Travel Insce v EHIC Cards

[Keith T]

I am sure questions have been raised on this before, but I am finding as the years go by, ever increasing rates for simple travel insurance if you wish to exceed usually 31 days per trip using an annual policy..

 

I am now in the position where my Bank account upgrade will offer an inclusive worldwide annual policy for both my wife and myself, but with that restriction.

On requesting a price to increase this - just for one 'one-off' trip within Europe, to say 62 days, the cost is something like £100......if I wish to make two trips within the year, then that doubles!

 

Having spoken to my exisiting Travel Insurers with whom we currently have a worldwide annual policy, they confirm that it is actually cheaper to take an annual policy that one for just 62 days..... .

 

My question is - what do most of you do when travelling just into Europe? DO you rely on the EHIC, or take full travel policy,and if so on an Annual or short term policy? It would appear that the EHIC card should cover most of any 'emergency' requirements whilst in Europe?

 

 

[ekka]

Last year I took out an annual policy, just as well I did not need to claim though, why, I'll tell you.

Thinking about this coming years adventures, and the fact that I've just hit 65 ( not sure how that happened I was 25 three weeks ago ) I thought maybe I should renew the policy, but read the details first this time! !

 

It appears you have to declare even something as trivial as an ear ache if you have consulted a doctor about that, or any minor ailment that plague's us from time to time, your wife too if she is to be included. Then the premium starts to go up and up. The amount of "small print" to read through gave me a migraine ( best not to tell them though ) I really don't know what to do this time round, trust to luck and hope I don't drop dead in the Algarve or somewhere else with a non driving missus to get my corpse back. What do you other folks do.

[flicka]

AFAIA - the EHIC card will only cover you for (immediate) Medical treatment. So to ensure cover for repatriation due to illness, accident or worse, it is essential to have Travel Insurance. Or the cost will be stratopheric, even from within the EU.

After my wife broke a leg in a Sking accident in Austria, our Insurers were left with accounts in excess of £20k (2002 prices) for Ambulances, (ski resort to hospital & hospital to airport) my hotel /food / travel costs for a week, 4 scheduled flight first class airfares back to the UK, UK private ambulance (airport to UK hospital) & various other associated costs. That was before they had to cover legal costs & court proceeding, etc., against the 3rd party responsible for the "accident". 

So for us, travel anywhere abroad relying on EHIC only & without Travel Insurance - NEVER.

[ekka]

To poster flicka, what would be very helpful would be to perhaps tell us all what insurers you had as you so obviously had such very good service. My take on it is most insurers will go to hell and back not to pay a claim, so if your experience was so positive please let us know the company who insured you,

 

Thanks, Ekka

[Brian Kirby]

You will find answers and detailed information on what is covered under the EHIC in various EC states here:  http://tinyurl.com/4eswmcw

However, do bear in mind that those items not covered by EHIC can prove very expensive indeed, so even inflated insurance costs can look good value by comparison.  It all depends what happens to you, and where.

[flicka]

ekka - 2011-01-24 11:07 PM To poster flicka, what would be very helpful would be to perhaps tell us all what insurers you had as you so obviously had such very good service. My take on it is most insurers will go to hell and back not to pay a claim, so if your experience was so positive please let us know the company who insured you, Thanks, Ekka

Hi Ekka

Unfortunately not much use to independant travellers.

It was a package holiday with Crystal (part of the Thompson aka TUI group) with their Insurance, but we did take their Gold cover.

I can only say their Insurers were fantastic, nothing too much trouble, they arranged my accomodation, sorted the Taxi's to & from the hospital for me. Constantly in touch checking progress and if we needed any assistance.

Also our Crystal Representative in resort was 5 Star +.

[ekka]

As a new registered user I'm starting to despair at some of the replies on these forums.

 

The original poster asked did people rely just on EHIC or travel insurance as well, maybe just maybe someone could answer his question recommending from personal experience a good travel insurance company. I am sure very few of us would just take a chance on just the EHIC. So come on guys and gals who do you recommend for travel insurance.

[ekka]

flicka - 2011-01-24 11:26 PM

ekka - 2011-01-24 11:07 PM To poster flicka, what would be very helpful would be to perhaps tell us all what insurers you had as you so obviously had such very good service. My take on it is most insurers will go to hell and back not to pay a claim, so if your experience was so positive please let us know the company who insured you, Thanks, Ekka

Hi Ekka

Unfortunately not much use to independant travellers.

It was a package holiday with Crystal (part of the Thompson aka TUI group) with their Insurance, but we did take their Gold cover.

I can only say their Insurers were fantastic, nothing too much trouble, they arranged my accomodation, sorted the Taxi's to & from the hospital for me. Constantly in touch checking progress and if we needed any assistance.

