Hi, has anyone any experience getting health/medical insurance only as we have Land rover cover for breakdown etc. We are both over 65 and expect to be in France for 8weeks or so. Last year we did without but it was constantly on my mind whilst. Of course we have a current E111 card but is that enough?
HEALTH INSURANCE ABROAD
- Thread starter makem
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Hi Coleen
Difficult question only you can answer, but I offer these points.
Do you believe yourself and hubby to be in reasonable health, and do you keep well?? At home would you expect to visit the doctor in say the next 28 day period ??
If one of you should fall Ill would you be ok staying in your van until he/she is well ??
How would you get your Van home if you couldn't drive ?? Do you have friend or family who could pick it up ??
I do believe the French health care to be of a very good standard, and I believe that you can get very near full cover being pensioners.
http://www.e111.org.uk/cover.html
At the end of the day it's your choice, and I would weigh up the cover against the insurance cost.
Personaly I am happy with the E 111
Difficult question only you can answer, but I offer these points.
Do you believe yourself and hubby to be in reasonable health, and do you keep well?? At home would you expect to visit the doctor in say the next 28 day period ??
If one of you should fall Ill would you be ok staying in your van until he/she is well ??
How would you get your Van home if you couldn't drive ?? Do you have friend or family who could pick it up ??
I do believe the French health care to be of a very good standard, and I believe that you can get very near full cover being pensioners.
http://www.e111.org.uk/cover.html
At the end of the day it's your choice, and I would weigh up the cover against the insurance cost.
Personaly I am happy with the E 111
Thanks Gumbo, after seeing the cost and hopefully we are both fairly fit the odd aches and pains expected at our qge, so thank you again we,ll checkout the care we could expect if either of us becomes ill whilst in France.
Hello Coleen,
Holiday health insurance can be a nightmare. A couple of years ago we wanted to go to Canada to visit my wife's sister. Unfortunately my wife has a heart condition, arthritis and asthma, and I had recently had a replacement heart Valve( which was pronounced as removing a major risk for me), one daughter also has arthritis and the other and her brother have asthma, and being honest, as soon as we mentioned any of these issues to the insurance companies, down came the shutters or the premiums became astronomical.
I discovered that our private health care plan (BCWA) actually provided cover whilst abroad, but only if the condition needed more than a 24hour hospital stay. We decided to risk emergency cover.
It was touch and go whether we would be able to go, and it was literally within seven days of our window we finally got 'Flight Cover only' That meant we could not take advantage of cheaper pre-booked flights, and insurance premium was over
Holiday health insurance can be a nightmare. A couple of years ago we wanted to go to Canada to visit my wife's sister. Unfortunately my wife has a heart condition, arthritis and asthma, and I had recently had a replacement heart Valve( which was pronounced as removing a major risk for me), one daughter also has arthritis and the other and her brother have asthma, and being honest, as soon as we mentioned any of these issues to the insurance companies, down came the shutters or the premiums became astronomical.
I discovered that our private health care plan (BCWA) actually provided cover whilst abroad, but only if the condition needed more than a 24hour hospital stay. We decided to risk emergency cover.
It was touch and go whether we would be able to go, and it was literally within seven days of our window we finally got 'Flight Cover only' That meant we could not take advantage of cheaper pre-booked flights, and insurance premium was over
I'm 69 and in good health, and off to France next week for 8 weeks. I've taken out Caravan Club Red Pennant Personnel and Motoring cover.
I would not dream of spending 8 weeks in France without it.
The E111 card covers you for basic medical cover only. Break a leg or worse, they will put you in plaster and show you the door, no crutches or after care in hospital afterwards, and you'll get the bill for any ambulance attendance.
Don't go without proper travel insurance, if you can't get it for some reason - stay in Britain!
I would not dream of spending 8 weeks in France without it.
The E111 card covers you for basic medical cover only. Break a leg or worse, they will put you in plaster and show you the door, no crutches or after care in hospital afterwards, and you'll get the bill for any ambulance attendance.
Don't go without proper travel insurance, if you can't get it for some reason - stay in Britain!
The advice from Vernon is not strictly true. The card entitles you to treatment on exactly the same basis as a French national - however, you will be required to make a contribution to the cost, some of which may be reclaimed on your return to the UK. See www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/healthcarefrance/Pages/healthcarefrance.aspx for a summary of what is covered. I agree that travel insurance is a better bet, but the card will offer some cover.
John M
John M
Although medical services may be quite good in some countries and, with an E111 card, one would not be denied treatment, such treatment can also be more expensive abroad. As John has indicated, the difference can be recovered upon your return. Besides, if something really serious happens, requiring extended stay in hospital, I wouldn't feel very happy in a foreign country, no matter how good the medical treatment is. I'd definitely prefer to be repatriated, if necessary, by air ambulance and that will certainly not be covered by the E111 card. For this reason I wouldn't be without additional health insurance coverage.
