Health Insurance in Europe

Travelling to Europe? Your European Health Insurance Card may have expired.

In 2006 the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) replaced the old E111 form which gave some reciprocity between the UK National Health Service and the state health service in the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (not including Northern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The degree of free cover provided is different in the various countries and even with the card you may have to pay up front then claim a refund using your EHIC. To make a claim when you return to the UK call:

Department for Work and Pensions Overseas Healthcare
0191 218 1999 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm).

Keep all receipts and any paperwork (make copies if necessary) as they might be needed by you or your insurance company to apply for any refund or reimbursement.

If you have already obtained a card, what you may not know is that it is not for life and must be regularly renewed. More than three million cards will expire between September 2008 and March 2009. Check the expiry date on your card. It is in the bottom right hand corner.

You can renew/obtain an EHIC at:
https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do, or
call 0845 606 2030, or
collect a form from your Post Office.

You will need the NHS Number (get it from your doctor if, like me you don't know it) or National Insurance Number, Surname, Forenames and Date of Birth of each applicant.

You should receive it in about 7 days. The new card should last for 3 - 5 years. Don't forget to take it with you on holiday.

author: Alan Shepard
publish date: January 2009

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