EU health insurance

[Nandtbart]

Taking medication for angina but never having had a heart attack .
80 years old next year . Is it possible to get affordable insurance that won't cost more than holiday . Looking at multi trip or going twice.
Is it affordable and is it better to take out multi trip insurance or each trip separately.
Thank you .

 

[emmerson]

Best of luck with this! My wife turned 80 last August. Up to then, we have paid acceptable amounts for insurance in spite of pre-existing conditions (which were not covered) We have always done single trip cover for two or three months,up to and including this year's spring trip.Then we tried for a two week trip in August/September. The cost suddenly shot up to TEN TIMES what we had paid before!
We went on the trip, but relied on our EHIC cards.We will also wing it next year.If we buy insurance we won't be able to afford to go!
BTW, when we had a problem a few years ago in Holland and tried to use the EHIC, the doctor didn't exactly refuse it, but would have been quite happy for us to return home and pay him later, rather than accept the card.He said that it could take up to three years before the NHS paid up.
We paid the £700-odd bill and reclaimed from insurance.
Good luck, and please let the forum know how you get on.

 

[Dustydog]

EHIC works but only to a certain degree.
You only the Country's equivalent of our NHS which is way below our standards imo. If you get taken to a private hospital and there are many you will need to give them you credit card before treatment . Remember that that expensive UK travel insurance covers repatriation and many other things.
Be very careful going without full insurance.

 

[Hutch]

I would look at the Red Pennent , through Caravan Club, no need to be a member , I think, . personal insurance, as long as you can hit most of the no,s. The insurance is good, my wife has breathing problems. CoPD, and had a minor stroke, 18 months ago, I take tabs for high cholesterol and blood pressure, all normal now, and for a year for both of us it was, about £400. . A peace of mind.
Check it out.
Hutch.

 

[RayS]

Good advice from Hutch. From memory, so long as you can honestly tick 'No' to their 10 questions, which include any in patient hospital stay in previous 3 months - you should be OK although i think their long stay 185 days is not available over 80.
The next bracket down is up to 122days with further brackets downwards.
If not a member it may be worthwhile joining. The Red Pennant cover is either just motoring or motoring and health. Not sure health is available on its own. But the motoring cover - recovery etc. is relatively cheap compared with the health cover and provides excellent service.

If you can't answer No to the questions, then you talk with their assessor. Some conditions can be excluded from cover but they are pretty sensible.
I'm like you (80 and on several medications as routine) but I've not had any problems with RP. The EHIC system will give you local cover but will not cover cost of repatriation to UK, recovery of outfit if no fit/qualified driver available etc.

 

[oldagetraveller1]

For what it's worth, I needed hospital attention this year whilst on holiday in France.
The level of care and attention, the speed of treatment and the way in which everything was patiently explained to me, was far superior to any experience I've had in our NHS.
My EU health card was accepted without question.
It pains me to admit it, but the quality of the French system is streets ahead of ours - admittedly, based on only one experience.

 

[saint-spoon]

I have had the EUHC discussion a few times in the pre-brexit era. Personally I have been refused medical treatment in Holland until I could provide proof of sufficient medical insurance (long story, I was working there an didn’t have my insurance documents with me when I had an accident requiring medical insurance), not interested in my EUHC one little bit; but I know folk who have received first class treatment in France. So it all depends on where you intend to go.

 

[Jaydug]

EHIC works but only to a certain degree.

Be very careful going without full insurance.

I agree with both of the Dusty's statements. There's no way I would venture abroad without full insurance. For many years I've always bought Red Pennant and although I'm into my 86th year they still allow me 122 days from home to home. Last year it cost me £270. Each year I have to declare any new ailments or treatments but having done that they give me full cover for health and car problems. Having had a £25000 claim settled in 2011, I know I can rely on them.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

I have had the EUHC discussion a few times in the pre-brexit era. Personally I have been refused medical treatment in Holland until I could provide proof of sufficient medical insurance (long story, I was working there an didn’t have my insurance documents with me when I had an accident requiring medical insurance), not interested in my EUHC one little bit; but I know folk who have received first class treatment in France. So it all depends on where you intend to go.

Holland is not a full member of the EU. perhaps this makes a difference.
just a thought.

 

[saint-spoon]

I have had the EUHC discussion a few times in the pre-brexit era. Personally I have been refused medical treatment in Holland until I could provide proof of sufficient medical insurance (long story, I was working there an didn’t have my insurance documents with me when I had an accident requiring medical insurance), not interested in my EUHC one little bit; but I know folk who have received first class treatment in France. So it all depends on where you intend to go.

Holland is not a full member of the EU. perhaps this makes a difference.
just a thought.

I would suggest that as they have adopted the Euro that they are quite well entrenched in the EU

 

[colin-yorkshire]

that is one of the problems with the EU, it is supposed to be universal within the member states but it isn't.

 

[Jaydug]

that is one of the problems with the EU, it is supposed to be universal within the member states but it isn't.

I agree! Just one example - friends I meet in Spain grumble that at the local hospitals (or police stations for that matter), they won't see you unless you have an interpreter with you. (Being an interpreter is the latest business opportunity in Malaga Province.) But here in the UK, in my local doctor's surgery a notice says "If you need an interpreter tell the receptionist and we will provide one."................ As we also do in Police stations...

 

[Raywood]

This site might be able to help http://www.over80.co.uk/

 

[Jaydug]

This site might be able to help http://www.over80.co.uk/

Thanks - That's worth keeping a note of.