European Health Insurance Card - don't go on holiday without it!

31st May 2009

Having a holiday in the European Union should mean rest and relaxation, but for the unfortunate few, it could turn into an unlucky break.

Breaking your ankle while dancing in a beach club or while mountain climbing is bad enough to deal with, let alone having to cope in a foreign language and even more stressful when you have to worry about treatment procedures.

But thanks to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you can access the same state-provided healthcare as a resident of the country you are visiting.

The EHIC is a free card which can be used by anyone, regardless of nationality, who is covered by the public healthcare system in any of the 27 EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

However, the EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and does not cover such things as private medical healthcare or repatriation to the UK.

Therefore it is important holidaymakers travel with a EHIC as well as a valid private travel insurance policy.

The National Health Service has a country by country guide on how to access healthcare or claim refunds during a visit these countries. Just simply click on the web link of the country that you are visiting to prepare for your trip abroad.

For information on how to obtain a new or replacement cards go to: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/Pages/About.aspx