# European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)



## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

I have just read on a reliable and informative financial web-site that some insurance companies are insisting that in addition to travel insurance, people must also be in possession of a valid (5 years) EHIC. There have been several cases recently where medical claims have been turned down by insurance companies because the claimants have not been in possession of these cards.

Worth checking with your insurance company and also getting or ensuring your EHIC is valid prior to your trip abroad.

Dave


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## Traveller_HA5_3DOM (May 9, 2005)

Hi Dave posted this last month but it is one of those things that will stand repeating


Traveller_HA5_3DOM said:


> Just renewed our European Health Cards over the phone and although they do not expire until October 2010 you can renew up to six months before they expire. Lots are due to expire this year and it seems like lots of travel insurance policies require you to have one as part of your contract with them (always read the small print on Insurance).


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Be aware that you don't get a reminder when they expire.

Just of to check mine . . . literally! 8O 

Dave


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

Thank you Dovtrams.

I've just checked mine and it expires at the end of this year and on January 3rd we're off to Europe.

Your timely reminder has prompted me to diarise it for renewal later in the year.

(Can you make a verb from diary?)


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks from me too Dovtrams.

Ours expire middle of October so I have applied for new ones.

Nothing on the website to say how early you can apply for renewal, so digits crossed. :wink: 

Dave


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Thanks from me too, I checked mine and expirey was november. Renewed online and it came yesterday. 
Andy


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Thanks from me too, I checked mine and expirey was november. Renewed online and it came yesterday. 
Andy


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## Mark993 (Jul 1, 2007)

The EHIC scheme works so well, why have insurance too?

When I've had problems in Europe the medics involved have seen me as a hassle because they will have to deal with insurance (until I pulled out the EHIC card and suddenly it was all easy for them).

If you have an EHIC card you are treated like a local (which I suppose could be good or bad depending on where you are) - in Spain EHIC is all you need in my experience.

Obviously not true if you need insurance to get you off a ski slope etc - but once you are into health system territory what does insurance do?


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

Mark993 said:


> The EHIC scheme works so well, why have insurance too?
> 
> When I've had problems in Europe the medics involved have seen me as a hassle because they will have to deal with insurance (until I pulled out the EHIC card and suddenly it was all easy for them).
> 
> ...


The way I understand it the EHIC card only entitles you to initial emergency treatment. Thereafter your other travel insurance takes over. In fact I think you'll find that your travel insurance would not cover you for that initial treatment if you did not have the EHIC card and could even, I suppose,use that excuse to invalidate your claim altogether if they wanted. 
I stand to be corrected though.


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Insurance covers far more than just medical needs and is not expensive. I agree about medical cover, avoid the private clinincs as they will trump up unecessary treatment to milk the insurance


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Mark993 said:


> The EHIC scheme works so well, why have insurance too?
> 
> When I've had problems in Europe the medics involved have seen me as a hassle because they will have to deal with insurance (until I pulled out the EHIC card and suddenly it was all easy for them).
> 
> ...


It will fly you home if you need repatriating back to the UK. 

I have a neighbour who had to remortgage his house the raise £17,000 to fly his aged parent home by air ambulance from Spain. 8O 8O 8O

You pay your money and take your chances or you don't pay your money and take your chances. :? :?

Don


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

Mark993 said:


> The EHIC scheme works so well, why have insurance too?


There's no comparison. Travel insurance pays out if you're injured, it will fly you home, which can cost thousands. It covers the theft of your possessions, the theft of your passport and other documents and probably most important of all, gives you public liability insurance should you accidentally do anything where you may be sued for a very large sum.

Anyone going abroad without cover is foolish and irresponsible but there are still some that take a chance.


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## Bill_OR (Feb 6, 2010)

Zebedee said:


> Nothing on the website to say how early you can apply for renewal
> 
> Dave


You can apply up to six months before the expiry of your existing EHIC card. I applied online at https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do when this topic came up a couple of weeks ago and ours were not due to expire for 5 months. They arrived within 3 days.
regards,
Bill


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks Bill.

No great problem, since we shall not be abroad when the old ones expire, but it's very easy to forget! :roll: :roll: 

Dave


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## rupert1 (Feb 13, 2009)

Mark993 said:


> The EHIC scheme works so well, why have insurance too?
> 
> When I've had problems in Europe the medics involved have seen me as a hassle because they will have to deal with insurance (until I pulled out the EHIC card and suddenly it was all easy for them).
> 
> ...


You would have to be seriously mad not to have cover. EHIC has limitations and one is the amount of time you can spend in hospital. It can only be used in state run hospitals, what if you have an accident and are taken to a private hospital? What if you need repatriation. Insurance is pretty cheap now so why would you ever chance it.


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## rupert1 (Feb 13, 2009)

Mark993 said:


> The EHIC scheme works so well, why have insurance too?
> 
> When I've had problems in Europe the medics involved have seen me as a hassle because they will have to deal with insurance (until I pulled out the EHIC card and suddenly it was all easy for them).
> 
> ...


You would have to be seriously mad not to have cover. EHIC has limitations and one is the amount of time you can spend in hospital. It can only be used in state run hospitals, what if you have an accident and are taken to a private hospital? What if you need repatriation. Insurance is pretty cheap now so why would you ever chance it.


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## gj1023 (Feb 23, 2010)

My Fiancee had a abcess and swollen face in Spain last year and needed antibiotics . 
So went to a clinic with her Ehic card, saw a doc , got a prescription.

Went to a chemist ,cost around £1.70p , how much is it my local chemist ?


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## litcher (Jul 24, 2006)

We go to France on Monday and I can't find my card.  I thought it was with my passport but it isn't.  


I do have insurance but will check whether the health part is still valid without the card, otherwise I'll have to be very healthy and very careful. :roll: 

Of course there's still time to turn the house upside down. 

Viv


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