FCO urges Brits to upgrade travel insurance

WITH recent data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) revealing that the average travel insurance medical claim rose by nearly 10% last year, Britain’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is highlighting the risk of taking the Getaway Gamble of travelling overseas without adequate insurance. 

Travelling abroad with inadequate cover can cost thousands of pounds if things go wrong – the average cost of a claim for medical expenses rose to £1,022 in 2014 (from £930 in 2013). This contrasts sharply with the average cost of an annual travel insurance policy, which is £32.

‘Rolling the dice, not hedging your bets and being left with a £1,022 bill is no way to start or end a holiday,’ the FCO said.

The FCO is encouraging British nationals to make travel insurance an essential part of their holiday preparation. It is advising travellers to:

· Ensure they have the level of insurance cover required for their needs and the activities they have planned

· Answer questions about their medical history fully and honestly with the insurer; they might not be covered if they need to make a claim

· Bear in mind that travel insurance policies might not cover accidents that occur when someone has not taken reasonable care or had excessive amounts of alcohol

· Carry an up-to-date European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if travelling in the European Economic Area, in addition to valid insurance cover

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Is your EHIC up-to-date?

THE Daily Telegraph reports that almost 4.5 million European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) will expire this year. 

Experts are warning holidaymakers to check their cards, remembering it takes approximately one week for a new one to arrive after being ordered.

The cards, which replaced the E111 in 2006, are wallet essentials for travellers. They entitle the bearer to the same level of state medical care given to the residents of the country they are in, meaning that the treatment might be provided for free or at a reduced cost.

EHICs are useable only within the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, which includes all 27 members of the European Union, plus Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The EHIC is not accepted in Turkey as it is not a member of the EU or the EEA.

The cards do not act as a full replacement for travel cover, but having one could mean you avoid paying an excess if you have to claim for medical care on your insurance.

To renew or apply for an EHIC, go to www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/startApplication.do

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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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