European Health Insurance Card entitles you to free or reduced-cost medical treatment in a European Economic Area (EEA) country and Switzerland. The EEA includes all European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
- The EHIC covers any medical treatment that becomes necessary during your trip, because of either illness or an accident.
- You will be able to access to state-provided medical treatment in that country.
- The treatment you or your family receive will be the same as a resident of the country you are visiting.
Information
Other countries may not offer all the things you get free of charge from the NHS. You may still need to make a financial contribution to the cost of your care. The EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. You must take out a private travel insurance policy before you travel. Make sure this will cover your child’s asthma and any other long-term health problems.
The EHIC does not cover:
- the cost of bringing you back to the UK.
- the cost of private healthcare or services that are not part of the country’s healthcare system i.e. some European countries have private ambulance services and you will be charged for your journey to hospital.
Apply for your FREE EHIC card at: EHIC – European Health Insurance Card.
You can also get forms from your local post office for your EHIC card.