At the end of the day it all boils down to what you can afford, and to what you perceive as the risks. Going to Africa or the US I would want insurance, going to Europe No (Lutz Europe is not a foreign country) we are comfortable with the E111. It would need to be a pretty major occurence for the need to be repatriated by Air Ambulance, and in a lot of cases if that is required it would mean a longer stay in a foreign hospital. The only two things I can think of that would require Air Ambulance would be heart attack or brain hammorage. Everything else is more or less Chronic, and not Acute unless you have been displaying syptoms for a number of weeks.
My ADAC membership covers air ambulance repatriation and the additional worldwide health insurance for treatment costs me just over 12 Euros per annum. They've always paid up quickly when I've had cause to have minor emergency treatment while abroad, so I think that is a small price to pay for peace of mind.
At the end of the day it all boils down to what you can afford
Lutz no way would we be able to find anything for 12 euros a year. It would be 12 euros per day here. All I was pointing out in my post was the risks, one I did miss was an RTA. Your not comfortable without full cover fine, but a lot of people are happy with the cover provided by an E 111 afterall that's why we have them.
The E111 allows countries to claim back the cost of the treatments provided.
Countries providing a service to another countries citizens can then be compensated for providing that service. It's not a free service, the UK Goverment pays the French Goverment or Spanish, Germans etc for providing this service to it's citizens. Just the same as the French etc pay us for treating their citizens. You need to be careful with Insurance they want you to have used the " Free Service " before the Insurance cover kicks in.
Lutz no way would we be able to find anything for 12 euros a year. It would be 12 euros per day here. All I was pointing out in my post was the risks, one I did miss was an RTA. Your not comfortable without full cover fine, but a lot of people are happy with the cover provided by an E 111 afterall that's why we have them.
The E111 allows countries to claim back the cost of the treatments provided.
Countries providing a service to another countries citizens can then be compensated for providing that service. It's not a free service, the UK Goverment pays the French Goverment or Spanish, Germans etc for providing this service to it's citizens. Just the same as the French etc pay us for treating their citizens. You need to be careful with Insurance they want you to have used the " Free Service " before the Insurance cover kicks in.
Final point from me on this subject.
When I travel from Scotland to Cornwall 650 miles I don't take out cover to get me back home if I am Sick.
South of England to say the Vendee 600 miles, Why bother with Insurance to get you back ??? it's only 600 miles with a short ferry hop in between.
When I travel from Scotland to Cornwall 650 miles I don't take out cover to get me back home if I am Sick.
South of England to say the Vendee 600 miles, Why bother with Insurance to get you back ??? it's only 600 miles with a short ferry hop in between.
You say the only two things you can think of that are serious is a heart attack or brain haemorrhage, you assume that no Brit ever has a serious fall or road accident?
You could be taken to a hospital miles from your campsite and caravan, you pay for the ambulance and your wife has to travel miles in a foreign country to visit you.
Ever tried driving (towing!) with a neck brace or your complete leg/hip in plaster?
Try sorting out all the logistics of getting your outfit home while you are in hospital.
A friend had a stroke in Provence a few years ago, with no prior knowledge, and taken 80 miles to Marseille hospital, his wife was put up in a hotel near the hospital, until he could be to be flown home (with an English doctor in attendance), a driver was flown out and his caravan and car were collected and delivered to his door, courtesy of Red Pennant.
No contest!
Argue if you want, it's your neck on the block - not mine!
You could be taken to a hospital miles from your campsite and caravan, you pay for the ambulance and your wife has to travel miles in a foreign country to visit you.
Ever tried driving (towing!) with a neck brace or your complete leg/hip in plaster?
Try sorting out all the logistics of getting your outfit home while you are in hospital.
A friend had a stroke in Provence a few years ago, with no prior knowledge, and taken 80 miles to Marseille hospital, his wife was put up in a hotel near the hospital, until he could be to be flown home (with an English doctor in attendance), a driver was flown out and his caravan and car were collected and delivered to his door, courtesy of Red Pennant.
No contest!
Argue if you want, it's your neck on the block - not mine!
A football fan (30-40 yrs old IIRC) died in Holland 2 months ago - no travel insurance as it was only 2 days -
Vernon, you are becoming hysterical.
With the acute illness ie. MI or Brian problems you may need an air ambulance and if you did read my post correctly I did point out an RTA
Ever tried driving (towing!) with a neck brace or your complete leg/hip in plaster?
No and I wouldn't.
