EHIC

[coys]

Has everyone picked up from the press about how many people have not renewed their European Health Insurance Card. We checked ours and found they had run out in January! It is easy to renew on line and no cost involved.
Barry

[justphil]

We have travel insurance but still wonder if we need the EHIC as well. Can anyone advise?

Thanks
Phil

[coys]

Phil I believe it covers hospital healthcare in the European economic area under the same terms as people that live in that country. It will not cover everything your travel insurance covers.

Barry

[martin-w]

Just checked mine. It expires 01/09/2009. Should be OK for May but will have to renew it for September. Thanks for bringing the subject up. I didn't know they had to be renewed.
Yammas,
Martin.

[Sandy x]

Thanks Barry for mentioning this. I have just looked for mine and can't find it anywhere.....I was sure I had it with my insurance documents. I'll just have to apply for a new one!

[Eileen]

I renewed our cards over the telephone last Monday and they arrived 5 days later.  Easy peasy and very quick.

https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do

Eileenxx

[vivian]

Hi Phil, Yes you defantly need it as well as insurance. Tha EHIC will cover 80% of healthcare in a state hospital and will delete excess on your insurance on most policys.
Remeber that unless it is a real emerancy in Corfu you are more likely to attend a clinic and your insureance sometimes dosent cover this. I also heard of someone that was taken ill over there and their partner had to go back to the appartment to get the card before he was taken to hospital (not a live threating case) so maybe it should be on your person at all times. (dont know where you would put it on the beech) lol Viv

[isobel]

HI EVERYNE MY HUSBAND WAS ILL LAST YEAR AND WE WENT TO THE HEALTH CENTER AT AGROS WE USED EHIC AND THIS COVERED ALL EXPENSE EXCEPT PERSCRIPTION WHICH WAS ABOUT 5 EUROS I AS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE MEDICAL TREATMENT HE RECEIVED

[Eileen]

I think the EHIC is something that most of us have but not quite sure what it covers, so a big thanks Viv and Isobel for the excellent information.    Hopefully I'll never need to use it but it's wise to be prepared.

Eileenx

[Geoff]

This will help explain its purpose :-
http://www.nhs.uk/EHIC/Pages/About.aspx
plus there is a link there to renew the card online.

[ronmonkey]

also mentioned on martin lewis' moneysavingexpert.com site, he also urges to renew

[JohnJ]

Just one further point on this subject.  My and I know a lot of insurance companies insist that a EHIC is carried and some even insist that all costs that can possibly be covered by the card are exhausted before they will pay out on any claim, so actually a must have  in a lot of cases.
JohnJ

[Paul D]

Just dug ours out of a draw- valid til 2012, so Ok there.  Needed the old E 111 in Kos six years ago, so will not forget to take it with us.

                  Yammas  Paul D

[justphil]

Thanks so much viv and all you others for the information. We will get ours sorted pronto.

And yes viv, defies the imagination on the beach! Perhaps fold it into a sun hat??? lol
Phil

[kevin.g]

thanks for the reminder ..just checked 1yr to go ............yammas