Touring in France what travel insurance do you use

[RichardW1]

Hi
Im taking my touring caravan down to the south of France for the first time in 3 years this august and wondered what other people who do this do about travel insurance. Now the caravan club do travel insurance specially designed for touring caravan holidays but is rather expensive. I've got European insurance for the car and caravan and euro breakdown insurance for the car witch covers the caravan. I will also have triangles. extra bulbs ext ext . I dont need baggage or flight cancellation but need health insurance. So Im after peoples thought and ideas.
Thanks Richard W

 

[Hutch]

Hi Richard, I have been touring France for the last 5 years, for a month every 12 weeks, and have checked up on health insurance, I have always gone for the RED Pennent from The CMHC. I checked with staysure and found for my age , 65, and my wifes various health bits Red Pennent, Health insurance. came out the best. Basically if you havent been in hospital within the last 3 months your not loaded.

 

[chrisbee1]

I have been using RP combined motoring and personal for the last 10 years. It's not cheap but reading of the experiences of those who have had to use it, the cost is justified for piece of mind. I know others, especially the Austria experts, swear by ADAC.

I would have a good look at your car European cover because even though it says it covers your caravan many of these types merely recover the caravan if the car is at fault. If the caravan itself develops a problem you may be on your own.

 

[otherclive]

I always use Red Pennant as it does have an excellent reputation if you should need support for a breakdown/accident or health issue. Not the cheapest but it is specifically designed for caravans and motorhomes abroad. look at C&CC as theirs is also well rated. In the beginning I opted for C&MHC RP cf to C&CC as the medical questions were far less onerous and I didn't have any health issues.

 

[alan29]

Post Office for travel (I also travel by motorbike and the PO is one of the few who cover them) and ADAC for breakdown .... they cover the person what ever they are driving/riding/towing.

 

[Raywood]

We have always used the insurance of either of the clubs. It may not be the cheapest but they are very good on cover and service and when you have a problem that is what you need. I would not consider going elsewhere to save a few pounds, it just is not worth it to me. In amongst the total cost of the trip insurance is only a modest proportion so just go for something you know is reliable.

 

[bertieboy1]

In the 26 years we have been touring France we have never taken out travel insurance - and it was never required.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

In the 26 years we have been touring France we have never taken out travel insurance - and it was never required.

There have been recent reports where people travel (not necessarily with a van) abroad without insurance. When something happens they then beg other people to help them out by 'crowd funding'. Is this fair?

 

[Jaydug]

Hi
Now the caravan club do travel insurance but is rather expensive.

Yes - you can find cheaper insurance - but after you've made a claim do you want to hear "Sorry that isn't covered on your policy" - or some other excuse to avoid payment.
I've been taking out Red Pennant for many years but when six years ago in Spain I had a claim which finally exceeded several tens of thousand pounds, they couldn't be faulted for the help they gave me. My emergency lasted for two weeks and every day the same RP advisor rang me just to see how I was coping. Their final gesture (which they had no need to do) was to ask me how I was getting home. I replied that I would have to drive. Their suggestion came back "We don't think you should. We'll send out a driver and we'll book you an airline ticket. All you need to do is get a taxi to the airport."

Buy their policy, hope you won't need it, but if you do, you need have no worries.

 

[Raywood]

Hi
Now the caravan club do travel insurance but is rather expensive.

Yes - you can find cheaper insurance - but after you've made a claim do you want to hear "Sorry that isn't covered on your policy" - or some other excuse to avoid payment.
I've been taking out Red Pennant for many years but when six years ago in Spain I had a claim which finally exceeded several tens of thousand pounds, they couldn't be faulted for the help they gave me. My emergency lasted for two weeks and every day the same RP advisor rang me just to see how I was coping. Their final gesture (which they had no need to do) was to ask me how I was getting home. I replied that I would have to drive. Their suggestion came back "We don't think you should. We'll send out a driver and we'll book you an airline ticket. All you need to do is get a taxi to the airport."

Buy their policy, hope you won't need it, but if you do, you need have no worries.

Sounds like I was right to go with them although I never needed to use the claims service.

 

[HomerS1]

Just had a quote off the Caravan and Motorhome club for an 8 week stay in France. I thought it a bit strange that there were no medical history questions. Is this right?
I should add that we didn't take out insurance on our recent spring 10 week jaunt through France and sadly my wife was hospitalised for 5 days. They accepted her European Health Card and we had nothing to pay on her release. However, last week we had a bill for 20% of the total cost which came to euro 1,091. Total was about 5,400.

 

[Jaydug]

sadly my wife was hospitalised for 5 days. They accepted her European Health Card and we had nothing to pay on her release. However, last week we had a bill for 20% of the total cost which came to euro 1,091. .

If you pay the amount to the hospital, send the bill to the Dept of Work & Pensions at 'Overseas Healthcare Team, Tyneview Park, Newcastle upon Tyne , NE98 1BA You should get the €1091 refunded.

 

[HomerS1]

Thanks for that. I had no idea. Will be sending off paperwork in the morning.

 

[VicMallows]

In the 26 years we have been touring France we have never taken out travel insurance - and it was never required.

Neither have we for over 40 years anywhere in Europe. Some may stay 'reckless' but it has always been a calculated and intentional decision. I have always been quite confident that any medical treatment in the mainstream European countries would be at least as good as UK, and since we have been in the EU would be adequately covered under the EHIC system. I can't envisage any circumstance requiring emergency repatriation, but if it so happened would accept the cost.

It's a pity that the future situation in Europe is uncertain, but heyho! ....we've still got at least 2 years to enjoy.

 

[Jaydug]

It's a pity that the future situation in Europe is uncertain, but heyho! ....we've still got at least 2 years to enjoy.

