10 years on, Brits still confused about EHIC

A SURVEY of more than 2,000 Brits by GoCompare.com found that 54 percent of consumers think the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) means they are entitled to free medical care anywhere in Europe, while 13 percent had not even heard of it. The survey, carried out as the EHIC reaches its 10th anniversary, also found six percent think that holding the card means they don’t need travel and health insurance in Europe.

In fact, EHIC means only that the holder will receive the same level of state medical care provided to those that live in the country, meaning it could be free or come at a cost depending on where the person is.

GoCompare also raised concerns about websites that claim to offer EHICs for a paid cost. EHICs are free and can be obtained online at www.ehic.org.uk.

Says Caroline Lloyd, travel insurance spokesperson at Gocompare.com: ‘Despite being around for ten years, there’s still a lot of confusion about what benefits an EHIC can and can’t provide. Whilst it is an essential piece of plastic to take to Europe, only travel insurance can give you the assurance that if disaster strikes you can pay for your treatment wherever you are or be transferred back to the UK.’

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