Insurance company surveys reveal a huge lack of knowledge about the EHIC system and what it provides. General awareness of EHIC is high, but the nitty gritty details about what is and is not covered tends to confuse people – a recent survey revealed that 70% of UK travellers got it wrong. In one sentence, EHIC will allow you to access state medical treatment on the same basis as a resident of the country they are visiting. That means that if local people pay for X-rays, crutches, blood tests or prescriptions, you will too. Every country is different and details vary, so do some reading up before you board the plane. There are some golden rules though which apply throughout Europe about what is never covered by EHIC.

• Out of Area Treatment: 9% of UK travellers misunderstand the “E” in EHIC and think that the cover is worldwide. It’s not – only the countries which are members of the EEA are in the scheme. This includes major holiday destinations like France, Spain and Greece, but not Turkey or anywhere in north Africa or further afield.
• Cruises: One requirement for EHIC to apply is that you are temporarily resident in a foreign country. This could mean on holiday in a hotel or apartment. It doesn’t cover cruise passengers who are resident on a boat and not staying overnight anywhere else – they will require separate travel insurance to guard against medical costs.
• Private Medical Care: In some parts of Europe, the private medical sector is much larger than it is here. EHIC will only ever cover state healthcare, never treatment in a private hospital or as a private patient in a state hospital. Make sure that staff know you have EHIC cover, and be aware that offers to move you to a private room or to arrange an appointment with a top consultant may land you with a hefty bill.
• Health Tourism: EHIC is designed to help with emergency treatment, or treatment for people with pre-existing medical conditions. It will never cover medical care when the only reason for travelling is to access a hospital or doctor, or for procedures such as cosmetic surgery.
• Co-payments: Every country has a different system for providing state care. In France, patients pay in full then have a percentage reimbursed by their insurer. Under EHIC, you’ll also pay in full and get the same reimbursement. The remaining proportion cannot be reclaimed, either from the French authorities or the NHS. The same applies to charges other countries make for being admitted to hospital or getting a prescription. You might be able to claim for these charges if you have travel insurance however.
• Repatriation: If you are very ill overseas and miss a flight home, EHIC will not cover the cost of rearranging flights. If you are so ill that you need to be flown home by air ambulance with a doctor or nurse, that won’t be covered either. We’ve all heard about people stuck in foreign hospitals, desperately fundraising to get home. Avoid being like them by taking out travel insurance as well as your EHIC.