European Health Ins Card - Advise please....

[nana-lala1]

Do I need medical Ins for a long overdue short break to Italy? I have a current EHI card, will this give me good/free cover?

Agent wants to sell me additional cover but with a under control heart condition & recent brain surgery (to remove benign tumour) the cost is prohibative.

Am I legally required to have this?

I can't find a straight answer online.

I know that I will need travel ins to cover delays lost luggage etc.....

Any advise would be appreciated - thanks.

[bankhaunter]

Have a read.

The EHIC also covers the treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and routine maternity care, provided the reason for your visit is not specifically to give birth or seek treatment.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/PAGES/about-the-ehic.aspx

[soppysofty]

Try - AllClearTravel.com - they specialise in pre-existing conditions.

Your EHIC card will cover you for treatment at a public hospital in Italy but you may find that the nearest public hospital can be as much as a 3 hour drive away and the ambulance service is completely private so you would be hit with a bill for the ambulance unless you have insurance.

Like the rest of Europe free healthcare (Public Hospitals etc. ) are very few and far between as the majority of Europeans have private health insurance and go private all the time.

Cost of insurance policy for someone with your condition for a week should cost no more than £120.00.

Cost of a short ambulance ride to hospital can cost over €300.00.

An assessment at A & E will cost over €1000.00 if you have x-rays.

If you have to be admitted you are looking at €680.00 per DAY for your care, then add the cost of any operations or treatments on top.

A friend of ours went on a walking hoiday to Austria last year and managed to fall over and break their ankle.

Cost of recovery from accident scene to hospital, treatment and hospital stay (2 days) came to over €6000.00.

They had insurance and only had to pay the £50.00 excess.

No brainer really.

[gweleryri]

Hello Nana

I do so agree with soppy. I have had two major incidents over the years, both of which concerned young  children. One in France and one in Spain. Both times we were required to produce evidence of insurance before treatment. One time required an air ambulance repatriation for a fractured femur. Pretty expensive.

Something else to watch out for is whether they have contact numbers 24/7.  Why not try to google for insurance and talk to their people. Losing a suitcase is nothing compared with a medical disaster. I know insurance is costly but I would never leave UK without it. Europe doesn't do NHS. EHIC in my experience is worthless.

[nana-lala1]

Thanks to all who have responded  - I have taken on board all that you say & will compare Private Health Care holiday insurance (with a bit more patience ).

Thanks again .