EHIC – European Health Insurance Card For UK Citizens
If you ask any UK citizen what they cherish most about being citizens of their nation, most will say that it’s the fact that they have a robust healthcare system. Health is a priority for people regardless of their age, gender or social status. Without a proper insurance cover for you and your family, you could spend so much in hospital expenditures. The European Health Insurance Card was introduced after replacing the traditional insurance card used by Britons when visiting the EU. It is used by Swiss residents as well as UK citizens to obtain medical attention even while not in their home country but visiting an EEU country. The card has enabled thousands of people across the UK get out of sticky situations during medical emergencies like unplanned births.
The card is also helpful when it comes to dealing with chronic illnesses. Just the fact that you have a chronic condition should not stop you from enjoying your holiday across Europe. As long as you have the card with you, you will be able to access public healthcare facilities just like a citizen of that country would. Here are just some of the benefits of having the EHIC card with you;
- Covered medical expenses; in most cases, you will be cleared off all medical bills if you are a card holder. Who does not want to enjoy such great advantage in the face of an illness? So the card is worth having. However, there are some cases where your nationality will determine if you will pay a small amount towards the bill. If you need to make a refund, you will need to produce receipts to your insurance company.
- Flexibility in application process; we are all not interested in lengthy and time consuming application process. So you will enjoy the simple and straightforward online application system of the EHIC card which is found on the official website. It is free and open to all citizens of the EEA. There also social media platforms where you can find more info on the process involved in applying for the card. So the card is just a click away and this much flexibility is so refreshing.
- Ease of mind when traveling; you do not need to worry about how you would handle medical situations when out of your country. The card ensures you enjoy you stay in the country of your choice as long as it is within the EU country.
- Maternal care; pregnancy is a period of time with unexpected turns so it is best to be prepared especially when you are going on holiday. Change of environment may cause an upset in the normal routine of a woman and therefore further checkup is needed. Maternal care is provided for those with the card and therefore gives you complete peace of mind.
- Long shelf life; it will take you 5 years for the card to expire. All this time you will need just to provide the card with you at any public healthcare and relax as the specialists check on you. Another advantage of the card’s durability is the fact that you can renew it long before it expires.
The EHIC card is proving to be a real blessing to all UK residents. It is a true cover for a family and so even children who have not yet reached 18 years can still benefit from the card if the parent applies on therefore behalf. So if you are traveling with your family members across Europe ensure you carry this card with you at all times, along with your travel insurance card. It will save you much trouble and unpleasant surprises.
