to think I don't need to buy travel insurance for a holiday in Holland as its in the EU

[TheWayItWasnt]

I'm in the UK by the way.

[Neverknowingly]

First nappy change after arriving in Rome for a (supposed) 2 day visit revealed that DD had chicken pox. A quick trip to the docs to get a certificate confirming it was not just heat rash and she could not fly resulted in her being admitted to hospital for 3 weeks as the CP triggered a heart condition. Italian health care is fabulous (and accordingly so was our care under the EHIC system) but we still needed travel insurance to get us home and cover the nights accommodation between discharge and being able to actually fly back to the UK and our costs were reasonably low given that the hospital provided me with a bed (in DD's room) for the duration and the lovely nurses and nuns generally scraped together meals for me.

[mousmous]

ya so so so bu

get insurance but also check what is covered repatriation wise. (some insurances will only transport to nearest appropriate hospital, which may not be home)

[TheCraicDealer]

From the NHS website - The EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or costs such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property. Therefore, it is important to have both an EHIC and a valid private travel insurance policy.

It's like a tenner for a week on the continent; it baffles me that people are prepared to travel without it. My Mum took violently ill when we were on holiday in America in 2011; turned out she had an ovarian cyst that was twisted, resulting in agonising pain. Despite the fact she was 'only' in hospital for two days, the care, drugs and investigative procedures during that time amounted to $40,000. If required, Insurers would have paid for her to come home, or for my dad to remain with her (his accommodation, travel and sustenance costs). Europe might not be that pricey, but it's an insight into how these bills can snowball very quickly.

[itiswhatitiswhatitis]

Travel insurance is relatively cheap so I think it is odd not to get it, like others have said it covers cancellations/loss etc

[Sirzy]

As long as you don't expect others to fundraise to pay for your care if ill that's fine.

[chipsandpeas]

as others have said travel insurance covers more than just medical costs you would be stupid not to get it for the small amount it costs (assuming you have no medical issues)

[ImATotJeSuisUneTot]

My travel insurance for three days in Paris was £3.60. Yabu!!

[ImAThrillseekerBunny]

I tend not to get it for places within driving distance if I have an EHIC for healthcare - if I wouldn't buy it for Edinburgh then I won't buy it for Lille - that's just a personal risk appetite choice. Personally I'd always buy for a trip involving a flight because there's more that can go wrong.

However if it's an expensive non-refundable booking then you should always buy your insurance immediately after you book just in case something crops up to stop you travelling.

[AuntieMaggie]

Ditto what everyone else has said. Also if you have to pay for anything you may have to pay it upfront if you don't have insurance before they'll treat you and some countries insist on you paying for translators even if you can speak the language.

[Latara]

Personally I would always get travel insurance for every trip, but then I have photosensitive epilepsy which is sometimes a problem when I travel.

[AuntieMaggie]

Also, heaven forbid, but a friend of mine had an accident on holiday last year and was on life support for two weeks before they switched it off - the travel insurance they had helped her parents travel to be with her in her final days and made bringing her home so much easier - her treatment alone had run into tens of thousands in the first few days.

[throckenholt]

I have been looking at this recently and I echo what the others have said - for the cost of a tenner it is worth having the security of mind of knowing that if the worst should happen it would get the others in your party home.

I am not a person for buying insurance or warranties generally (apart from fully comp car insurance and house insurance) - but this is one I think is worth doing.

Not compulsory though.

[RiverTam]

I had an MC whilst on a weekend break to Holland and got slapped with a £300 medical bill for my trip top A&E. Though equally I have probably over the years paid out far far more than that on travel insurance that I haven't had cause to use.

An experienced gambler would tell you that insurance is a mug's game!

[GreatSoprendo]

I always get it, less worried about falling ill as I always have an E111, but you might need to cancel for some reason, or lose your luggage, be robbed etc etc. it's so cheap these days, I wouldn't consider travelling without it

[Amateurish]

YANBU

The EHIC will get you the same level of cover as the locals. If you have to make any payments, you should be able to claim these back from the Overseas Healthcare Team at the DWP.

[specialsubject]

thrillseekerbunny Edinburgh is currently within the reach of the NHS, and any transfers/repatriation would be covered, so the fact that Lille is no further is not really relevant.

and yes, some EU countries are not as nice as us and expect you to speak the local language to be treated, or to pay for someone who does.

[Taffeta]

I would spend the holiday worrying. It's worth a tenner just to rid yourself of that.

Trazzletoes - shame on BA.

[AnotherFurry]

First check that you don't have insurance with any of your bank accounts as they are frequently bundled up with them by default.

Second even though it is in the EU you are taking a massive risk not having travel insurance. If anything happened how would you fund it, do you have family that would pay thousands and thousands to fly you home or fly people to be with you or to fund any extra treatment?

Really it isn't worth taking the risk as you can get it fairly cheap by shopping around.

[SolomanDaisy]

The EHIC entitles you to emergency treatment of the same type that would be received by residents. Dutch residents are legally required to have travel insurance. If you don't have it you will have to pay for treatment.

My DH has been repatriated through medical insurance, bloody glad we didn't have to pay for that.

[SolomanDaisy]

That should say Dutch residents are legally required to have health insurance.

[niceguy2]

It's about a tenner for a family of four if you search around Google.

With that in mind it's a bit of a no brainer really. As others have said the Dutch pay for treatment and claim back on the insurance and even with a EHIC card you'd have to pay.

£10.......JFDI

[SnookyPooky]

When I was a rep I met many people who did not have travel insurance, only the EHIC. It is an extremely stupid thing to do.

[wigglesrock]

Having spent 2 weeks earlier this year organising the repatriation of a body of a relative who died as the result of a road accident while on a 2 day break within the EU who went without insurance, YABVU to travel without insurance.

My relative didn't think he was going to die, sure he was only away for 48 hours - the added grief & worry that the cost of getting the body home was heartbreaking.

[HPparent]

Wigglesrock - so sorry.

I was going to say that I took out insurance for a day trip dd2 and I took to France just for the peace if mind. Hours after arriving home, I had to go to a & e with a gynae problem - if that had happened there without insurance..doesn't bear thinking about.

I am half Dutch and they do like to dot the i's and cross the t's - it would be a bureaucratic nightmare apart from anything else to have to use the healthcare system without insurance.

[dannychampionoftheworld]

Please just get it, if only to make sure that your family won't have to sell their house should you get hit by a car.

Insurance can be a mug's game. If you can afford to replace it/pay for it, don't bother with insurance. I haven't bothered to insure my engagement ring because I can either buy another one or do without one. Unless you have a spare £100k you need insurance.