplementary insurance
In addition to the main policy, there are covers that are purchased as a supplement or through separate policies, depending on the company and modality. A common case is dental: many medical policies include a basic dental part, but some families purchase separate dental insurance to extend services or financial conditions.
Likewise, it is important to consider other supplements such as vaccines and prevention, which include periodic check-ups, additional diagnostic tests, and child development follow-up programmes. There are also covers for specialities such as ophthalmology, psychology, or physiotherapy.
Most important types of cover to consider
Children’s health does not have the same priorities as that of an adult. Therefore, consider the following types of cover:
Primary care and specialists
In child medical insurance, the cornerstone is usually paediatrics (consultations, check-ups, and development follow-up) and access to child specialists when needed. It is important that child insurance offers the possibility of choosing a paediatrician within the medical network and facilitates access to different specialities for minors. This is where the difference usually lies:
- The size and quality of the medical network
- The availability of frequently used specialists in childhood
- Whether there are paediatric guidance channels (telephone or other means) depending on the policy
Hospitalisation and emergencies
In health insurance, waiting periods are common: a time from registration until certain guarantees (such as hospitalisation, tests, or treatments) can be used. Understanding these periods is key to avoiding surprises, especially if the child medical insurance is purchased with higher cost coverage in mind.
Diagnostic tests and clinical analyses
Child and family policies usually include diagnostic means (analyses, tests, and explorations), although their availability may vary by modality and waiting periods. In general, diagnostic tests and treatments appear among the guarantees that can frequently be subject to a waiting period in health insurance.
Medication and treatments
How is medication handled in child insurance?
- In insurance with hospitalisation, it is common for the medications associated with admission, intervention, or treatment during the hospital stay to be included.
- In outpatient pharmacy (medication purchased in a pharmacy after consultation), not all policies finance the expense, and when it exists, it is usually through specific reimbursement guarantees or concrete benefits depending on the insurer.
In parallel, treatments such as rehabilitation or physiotherapy depend heavily on the policy contracted, the limits, and the conditions.
Extra options: child psychology, physical therapies, vaccines not included in the public schedule
In childhood, it is also advisable to pay attention to psychological support, therapies, speech therapy, visual or auditory check-ups, and prevention. If your goal with child medical insurance is also to cover this type of need, it is usually important to check:
- If they are included
- If they require a referral
- If there are limits on sessions, centres, or co-payments
In the field of vaccines, the recommendations and official schedules of the Spanish public system are the base.
How to take out medical insurance for my child?
Contracting insurance is easier when someone reviews your needs, budget, and priorities with you (paediatrics, emergencies, hospitalisation, waiting periods, co-payments, medical network, and extras).
At Ambler, we always work with you: we analyse needs, look for options among insurers, present alternatives explaining coverage and conditions, and provide support during the life of the policy (management and support when necessary).
For companies, we also work with health insurance for employees, aimed at providing access to healthcare as a corporate benefit. In many cases, this type of collective policy allows coverage to be extended to family members, and there again appears the need to properly evaluate how child medical insurance fits into the health package.
How much does child medical insurance cost?
In Spain, private child medical insurance usually costs approximately between €10–15/month for the most basic options with co-payment and €30–40/month for complete policies without co-payment, although babies and reimbursement insurance can rise to €60–70/month or more.
It is also important to note that the rate ranges depend on the child’s stage, the type of cover, and the insurance modality: from economic options for basic care to more complete policies. Once again, this reflects the importance of analysing what level of protection is desired before taking out child medical insurance.
Can child medical insurance be purchased if my child already has a pre-existing medical condition?
In many cases, it can, but it depends on the insurer and the pre-existing condition.
Normally, when purchasing child medical insurance, you will be asked for a health questionnaire (and sometimes medical reports). With this information, the company can:
- Accept the policy without changes, if the condition is stabilised or mild.
- Accept with exclusions, leaving out care related to that condition (consultations, tests, or linked treatments).
- Accept with different financial conditions, such as a higher premium or specific co-payments, depending on the product.
- Request additional documentation or reject the contract in specific cases.
Child health without worries
Child medical insurance helps to organise what is important: access to paediatrics, specialists, emergencies, tests, and, if desired, extras that fit the real needs of each family. The key is to properly understand what the policy covers, how waiting periods and co-payments work, and which services are included or excluded. If you would like us to review it with you, at Ambler you can talk to an expert and request guidance to find the child medical insurance that suits you. You can contact us at 932 387 113, by email at ambler@ambler.es or by filling out our contact form.
