We look into what is covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and how you can go about getting one.
What is it?
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is a card that covers you for any necessary medical treatment while you are in the European Economic Area (EEA).
The EEA includes the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
If you are travelling in any of these countries and have an accident or become ill, the EHIC will entitle you to state-provided medical treatment in that country. The EHIC is the equivalent replacement of the old E111, which became invalid as of January 2006.
What does it cover?
The EHIC will cover you for any medical treatment needed while in the EEA, whether that is because of illness or an accident. This involves:
- Access to reduced-cost or free medical care from state healthcare providers.
- Treatment on the same basis as a resident of the country you are visiting in. This means you may have to pay a part patient contribution.
- Treatment of a chronic or pre-existing medical condition that becomes necessary during your stay.
- Routine maternity care (as long as your sole reason for visiting the country is not to give birth).
- Provision of oxygen, renal dialysis, and routine medical care.
Remember that the EHIC won’t cover you if the main purpose of your trip to one of these countries is to receive medical treatment.
What is not covered by the EHIC?
It’s important to note that the EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance, and you’re strongly recommended to take out separate travel insurance policy in addition to applying for your EHIC if you are travelling in the EEA.
The EHIC also will not cover:
- The costs of private healthcare that is not part of the state healthcare system.
- The cost of being brought back to the UK.
- Going abroad specifically to receive treatment, which includes giving birth.
Additionally the EHIC won’t cover you for many things that travel insurance does, such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, lost or stolen luggage, or cancellation of your trip - so it’s important to remember that your EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. Also, remember that the EHIC is only valid in specified EEA countries.
Who is eligible for the EHIC?
If you are resident in the UK you are automatically eligible to claim your EHIC. However, there are a few exceptions:
- If you are a national of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, your EHIC is not valid in Switzerland.
- If you are a Swiss national you won’t be covered in Liechtenstein or Norway.
- People who do not have UK, EU, EEA or Swiss nationality are not covered in Denmark, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.
How can I apply?
To get your EHIC, you must be over 16 and have to hand your full name, date of birth, and National Insurance number. You can also apply for an EHIC on behalf of someone else such as your spouse and any children under 16 years, as long as you have all the relevant information.
EHICs are free, but there may be a service charge depending on how you apply for yours. You can either:
- Apply online via the NHS website
- Apply at the Post Office by asking for an EHIC application form. You can either fill it in and send it off yourself, or use the Post Office Check and Send service. This service costs £2 but will ensure your application is checked for any mistakes before being sent off. Applications by post usually take about 21 days to be processed.
- Or, you can telephone the NHSBSA EHIC Application Line on 0845 606 2030. Applications via this route take about 10 days to be processed.
Once you’ve received your EHIC, it will usually be valid for three to five years. When it expires you can renew using any of the methods above.
