If you’re planning a European holiday this summer, you’re probably well into the planning stages or organising flights, choosing a hotel and reading online reviews about your chosen resort. It’s also important to sort out any paperwork you might need, so check your passport hasn’t expired, and make sure you pack your EHIC along with the rest of your documents. EHIC’s not all you need to cover your overseas travel though, so don’t run the risk of travelling uninsured this summer.

Know your EHIC cover

There’s no denying that having EHIC cover is hugely beneficial should you fall ill overseas. EHIC allows you to access state healthcare across the countries of the European Economic Area on the same basis as local residents. There’s no excess to pay, but there may be standard charges which we don’t pay here in the UK. If you need to see a doctor in Majorca or break your leg in Crete, you just show your EHIC paperwork to the local state hospital and you will be treated. There are many eventualities which EHIC doesn’t cover though, and this is when your travel insurance policy comes into play.

Health related travel claims

EHIC will cover only your healthcare under the state system in whichever country you are visiting. If you choose to go to a private clinic or have treatment with a private doctor, EHIC won’t meet the cost although your travel insurance might. Similarly, there are other costs which we consider standard in the UK, but which are “optional extras” in some of our European neighbours. This can include mountain rescue if you have a fall when hiking, ambulance transfers to hospital or physiotherapy. The main cost which you could face which is not covered by EHIC is repatriation. This means getting you back to the UK after an illness or accident. If you are not able to fly home as planned, travel insurance will meet the costs for rearranging flights, for additional seats if your movement is restricted, or even for a full air ambulance flight staffed by medical personnel to get you back to the UK. This is expensive; a basic transfer with one nurse from Spain to the UK costs over £10,000. More complex cases needing more medical staff costs a lot more.

Additional cover from your travel insurance

In addition to cover for health issues, your travel insurance policy will cover you for lots of other things too. Every policy is different, but a typical policy will cover cancellation at short notice because of illness, loss of your baggage, theft of your property or documents, and give legal cover too. Some cover is provided as standard, other items are bought as add-ons to your policy. Think about the type of cover you’re going to need before just signing up for the first policy you see. When leaving on your holiday, make sure you take at least a copy of your policy number and the company’s 24 hour telephone helpline number, along with EHIC cards for the whole family.