Expert: Stephen Tanenbaum - 6/27/2010

Question
Hi, I have a tricky question for you. I'm British and I'm travelling to Azerbaijan for 2 months next week and I need travel insurance, primarily medical, in case anything goes wrong. My problem is that most UK insurance providers state that you must travel to and from the UK and be a full time UK resident to be eligible- I'm not, I live in Spain and I'm travelling from to and from Barcelona. I could try and get in through a Spanish company but then I don't actually have official Spanish residency either, as because we're all in the EU, we can move freely without having to register. So, I'm basically looking for a type of insurance that will cover me regardless of being unable to prove my residency, and regardless of my departure destination. Any ideas?

Thanks for your time,
Eve

Answer
Hi Eve:

Ah....Barcelona....one of our truly favorite cities in the world. Spent a month living in Barcelona last Summer, in bario Gotica....one half block off the Rambla...a super location.

O<, now to your very interesting question. First, I am not an expert on foreign travel insurance. With that said let me give it my best shot. Googling something like 'need travel insurance live in Spain' I found these four insurance companies:

http://www.easycover.net/en/contact_travel.php

http://www.columbusdirect.com/FAQs/index.cfm

http://www.citybond.co.uk/Single_Trip_Travel_Insurance

http://www.mnui.com/online.asp?page=atlas/quote

Citybound notes they offer the insurance to permanent EU residents (regardless of UK citizenship)  who are registered with a local physician. You would have to ask what exactly they mean by the 'registered with.....) means.

Atlas (mnui.com), the only US based company above, mentions this:

The Atlas Series is available to you if you are at least 14 days old and traveling outside of your Home Country. If you are not a US citizen, Home Country is the country where you principally reside and receive regular mail.

I learned in law school, in my former life, that legal residence can be a state of mind, the place in one's mind, that one decides and considers his/her home. Where on chooses to live and can prove this by simple means like receiving mail. Apparently this concept is alive and well as noted by Atlas which likewise defines residence, for purposes of issuing its policies, to be one's principal 'residence' meaning the place one chooses to live as exemplified by receiving regular mail. Atlas is not concerned with any legal convention, e.i. legal resident status for purpose of immigration etc.

All of the above four companies let me get pretty far into the application process even after I stated that I lived in Spain. One or two others blocked for reason that your travel destination was not on their list of countries. The above issue international policies and do not ask for your destination since those policies, at least as far as their online application, are stated apply to all worldwide destinations except the US.

Bottom line seems to be that you are a UK citizen BUT have chosen to make Spain your principal residence, the place you call home, where you live, receive mail, pay utility bills and rent etc.
and that seems to be the residence requirement of these companies.

At least two of the above companies were ready to sell me their policies online after I entered Spain as my place of residence. They specifically did not ask for anything like 'official' residence or residence documents except for Atlas which asks only that you receive regular mail  at your Spanish address.

Hope this helps.