What if a member of my family falls sick or has an accident?

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It’s every parent’s worst nightmare that either you or your child falls ill or is injured in a foreign country. However, if you have followed our advice and guidance we should have taken some of the risk out of your trip. As parents, we shouldn’t just expect the same safety standards as the UK so just ask yourself the question: what checks would I make back home to check that this is safe?

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Applying for your Global Health Insurance Card is as critical as your passport for travel. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. 

www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

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However, you still need to take out travel insurance for your trip, so what is the difference?

 

The GHIC simply doesn’t provide you with the same level of cover. If you only had the GHIC and were admitted to a private hospital you would have to pay out of your own money for that treatment and your stay. If you have insurance this WILL cover your admission. 

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European pharmacies are actually very well equipped to deal with minor accidents. With a little help from Google translate you will get all you need. However, if you require a doctor or emergency treatment you will have to find local services. 112 is the European emergency number you can dial free of charge from fixed and mobile phones everywhere in the EU. It will get you straight through to the emergency services – police, ambulance, fire brigade. Once you are in the right hands you need to call your insurance company and they will guide you through the rest of the process.

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Most resorts and resort managers will have an on-call doctor, however if you are travelling independently you need to ensure you know where to go in an emergency.

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