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What is a European Health Insurance Card
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All holidays require travel health insurance, and holidays to Europe are no different. The majority of holidaymakers now arrange their holiday insurance on the internet, often using one of the many travel insurance comparison websites to find the cheapest policies. One of the advantages of booking a family holiday within the EU is that you can save further on holiday insurance costs. Thanks to the European Health Insurance Card Scheme, or EHIC, you can save money on medical costs should you require them on your trip.
An EHIC entitles the holder to a variety of free healthcare while travelling within countries in the EU and Switzerland. The EHIC replaced the E111 form scheme, which ran until January 2006.
Not everyone can obtain an EHIC, but if you are a UK resident then this should not be a problem. Those who are under the age of 16, or those who are resident in the Isle of Man or Channel Islands are not eligible.
If you require any medical attention while on holiday, your European Health Insurance Card will ensure that you receive subsidised or free medical care as long as this medical care is not private.
Should a relative need to stay with you while you are ill, your EHIC will not cover the costs of their accommodation either. And not all treatment costs will be covered by an EHIC, so it is still highly recommended that you obtain separate travel insurance cover too.
Your European Heath Insurance Card should be carried with you at all times while you travel. This way, if you require treatment you can make a claim for the medical costs immediately. Alternatively, you can pay for the medical costs yourself and then make a claim for them when you arrive back in the UK.
If you are travelling to Switzerland, or within the European Economic Area, then you will be covered. The European Economic Area consists of 30 countries, including all of the EU member states and three others, which are Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland.
There are a variety of ways for you to obtain your EHIC. The simplest is to log on to the EHIC website where you can fill in an online application form. Alternatively, forms can be found at any UK post office branch, or you can call the EHIC application number on 0845 606 2030.
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If you have been saving up to go abroad in your gap year, you do not want to have to pay a fortune for backpackers travel insurance. etravelinsurance.co.uk offer special rates to provide cheap insurance to protect you and your valuables.
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