Also our Crystal Representative in resort was 5 Star +.

So not really of any relevance to us folk then, but I would guess in view of that experience when you go abroad in your motor-home who do you insure with, or do you not venture out of the UK in it ?

[PJay]

EKka

 

As a "NEW"user, maybe you should reserve YOUR judgement on peoples replies.

It is not possible to recommend insurers, as different people have to have cover to suit their individual needs, ie age plays a BIG factor for insurance also medical history. I think we all agree that you can not rely on EHIC as your only cover, don't think this would repatriate you, or help your other partyy members . Getting a dead body back to Uk (heaven forbid) is a very costly exercise

 

[flicka]

Keith T - 2011-01-24 8:26 PM

. My question is - what do most of you do when travelling just into Europe? DO you rely on the EHIC, or take full travel policy,and if so on an Annual or short term policy? It would appear that the EHIC card should cover most of any 'emergency' requirements whilst in Europe?

Ekka - This is the question Keith asked that I responded to. Then you ask a further question which I answer out of curtesy, with the statement that it was not relevant.

THEN you accuse me of going OFF  thread.

I think it's you who's OFF yr Hed.

Regarding your last question I purposely did not answer it, as the Travel Insurance we have would again be totally irrelevant due to my wife's disablities and making it a very specific pre-existing Medical Condition policy. 

(nothing do do with her skiing accident by the way.)

But I had posted a selection of links for Travel Insurance relating to pre-existing Medical problems on the "Holiday Insurance HELP !" thread.

Has we have not had reason to claim I can not / will not comment on their service.

[ekka]

Well I'm obviously of my head as I was just hoping to hear of other peoples experiences good or bad, and possibly some personal recommendations as to companies used. For example ease of application, free from mile after mile of "small print" and competitive. I'm kind of guessing this is what the original poster was possibly looking for also.

 

I am also very well aware of the costs involved if not fully insured I had a family member who died in Spain many years ago who was not it turned out fully insured despite having "travel insurance" with the resulting costs and trauma that involved.

 

As for Flicka's comment, you are obviously a very prolific user of these forums, and know your way around, perhaps you could cut a new user some slack and just point them in the right direction if your aware of some relevant threads that may prove useful in the first instance, otherwise new users are floundering in the somewhat in the dark rather than slagging me off or using personal insults .

[silverback]

ekka

follow the link below

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=22272&posts=16

 

there is a search facilty on here...you can use it as well :-D

jonathan

[ekka]

Many thanks for that Jonathan, just when I was giving up hope. You are like a Knight in shining armour. Kind regards, Ekka.

[Brian Kirby]

ekka - 2011-01-24 11:39 PM As a new registered user I'm starting to despair at some of the replies on these forums. The original poster asked did people rely just on EHIC or travel insurance as well, maybe just maybe someone could answer his question recommending from personal experience a good travel insurance company. I am sure very few of us would just take a chance on just the EHIC. So come on guys and gals who do you recommend for travel insurance.

Eric, I think you are being unrealistic in expecting to find clear recommendations on something as personal as travel insurance.  What we all discover is that due to age, and other complications, travel insurance is problematic, especially if one has medical complications.  I therefore think attacking people for what seems to me no more than responsible prudence may not help your cause.  It generates, I have to say, a strong temptation in me to say "go figure"!

However, since you ask, we have an annual policy from Comfort Insurance, underwritten by Aviva, that is a "bolt on" to our house (buildings and contents) insurance.  It is not obtainable separately on the same terms so, to gain its advantages, you would need to use the same insurer for house/contents cover.  Ours permits journeys of up to 90 days, which dovetails with the permitted period of absence under the buildings/contents section of the house policy.  The period of absence, and therefore travel, can be varied by premium adjustment.  I suggest you contact Comfort Insurance for further details of how this might work in your case.

On the question of notifying pre-existing conditions it was not especially demanding, although full disclosure is obviously required.  Claims under these policies can be very expensive, and insurance is about risk, so it is not, IMO, unreasonable for the insurer to want to assess the level of risk you present.

BTW, it is you who wants the recommendations: the OP merely asked what others did, implying he was considering whether the EHIC alone was sufficient.  You will note he says he is finding the cost of travel insurance becoming expensive due to age: his problem is not where to get it, that is your problem.  You now have one answer.

[ekka]

Many thanks for that input, and yes maybe I was being unrealistic. But I really did think posters may have attempted to say what companies they had either had good,bad, or indifferent experiences with. At least your answer gives that specific info. I have taken your advice and contacted Comfort insurance whom without your input I would have never known about ( and that was my point about lack of relevant replies ) In the meantime I'll continue to trawl google, but thanks very much for your reply.

