Don't forget your E11 form for travelling in EC countries

[Fionn]

Just thought I'd mention this in case not everyone's aware of it. If you're travelling to an EC country get an E11 form from your post office in case someone needs medical treatment whilst abroad. You fill in the form and the PO stamps it, and you bring the original with you. If you need to pay for treatment whilst on holiday you are much more likely to get a refund if you've completed the form. I think in some countries possession of the form means you don't have to pay anything. Others might know more, luckily I've never actually had to claim on it. But 3 years ago in Ireland we had a minor car accident and I took my baby to the local GP for a check-up and was charged £40. After 6 months chasing I was eventually refunded £16. With the form I don't think I would have paid anything.

Yes this happened to us also - insurance co said if we had had valid form signed by the GP in attended out dd then we would not have had to pay the excess amount. As it was we were £50 down and dd recovered as soon as GP left the hotel room.

Wow Fionn thanks. I've never heard of the form. I will go get one right away. I was wondering as we will be in Italy when I am 35 weeks pregnant, and although I have no objection to having a baby in italy it would be nice not to have to pay for it.

Fionn
I've seen a gP in Ireland several times on hols, (all very nice and give you loads of time), all they needed was our NHS number for a form we had to sign and treatment and prescription was free. The E111 is useful too for hospital treatment.

Well done Fionn - I'm always surprised when people think they can just get access to EU country health services without any paperwork! In Spain with a form you don't have to pay anything (which was lucky for me as I was hospitalised when we first got here and were registered in the UK - that would have cost thousands of pounds), although many doctor's surgeries will ask for a photocopy of the form for their records, so it's advisable to take the original and a couple of copies.

SofiaAmes, check when you pick up your E111 that it definitely covers you - cannot for the life of me remember whether you have to be EU Resident or EU citizen or just have an NI number. If you are 35 wks whilst on hols I'd HATE to think of you being charged by the contraction in some policlinico...

thanks marina, actually i'm a uk resident and also an italian citizen (i have dual usa/italy nationality), I have an NI number (finally issued to me when I had my son...I couldn't get it when I had a job...) so hopefully i'm covered.

Another thing to be aware of is that some countries (France I think for one) require you to get a new E111 at least every year (if not for each trip!), even though technically once you've got it you can use it for as long as the details on it are accurate. ... that is, if you can find it again - we usually end up getting a new one most trips anyway! An the advice about having a couple of photocopies is good too - I'm sure that was mentioned in a feature that Which? did recently.