Medical Cover.
EHIC – Medical Cover
The European Health Insurance Card provides free or discounted medical treatment whilst in the EU. It is free and easy to obtain click here https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/startApplication.do. Do not be tempted to use other websites that charge you a small fee for arranging delivery for you. EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance.
Pre Adventure Injections
Before you travel it is worth checking with your GP on recommended injections and vaccinations. You can check the country of travel on this link http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx. If you need injections then check the price with your GP. If you need to pay then shop around for the best price on private prescriptions.
Travel Insurance
The EHIC card provides free or discounted medical treatment whilst in the EU but it does not cover you for any health care that would not normally be provided by the country you are visiting. Nor will it cover rescue and repatriation.
It’s also worth remembering that the EHIC won’t provide you with any cover if you are the victim of crime, if you lose important items, lost luggage or if you have to cut your trip short due to an emergency at home.
An EHIC combined with a good value travel insurance policy is probably the best way to ensure you have all the cover you might need while away from home.
Medicines
If you are on medication then make sure you have enough medication to last your trip. Most European pharmacies are extremely helpful. They stock a wide selection of drugs but if your health depends on specific medication then talk to your GP. Your GP may offer support and stock up before you go.
Regular Medical Appointments
Remember that flights from EU to UK are very frequent and if purchased in advance, can be extremely cheap. I need to visit the hospital every 3 months or so, but I don’t let it get in the way of our plans. I just jump on a plane, fly home of a week and then jump back on the plane. Its simple plus it gives me special time with my family and I get to pick up UK goodies for Craig.
Hi Joanne and Craig and the dudes. We are enjoying reading your adventures. We are a couple who are currently in Estonia making our way down to Greece for the winter. Having enjoyed stopping over at lots of your sleepy spots, thank you. Having read your recent posts, you have planted the seed for Turkey… We were wondering how you have managed for health insurance for countries not covered by the EHIC card. Also, where did you get the rabies certificate from? Bye for now, looking forward to your next post. Sue, John & Ana the dog.
Hi Sue & John…and Ana, we haven’t taken our any insurance for Turkey. With regards the rabies certificate, this was organised via our vets in the UK. I am not sure of the lab but it needs to be one of the official facilities, which I believe is based in the USA.
Enjoying following your Croatian adventures, we’re heading back there in September. What do you do about travel insurance as we find that neither annual suits as total days are too short and, as we need to come back between trips, the long term doesn’t allow this (stops when you return)? Presently having to use single trip up to 120 days each time.
Hi guys, we purchased insurance for the first couple of years but now, we just use our EHIC card. I’ve had experience of using both the hospital in Italy and several doctors (B12 injections) across Europe and found insurance not necessary. Show your EHIC card and you’re fine.
When I did purchase the insurance we had to select ‘long term and backpackers’ cover. It provides up to two years cover but each company is different but ‘backpackers’ is the key for longer cover.
Apologies, tried three times to reply and thank you (fault my end) so hope works now!
Fully understand argument re using EHIC; let’s hope it survives Brexit.