European health insurance

[doughas]

can someone please explain what use is the european health insurance card, i would have assumed it have covered british citizens in case they needed to see a doctor or had to be hospitalised free of charge, it does state that we would need to take cruise insurance which i will get, what i don't understand is what use is the european health insurance if it does not cover us for ant health problems that may happen, secondly does anyone know of a good cruise insurance company that covers pre exsisting condiotions that doesn't cost and arm and a leg

[6rugrats]

Your card certainly won't cover you if you are in Caribbean; it's not good everywhere. It will not cover any services that may be rendered onboard. You can read details about its use, and where you will be covered here:

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/travel_abroad/e111.html

 

You can research policies on insuremytrip.com.

[doughas]

thanks for the reply i will read the attachment that you sent, i also should have said that we are cruising the usual european places for 14 days

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

Greetings from Madrid.

 

The European Health Card entitles you to emergency care within the Public Health System of the country you happen to be visiting on holiday. It covers you for nothing less, nothing more, than what a user of that country's system would be entitled to. And you are not permitted to use private services, which means as a first and primary repercussion that the ship's medical facility is not included. Only for this reason alone you should purchase a private travel medical policy, because the cruise line medical services are exorbitantly priced by the standards of what healthcare throughout Europe actually costs.

 

Also, and this only applies to the travel insurance policies sold here in Europe, not the ones people buy in the United States, some of the less-costly versions of the travel insurance policies penalize you with an extra or higher deductible if you don't have the European Health Card and you seek care at private services, although the higher end policies do not contain this peculiarity.

 

So you should review your personal situation carefully.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[doughas]

thank you very much, you have covered any concerns i had therefore i will now look for cruise insurence that will cover health and any other problems that may happen