TRAVEL HEALTH INSURANCE
Insurance is an absolute necessity when travelling, even on
short trips or simple business trips. Some countries especially
those in Europe will have cross-border agreements to cover expenses
of medical care, but this may not be fully comprehensive. It
is therefore essential that you understand the health care system
of the country you are visiting and the requirements for health
insurance.
Being a resident of the United Kingdom or part of an EE a
state or a refugee with residential status in either of these
areas will allow you to collect and EHIC form from a local
post office. This provides free or minimised cover in any
of the EEE eight states (plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland).
Ensure you have adequate insurance cover in case you need
transport in the event of serious illness or death, back to
the United Kingdom.
Travel insurance papers and documentation should be carried
with you at all times, as you never know when that disaster
may strike. You do not want to be delayed due to questions
over payment and insurance when medical intervention may be
vital.
Also make sure that you carry with you any salient medical
information with respect to your health that may assist any
medical team with your treatment. Allergic reactions, asthmatics,
pacemakers are just a few examples.
We do occasionally get asked to recommend travel insurance
companies, we have personally used the company below but can
make no recommendations for individual cases. Elderly people
may find travel insurance more difficult to come by but in
the United Kingdom age concern provides travel insurance without
any age limitations. The telephone number is 0845 601 2234.
We would always recommend that you consult with your doctor
or your practice nurse if you have any predisposed medical
condition that may concern you when travelling.
The European Health Insurance card (EHIC)
the European health insurance card, from 2006, replaced the
old paper E111. This is no longer valid. The new E11 card
allows EU nationals to receive the same level of medical healthcare
as a local resident in that EU country. The card is designed
purely to cover short-term trips throughout Europe and Switzerland,
it does not provide health care for those living permanently
outside the UK. The card is valid for five years
Each member of the family will need a separate card, this
provides each individual with a specific level of care dependent
on the length of stay, it does however provide for short-term
provision of health care for those with chronic conditions.
Please be aware that travel insurance is still necessary
and that the card does not cover any repatriation creation
costs or travel costs associated with an illness, or expenses
related to accommodation, expenses incurred by relatives or
any other ancillary costs.
Also be aware that the level of medical care is only commensurate
with that received by local residents.
Useful links
https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/startApplication.do
http://www.nhs.uk/Healthcareabroad/Pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx
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