New EHIC - should I bother?

[AndWhat]

Got a 2 week family holiday booked for the summer and 2 of our EHIC cards have expired. We have an annual travel insurance policy so just wondering if it’s worth bothering to renew the cards.

[drivingtofrance]

Yes.

If you need treatment your travel insurance company may expect you to go down the route if using state provided treatment(using EHIC) before they will step
In and fund private treatment.

[drivingtofrance]

It takes 2 minutes and costs you nothing.

It maybe that we still have an arrangement to use these after Jan 2021 anyway. Nobody knows for sure.

[80sMum]

Yes it's definitely worth renewing. It's free to do, so you've nothing to lose.

[mencken]

yes. Gov.uk says they are valid until end December and as noted, your insurers may insist.

not much has changed yet.

[fussychica]

Yes. Why wouldn't you it's free and takes a few minutes to sort.
Latest is that Portugal are thinking of continuing to honour the card post 31st Dec rregardless of a deal or not as they don't want to create any barriers to Brits coming to their country as tourism is so important to them. I think it's possible that other countries may follow suit even in the event of a No Deal.

[Dearover]

I renewed a couple of weeks ago because my DD was going on a school trip and the school's travel insurance policy expected everyone to have one. Just make sure you go through the free Gov website. I got conned into an unnecessary charge 10 years ago and have been wary of scams ever since. Our new cards arrived within days.

[AndWhat]

Thanks I saw they were valid till January but was unsure if that was just the current ones. Will order some now.

[dancerdog]

I had to twist my son's arm to renew his card. He was in Poland last week. Got beaten up, went to hospital, was able to produce his card, and receive treatment. Definitely worth renewing.

[mencken]

wow dancerdog how nasty - hope he is ok.

of course everyone needs travel insurance too.

[DinosApple]

Yes it's worth it. I renewed our four last week and they arrived about 5 days later.

[megletthesecond]

Yes. I've just got us all new ones as DS is having a quick trip to Europe with school in the summer.

[ChelseaGirly]

Yes, you definitely need one.
Many insurance policies will only kick in once the EHIC has been used up to the limit for that country. Check your small print.

[dancerdog]

Thanks mencken.
He ended up with a broken nose, 2 black eyes, and a painful chest, thankfully no broken ribs. Raging at the bastards who would do this. Police not interested either.

However, it underlined to my boy that insurance is always needed. Although it was not needed in this instance, I don't think he could envisage a situation where he might need it - he does now.

[mencken]

That is awful that he was attacked. Can happen to anyone (same risk as in the UK) and similarly anyone can get hit by a car or felled by an unexpected medical condition. Repatriation is usually the big one, followed by ongoing medical treatment.

check out the gofundmes when someone has left their family with the choice of sell the house/go bankrupt or beg for money because they were in an accident and are uninsured. Doesn't have to be too far away, either - EHIC doesn't cover repatriation alive or dead.