Why should it be? Continental travel was in existence long before the EU came into being. And long before Debit/Credit cards as well. I remember going to the bank and ordering French Francs; Swiss Francs and Italian Lira and wondering whether or not we would need Belgian Francs. The only drawback as I remember were the sometimes long delays at border crossings.

 

[bertieboy1]

Good for you Vicmallows,
Nothing reckless about it,you took a calculated and intentional decision as we did.
Statistically the odds are in your favour not to require medical insurance,if they weren't then the insurance companies would not offer insurance.
The insurance companies know this and rely heavily on " piece of mind".

 

[oldagetraveller1]

Being treated in France is a real eye-opener! My experience was first class. No delay in seeing a doctor (and I wasn'tin any way an urgent case). Superb care, wonderful food and a splendid room with ensuite facilities.
Puts our NHS system to shame.
Nothing to pay on leaving hospital, but a bill for, I think 20% followed a few weeks later. But that was refunded under the reciprocal system..
Travel insurance can be a bit of a rip-off. - insurers benefitting from the 'peace of mind' factor.

 

[otherclive]

Being treated in France is a real eye-opener! My experience was first class. No delay in seeing a doctor (and I wasn'tin any way an urgent case). Superb care, wonderful food and a splendid room with ensuite facilities.
Puts our NHS system to shame.
Nothing to pay on leaving hospital, but a bill for, I think 20% followed a few weeks later. But that was refunded under the reciprocal system..
Travel insurance can be a bit of a rip-off. - insurers benefitting from the 'peace of mind' factor.

Whilst NHS has some problems you are not comparing like with like. The percentage of gdp that the French (and most others) pay for healthcare is considerably more than UK contributes. Most European systems adopt a system of state and personal insurance combined. As such their citizens pay more than we do. But any talk of such funding for the NHS seems to be sacrilege. But our politicians are also afraid of sticking a penny on income tax to provide the sort of care that we would like but prefer not to pay for.

 

[oldagetraveller1]

Yes, I'm sure you're right about the level of funding in our NHS.
Personally, I would be happy to pay a bit more tax if I could be sure it was going to the doctors and nurses whose dedication is beyond doubt. But I wouldn't be happy to see the extra funding going to already highly paid bureaucrats/managers.
The fact remains, though that we shouldn't be too worried about falling ill in France. You will be looked after and you will get excellent levels of skill and care. I can't see the need for travel insurance. Having it won't get you better care and from what I hear, a significant number of claims made under these policies are rejected because of unintentional non disclosure of pre existing conditions.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

The in-hospital care is probably OK with EU commonality, but what won't be covered without insurance is any repatriation of persons or vehicles/caravans.

 

[VicMallows]

The in-hospital care is probably OK with EU commonality, but what won't be covered without insurance is any repatriation of persons or vehicles/caravans.

True. But repatriation of persons from anywhere in EU is something that many of us can afford to do if necessary.
I personally DO take out car breakdown insurance ......but primarily for the practicality of obtaining assistance if needed. (They would never repatriate my car because it's value is too low ...... I actually get a very poor deal!).

 

[oldagetraveller1]

It would be interesting to see the statistics relating to number of those needing repatriation. I suspect that it's a very small percentage of those paying for full tavel insurance.
For me, the bottom line is what do Ineed insurance for? In Frnace, If I'm taken ill, or have an accident, then the French system will look after me. I do not see that having insurance will get me any better treatment and the reciprocal arrangement on EU health care means that It's unlikely to cost me anything.
I's a win-win situation for insurers.

 

[HomerS1]

Unfortunately the European Health Card doesn't cover the total cost of hospitalization. My wife was recently a guest of the hospital in Chateauroux for 5 days. They took the details from the card, we filled in a few forms and she was released fit and well with nothing to pay. 2 weeks later we received a bill for €1,091 which is 20% of the total cost. I contact the Overseas Health section of the DWP in the hope of a refund but was told I could only claim if asked to pay the full amount (€5,400), and even then would only get 80% back. It seems the 20% is an agreed amount that we have to pay. The Caravan and Motorhome club will cover us for an eight week trip to France starting at the end of August for about £250. Weirdly they don't ask for any history.

 

[otherclive]

I recall an article in the Telegraph where one of their columnists was involved in a car accident leading to a broken spine and other traumatic injuries. She got excellent treatment in a French hospital which would probably be the same here with the NHS. But the big problem came when she was deemed non emergency and required normal hospital recovery treatmnt. But given she was in braces with metalwork and had to lie flat she couldn't be taken home by relatives. She only had EH1c so had to pay for specialist medical repatriation to her UK hospital which wasn't recoverable. Her insurer failed to get the French motorists insure to foot the bill and so rather than take her own legal action she gave up on recovering her costs.

 

[otherclive]

Unfortunately the European Health Card doesn't cover the total cost of hospitalization. My wife was recently a guest of the hospital in Chateauroux for 5 days. They took the details from the card, we filled in a few forms and she was released fit and well with nothing to pay. 2 weeks later we received a bill for €1,091 which is 20% of the total cost. I contact the Overseas Health section of the DWP in the hope of a refund but was told I could only claim if asked to pay the full amount (€5,400), and even then would only get 80% back. It seems the 20% is an agreed amount that we have to pay. The Caravan and Motorhome club will cover us for an eight week trip to France starting at the end of August for about £250. Weirdly they don't ask for any history.

We have used the C&MHC for many years as their medical questions were far less intrusive than those of the C&CC. However, don't be complacent as on Page 6 of the Policy Document there is the section on "Medical Important Conditions" which require to be answered and will form part of the contract should the insurance be purchased. Only if all the answers are "No" will the policy be issued without further discussion.