Why travel with your European health insurance card while on holiday?

It is five years since the European Health Insurance Card was created. Now more than a third of Europeans – some 180 million people – have them. How can they make your life easier?

The European heath insurance card is designed to help people to get medical care while you are temporary abroad during a holiday, studying in the 27th country of the  European Union, plus the EEA 4 who are Norway, Island, Liechtenstein and  Switzerland.

If you hold an EHS EC card, it means you are  entitle to medical care in the same terms of the residents of the country   you are visiting.

Using this card in case of allergies, diabetics, emergency operation,  a virus,  all are covered,  just show your health insurance card to be treated.

It would also cut through  refunding  you have to pay  once back in your country.

 You should ask for a card as it is not automatically issued, in some countries like the Netherlands, it is at  the  reversal  of the national heath card, if not apply at the health insurance in your country to get one.

The card is individual and each member of your family should have one included children.

You can only use this card in the frame of Public health insurance; it doesn't replace the travel insurance or if going abroad for planned treatment, it used only for emergency treatments.

Remember the single emergency number for all 27th Europeans countries including the UK is 112 and it is free. (This is the same as the 999 service in the UK).

Note:If you are moving to a country or planning to stay for a longer period or to work in a counrty, different rules apply.  For further advice please see our country details: Spain