Our sons would fly out, drive the car & van home. Like they would if we had something go wrong in Cornwall, also they could then offer support to the non injured party. I could make up as many senarios as you like. What you want/need it is up to you. What I want/need is up to me. What ever has an English doctor got to do with anything ???.
ps A Stroke requires urgent attention, afterwards it is convalesence no real treatment,except possible physio, unless it was caused by a bleed then it is acute and needs treatment.
Please try to refrain from being emotive and keep this sensible !!!
With the acute illness ie. MI or Brian problems you may need an air ambulance and if you did read my post correctly I did point out an RTA
Ever tried driving (towing!) with a neck brace or your complete leg/hip in plaster?
No and I wouldn't.
Our sons would fly out, drive the car & van home. Like they would if we had something go wrong in Cornwall, also they could then offer support to the non injured party. I could make up as many senarios as you like. What you want/need it is up to you. What I want/need is up to me. What ever has an English doctor got to do with anything ???.
ps A Stroke requires urgent attention, afterwards it is convalesence no real treatment,except possible physio, unless it was caused by a bleed then it is acute and needs treatment.
Please try to refrain from being emotive and keep this sensible !!!
We are talking here about France for goodness sake, they are connected to us by a Rail Network. This is not Outer Mongolia or China
Gumbo We have Breakdown insurance for Car and 8 meter twin axle Caravan with ADAC at 97 Euros per year which also includes the air ambulance etc same as Lutz has so it is available in this country and not difficult to do "on line" much cheaper than any UK cover and then they do not cover for vans over 7.50 mts. or less you pay double the amount thro Caravan Club.
Excellent Dianne that's the sort of post people are looking for i.e. what's on offer. Insurance is an emotive cost !! For me France is like here and I don't take out cover for here, that was my point.
Anyone else know of cheap cover ??? please post.
I know price is normally an indication of quality but not always the case.
If I understand with ADAC medical cover is not included that's still on the E 111 ??
Anyone else know of cheap cover ??? please post.
I know price is normally an indication of quality but not always the case.
If I understand with ADAC medical cover is not included that's still on the E 111 ??
Have not had much time to read everything on our policy as only took it out just before we came away and it is all in German but the Air ambulance is inc for accidents anyway. We are lucky with our health insurance as it comes free for 60 days in Europe with our Lloyds Bank account. When we come away to Europe for longer we just have to pay to extend it. We of course have F11's too. At the moment we are in Germany and Austria for 2 months so covered free this year. We would not leave the UK without having full insurance for everything that might happen. Last year in Austria my husband had to go and have a small op in Villach Hospital and it was wonderful all we had to pay for was Food for 3 days. By the way this is the place to be at the moment weather is wonderful here in Southern Austria over 30 deg C (90 deg F) at the moment and has been for 3 weeks now 2 half days of rain thats all and l night. This is our 6th year here and it is wonderful.
Adding to my comments re ADAC Lutz was most helpful with info etc for us joining. I understand the service from ADAC is 2nd to none.
No. Your E111 is not enough.
My sister and hubby had a bad bike accident last year. She had a 10 day stay in French hospital. They were stranded with no personal cover.
She's now had to pay
My sister and hubby had a bad bike accident last year. She had a 10 day stay in French hospital. They were stranded with no personal cover.
She's now had to pay
Hello Lutz,
we are having great difficulty knowing how to take ADAC cover, whilst Diane says she emailed them we cannot find an email address on their website, please help with this any advice would be appreciated.
we are having great difficulty knowing how to take ADAC cover, whilst Diane says she emailed them we cannot find an email address on their website, please help with this any advice would be appreciated.
Colleen
Just seen your post to Lutz. Thought I would answer your question as I have the info you need to hand.
Email address is service@gks.adac.de and address it to Kathrin Wenzl. She was most helpful.
Just seen your post to Lutz. Thought I would answer your question as I have the info you need to hand.
Email address is service@gks.adac.de and address it to Kathrin Wenzl. She was most helpful.
Diane
thank you for your reply, I have emailed as you suggested but so far no reply, how long did you wait for return mail?
Colleen
thank you for your reply, I have emailed as you suggested but so far no reply, how long did you wait for return mail?
Colleen
summer 2007 we and some friends stayed at Guines, France. Our friend's son took a seizure due to heat, the site called the emergency services - out came an ambulance lights and all flashing with 2 paramedics, next appeared a kind of estate car with a paedeatric doctor AND a nurse! The little boy stayed an overnight in the local hospital and our friends only had to pay for the medication he was to take back with him. So i would say we have nothing really to worry about - if you turn up at A & E i dont think they would turn you away. Last year i forgot to get personal insurance but still had out E card and nothing happened. Again its a personal choice.
Yvonne
Yvonne
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