Income Protection Insurance in Spain for the Self-Employed

Why Income Protection Insurance in Spain Matters for the Self-Employed

Income protection insurance in Spain pays you a fixed amount for every day you cannot work. You pick the daily figure yourself, between €30 and €300. You also pick how many days pass before payment starts. The benefit is paid straight into your bank account. It is the nearest thing an autónomo has to employer sick pay. Illness, accident, surgery and recovery time all count, provided a doctor signs you off.

Spanish employees get fairly generous public sick pay. The benefit pays about 60% of base salary from day 4 to day 20 of illness, then rises to 75%. It is funded by the employee, the employer and the social security system together. For most salaried workers, this is enough.

For the self-employed, it is very different. This affects autónomos, freelancers, digital nomads, sole traders and small business owners. Their sick pay is worked out on the minimum contribution base — unless they have chosen and paid for a higher base. Most have not.

The result for the majority of autónomos is a sick-pay benefit of around €15–€25 per day for routine illness — far below the income lost when the business stops generating fees.

Generali Subsidio para Autónomos closes this gap. It pays a fixed daily benefit, chosen by the policyholder between €30 and €300 per day, for every day of medically-certified incapacity to work — including illness, accident, surgery recovery and post-operative convalescence. Cover incepts on a chosen excess period (0, 3, 7, 15 or 30 days) and pays for up to 365 or 540 days per claim depending on the structure chosen.

Who Needs Disability Insurance in Spain

Disability insurance in Spain is bought by two quite different groups. The first wants an income while they recover from something temporary — that is income protection: a daily benefit that starts at the end of your chosen excess period and runs until you are signed fit again, for up to 365 or 540 days depending on the variant. The second wants a capital sum if they are never able to work again — that is permanent incapacity cover, triggered by a confirmed incapacidad permanente grade and typically paid as a lump sum of €100,000–€500,000. Most self-employed clients in Spain want some of both, and Generali will write them on a single contract.

One kind of disability cover is not on this page. Lump sums for disability caused by an accident sit on a separate policy. That policy is open to anyone, employed or not, and to families and staff groups. See personal accident and disability insurance in Spain for the capital sums and the disability scale. This page is about being paid an income when you cannot work.

Many expats in Spain benefit from this cover. It is also one of the four policies set out on our autónomo insurance package page, which shows how incapacity cover fits alongside public liability, personal indemnity insurance in Spain and private health — and which of them your particular activity actually needs.

What Generali Subsidio para Autónomos Covers

• Daily benefit during incapacity — between €30 and €300 per day, paid for every day of medically-certified incapacity. Choice of daily amount allows you to match the benefit to your real income loss.
• Both illness and accident — most policies in this market separate the two with different excesses and benefit periods. Generali Subsidio writes them on a single product, with a single excess and benefit period.
• Surgery recovery and post-operative convalescence — including elective surgery where medically necessary, day-case procedures, and the recovery period certified by the treating physician.
• Hospitalisation supplement — optional add-on that doubles the daily benefit during any period of in-patient hospital stay.
• Surgery compensation — optional add-on that pays a lump sum of €1,000 to €10,000 per qualifying surgical procedure, on a published tariff.
• Income tax-free — payments under indemnity-style health insurance are not subject to Spanish income tax under current Hacienda guidance, though we recommend confirming this with your gestor for the specific policy structure.
• No occupational restriction during recovery — payments continue for the certified medical incapacity period regardless of whether you partially return to lighter duties (this varies by policy structure; specify the right variant at quote stage).

What Is NOT Covered

Income protection insurance in Spain has firm limits. Here is what you need to know.

• Pre-existing conditions — declared at application and either excluded by name or accepted with a loaded premium. Honest declaration is essential.
• Mental health conditions — many policies in this market exclude or sublimit mental-health-related incapacity. Generali Subsidio writes mental health on standard terms with a 12-month waiting period.
• Pregnancy and childbirth — typically excluded; pregnancy-related complications causing genuine medical incapacity are covered.
• Self-inflicted injury and reckless behaviour — including injuries sustained while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, professional sports injuries (amateur participation is generally covered), and acts of war.
• Cosmetic surgery — and the recovery period for elective cosmetic procedures is excluded.
• Unemployment or contract loss — this is incapacity insurance, not unemployment insurance. Loss of clients or contracts does not trigger payment.
• The first day of an excess-period claim — payments begin from day [excess + 1]. A 7-day excess means benefit starts on day 8.

Permanent and Temporary Incapacity Cover Variants

Indicative Monthly Premiums

Disclaimer: All figures are indicative for 2026 and subject to underwriting at the time of application. Final premium depends on age, occupation, postcode, sums insured and individual risk profile. Contact us for a written quote.

Why Generali for Self-Employed Incapacity Cover

Generali Subsidio para Autónomos has been on the Spanish market for over twenty years. It is one of the most-claimed-on protection products in the Generali range. Claiming is simple. A medical certificate (parte de baja) from any doctor — public or private — is usually enough. Payments are made within 14 working days of the claim.

The product also solves two autónomo problems that rival products handle poorly:

• Gaps in self-employment. Some autónomos switch between self-employment and short spells of employment. Generali keeps the cover going across the gaps, with no need to re-apply.
• Several income streams. The benefit is paid on the daily amount you chose, not as a percentage of declared income. This avoids the income checks that delay many rival claims.

For high earners in medicine, law and finance, Generali offers the upgraded Profesional Plus tier. It includes a lifetime renewal guarantee: once you are accepted, you cannot be refused renewal because of later health changes, as long as you keep paying the premium.

Income Protection Insurance in Spain for Expats

Many expats move here from a country with strong statutory sick pay. Spain works differently, and most people only find that out at claim time. Income protection insurance in Spain replaces that missing safety net. It suits expatriate freelancers, consultants and small business owners.

British buyers often know this cover by a different name. In the UK it is sold as permanent health insurance or salary protection. In Spain it is sold as subsidio or incapacidad cover. The job it does is the same. It replaces the income you lose while you cannot work.

The mechanics are simple. You choose a daily benefit when you apply. It is then paid for each day of certified sick leave. That money covers the lost income while the business is paused. The contract is Spanish and governed by Spanish law. We go through every clause with you in English before you sign. The benefit is paid straight to your bank account. It runs for as long as a doctor keeps you signed off.

Your nationality does not set the premium. Age, occupation, the daily amount you choose and your health history do. We arrange this cover for British, Irish and other expatriate clients right across Spain. Want the state side of the picture first? Read our guide to income protection for self-employed autónomos in Spain.

Cancellation rights. Annual contracts auto-renew under Ley 50/1980 Article 22. Cancellation requires at least one month's written notice before renewal.