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Original poster

School trip to Switzerland in 2 hours no ghic.

30 replies

Schooltripmess · 16/07/2023 22:18

Ds applied for it himself and didn’t see the message asking for more information.
can we buy our own insurance or are we screwed? I’ve re-applied…
i can not reach any of the emergency numbers but thought there might be a teacher who has had this experience

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 16/07/2023 23:01

Ghic isn't a substitute for insurance.
media.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/news/what-to-do-if-you-forget-your-uk-ghic media.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/news/what-to-do-if-you-forget-your-uk-ghic]]

If treatment is needed while away then the above link tells you what to do if the card isn't with them

Ellmau · 16/07/2023 23:16

You're doubly screwed I'm afraid. You need both insurance and a GHIC.

Insurance won't cover anything which would be covered by a GHIC, and the GHIC won't cover everything.

Whataretheodds · 16/07/2023 23:18

Is there not insurance included in the trip?
If not it's not too late to buy a policy, regardless of having GHIC or not.

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General education Holidays
NerrSnerr · 16/07/2023 23:20

The school will have insurance won't they? You wouldn't need that twice.

AutieNOT0tie · 16/07/2023 23:22

We never took insurance out as school had it.

StillWantingADog · 16/07/2023 23:24

School will surely have sorted insurance if not you can buy one online no bother

ghic can be sorted immediately you don’t have to wait for the card to turn up

SgtPercyTwentyman · 17/07/2023 01:24

AutieNOT0tie · 16/07/2023 23:22

We never took insurance out as school had it.

This. If I thought for one second the school had NOT got insurance no DC of mine would ever have gone on a school trip.

Turmerictolly · 17/07/2023 04:41

Happened to ds recently - we just took out a family travel insurance policy which could be used for each single member if needed. If the worst comes to the worst and treatment is needed, you can apply online for a provisional GHIC certificate at the point it's needed. There are links on the nhs website.

Summerslimtime · 17/07/2023 05:23

The school will have insurance. How long ago did you apply. Hopefully it will arrive in next few days and you can send a pic over.

SpringIntoChaos · 17/07/2023 05:48

But seriously...'DS applied for it himself'...did you not check?

Bewilderedandhurt · 17/07/2023 06:18

Just buy insurance online. Questor do insurance for most travel situations.

FlyingFlamingo · 17/07/2023 06:37

Martin Lewis was talking about this on his programme recently, sorry I can’t remember the details but there is a little known way of accessing an instant GHIC in an emergency so there is a way to get one if he needs it, have a Google

SheilaFentiman · 17/07/2023 06:46

The school will have insurance and the insurance policy will require that pupils travelling using it have a GHIC. At least, that’s what my school does.

They take 10-15 days to arrive in the post but you get a reference number on application that should be sufficient if needed.

Sausagesandpeas · 17/07/2023 06:53

Once you’ve successfully applied for a GHIC you get a reference number. There’s a bit on the website about what to do if you need to use it before the card arrives - you can only do this at the point where the card is actually needed, there’s a number to call. He will be covered though

ohxmastreeohxmastree · 17/07/2023 07:01

Do not panic - he will be covered. Exactly above as @Sausagesandpeas says. Hopefully you will never need to do it as it’s only if he does need medical attention but you call and apply for something like a ‘certificate of entitlement’ I can’t remember the exact wording. You can only do this if he is actually receiving treatment. Don’t panic!!!

Have a fab time to your DS!

EmeraldFox · 17/07/2023 07:06

SpringIntoChaos · 17/07/2023 05:48

But seriously...'DS applied for it himself'...did you not check?

Guessing he is 16/17

Opihr · 17/07/2023 07:10

@Schooltripmess if the school use RPA insurance, which the majority do assuming they're state not private, then a GHIC isn't mandatory, just recommended.

I would contact the school to find out who their insurers are, then give them a ring to clarify. Insurers always have a helpline you can call.

Yes, I work in this field and it's happened in my school! It wasn't a problem.

Opihr · 17/07/2023 07:11

Sorry, just seen he's probably left already. Hope all went well.

Talipesmum · 17/07/2023 07:46

If you’ve been able to get the application in, you’ll likely get a confirmation email v shortly and that detail would be enough if ghic needed. I think.

Cyclistmumgrandma · 17/07/2023 08:31

Both travel medical insurance and GHIC can be bought after the student has left. The travel insurance has to be specialist for when they have left and is more expensive. How do I know this???

LIZS · 17/07/2023 08:49

Can you not just submit the extra information now . Dc GHIC came back almost instantly as approved when they did. You just need the reference number not the physical card.

Original poster
Schooltripmess · 17/07/2023 09:10

Thank you!
it was ok - “They take 10-15 days to arrive in the post but you get a reference number on application that should be sufficient if needed.”

OP posts:
carltonscroop · 17/07/2023 09:20

The school will have insurance based on the travellers having a GHIC, so may not cover the difference in price between GHIC cost and regular cost

So you might need to either stump u the difference if/when it happens, or buy additional insurance.

This was a couple of years ago, but the Post Office policy (readily and quickly available) offers cover whether or not you have an EHIC/GHIC though they have an excess if you don't. But at least that means you're covered against the big bills

Might be worth talking to the school, as he definitely won't be the first pupil to be in those circs (nor will he be the last) and they might have a preference. If they do, follow that.

Turmerictolly · 17/07/2023 12:36

Ours was a two month long nightmare of 'computer says no' bureaucracy.

Ds applied, checked by me. Reply was that they couldn't confirm his British residency which was puzzling as he'd had an expired EHIC card. There followed a nightmare of trying to prove his ID - he only had a bank statement and his passport in his name. Other ID was rejected as out of date or not relevant and it took 3-4 days every time we uploaded something to get a reply. They wanted mortgage statements, utility bills, solicitors letters, HMRC letters etc (all dated within the last 3 months) which a teenager doesn't have! It was so frustrating trying to deal with them. There were also problems uploading documents via the link on the nhs site.

We eventually got through to someone on the phone and were able to send docs by email - they then got lost so had to send again. They then asked for all of my ID and proof I was his mum and a British Citizen. Which I sent. Radio silence for a week - rang in a bit of a rage as his trip was now a week away to be told that they had made a mistake on the initial application when checking residency. They (not us) had inputted one wrong number from his NI number which is what led to the fiasco in the first place.

It was all sorted in the end but very frustrating when the mistake was their fault and the computer just bats everything back. Card arrived on the day he returned!

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