[hallii]

I have noticed that the premiums are going up and up, probably as we get older and have more pre-existing conditions.

 

The EHIC gives quite reasonable cover in the EU, no frills, hotels or private air ambulances, but cover non the less.

 

I do have insurance with Nationwide via Flexcard and it is reasonable.

 

In our younger days we travelled all over Europe without health insurance or indeed, insurance of any kind (apart from a Green Card). We were, of course, invincible in those days.

 

H

[Ris]

Always carry an up to date EHIC card but also purchase travel insurance. Have found, through experience, the Red Pennant via Caravan Club excellent.

[ekka]

Thanks, now we are getting somewhere, some more recommendations, cheers, Ekka

[Tony Jones]

ekka - 2011-01-24 9:12 PM

 

any minor ailment that plague's us from time to time, your wife too if she is to be included.

 

Does your missus know you refer to her like this Eric? :D

 

Regarding the OP, we've had to make use of the EHIC (and formerly the E111) occasionally, and found it did what we needed, but I also have travel cover through my bank account. However, I suspect it wouldn't cover 62 days, although it did cover a full 5 weeks in 2009.

 

To be honest, though, I've never gone into it all in great detail. No doubt there are those who will say "But what if this happens" or "Are you covered for that and the other?" but having established that it covers the most likely (and/or disastrous) scenarios, I decided to leave it at that. I read an autobiography recently in which the writer said:

"When I get towards the end of my life, and look back on it, I'm sure one of the things I WON'T be saying is 'I wish I'd spent more time worrying!'"

 

I think he has a point. Take sensible precautions against likely risks, but don't try and insure against everything - you can't!

[ekka]

I know exactly what your saying, and of course you should spend less time worrying, but having had a personal experience of someone dying in Spain when they ( no doubt) thought their travel insurance would cover that eventuality only for their relatives to find the insurers not paying out due to some very minor failure to "disclose" it can be a worry, and the huge inconvenience to those that had to deal with the situation. I will however on the next policy declare my ingrowing toenail, after all that could lead to infection, then septicaemia if the insurance companies want to get out of paying should the worst case scenario ever happen to us.

 

Oh and I was not referring to my wife as minor ailment, she is a very major ailment LOL,

 

Ekka.

[Ina]

To the OP:

 

First of all, to echo what others have said, an EHIC is NOT a substitute for travel insurance. As already pointed out, things like repatriation are not covered.

 

Then EKKA asked whether people could recommend insurance companies.

 

It is difficult to recommend insurance if you are in the fortunate position of not having had to claim: it is only if you do have to claim that you find out (hopefully) how good an insurance company actually is.

 

Therefore, IMHO all you can do is judge an insurance company mainly on price.

 

We are with Manor Insurance, who we contacted after OH had a single bypass in 2006. They specialise in pre-existing conditions, "mature travellers" (cover can be provided for up to 18 months up to age 65), website: http://www.travelinsured.co.uk/mature.htm and 2 months after the operation we obtained annual cover for both of us for £140.

 

How good they are, other than price and being very pleasant to deal with (they are a family firm, no call centre etc), I cannot tell you, as we have been fortunate enough not to have had to claim (touch wood).

 

I hope this answers your questions.

 

Ina.

[nowtelse2do]

On the second Thread (which is a sticky) on Motorhome Matters there is a summery by Don Madge which explains probably all you need to know about EHCI in Europe. I, like others have printed this off and it stays with all my travel documents when I'm off on tour, It's like a bit of a bible to have, (sorry Tony, not being blasphemous honest) Perhaps you would also find it v/useful although it is nothing to do with travel insurance.

Dave 

[Keith T]

Thanks to all of you for these snippets of information- some more useful than others, but does give a general gist of the position.

I have always taken teh additional travel insurance, but with this getting more and more expensive, thought it worth trying to ascertain what others do.

I must admit I had oddlynot thought of the worst case scenario of one dying whilst abroad......I have however ascertained there are ways to reduce the cost,by excluding some of those things already covered on other policies..eg 'contents' (already on Home Insurance), 'delay' no worries for us, as no speciific schedules to keep to!

My need was simply to cover at the best price more than the standard 31 days per trip as provided through my Bank Account policy, and simply to be used for motorhoming holidays within Europe. As a matter of interest,I called Safeguard (my Van insurers) to see if they could help, and they were able to offer me, as an existing policy holder, a very good price/policy to cover such needs,and moreover although I do not want cover to start until April, they can sell it to me at todays price,as long as I pay upfront, and it wil lcome into effect as from the April date. I think - apart from the price and that it does meet my needs - this is an excellent service being offered.