Changes for travellers from 1 January, post Brexit

[pete14]

On 12/27/2020 at 1:19 PM, tring said:

 

Our insurance, (AXA acting as an insurance provided by our bank), only ask about conditions for which we have had any treatment, tests etc. within 6 months prior to insurance renewal or booking any holiday which is yet to happen.

 

That also works in reverse, so if we book a holiday before a condition occurs, we would remain fully covered for that holiday even if a future renewal will not cover that condition, (or other things like COVID).  Hence holidays booked prior to last March will remain covered for COVID, even after our renewal date next April, so worth maintaining insurance if holidays have been booked before last March.  Need to check your own insurance to see what is covered or not, as all policies can vary. I think ours has pretty widely used criteria though.

 

The gateposts on COVID protection or not seem to be changing at times as well, so need to check the most up to date version of the travel insurance policy.

 

Mine expires in August 2021. I tried to renew early and the website would not let me. I didn’t get as far as giving personal details including expiry date, so it seems to have stopped renewals completely. 

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, Denarius said:

You will not be able to renew your UHIC after the transitional arrangements expire at 11pm on Thursday 31 December 2020. But if you renew before then it will be valid until its expiry date in 2025.

My EHIC expires on 4/1/21, so after reading your post, I thought I’d try to renew early

 

the government site tells me I’m not eligible 

[Denarius]

40 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

My EHIC expires on 4/1/21, so after reading your post, I thought I’d try to renew early

 

the government site tells me I’m not eligible 

First, apologies for typo. My post should have refered to EHIC not UHIC.

The following link to the BBC site explains the situation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44850972

[pete14]

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

My EHIC expires on 4/1/21, so after reading your post, I thought I’d try to renew early

 

the government site tells me I’m not eligible 

That is what it told me. 🤨

[Snow Hill]

If you renew you are supposed to get this new GHIC card for which the Government have yet to release details, which is probably code for “we have this idea but have no agreement yet with other countries” 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Snow Hill said:

If you renew you are supposed to get this new GHIC card for which the Government have yet to release details, which is probably code for “we have this idea but have no agreement yet with other countries” 

Ours run out in June 2023. I am sure our officials will give details of how to apply soon. Agreements with other countries are in place already.

[Snow Hill]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Ours run out in June 2023. I am sure our officials will give details of how to apply soon. Agreements with other countries are in place already.

Which countries are those, the only ones I am aware of are the ones listed on the NHS website, some of those also don’t cover pre-existing conditions.

 

I am also wondering whether a charge for the card will be introduced, with one of their mates providing the card. 
 

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/healthcare-when-travelling-abroad/travelling-outside-the-european-economic-area-eea/

 

 

[zap99]

1 minute ago, Snow Hill said:

Which countries are those, the only ones I am aware of are the ones listed on the NHS website, some of those also don’t cover pre-existing conditions.

 

I am also wondering whether a charge for the card will be introduced, with one of their mates providing the card. 
 

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/healthcare-when-travelling-abroad/travelling-outside-the-european-economic-area-eea/

 

 

I am sure you could ask about GHIC cards without the funny little political quips.

[Dermotsgirl]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

I am sure you could ask about GHIC cards without the funny little political quips.

Have you been appointed as some sort of control marshal? 

[AnnieC]

15 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Have you been appointed as some sort of control marshal? 

Some time ago.

[kalos]

11 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Some of our posters do need one.

 

Oh I'm not that bad once the medication kicks in John 

[Dermotsgirl]

14 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Some of our posters do need one.

We already have a moderator 

[kalos]

1 minute ago, Dermotsgirl said:

We already have a moderator 

 

She's a TV star now 

[grapau27]

There was a TV holiday program about accidents on holiday in Benidorm last year that showed the ambulance taking injured people to private hospitals first to fleece Brits on holiday.

[tring]

Simon Calder was on TV this morning and said the GHIC cards can now be applied for. Our EHIC cards were due up tomorrow, so replacements have now been applied for on the EHIC website and worked fine with receipt received already.

 

Will not work in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, but covers the EU Countries.  The unexpired EHIC's will not work in those countries now either, but otherwise are valid for EU countries until they expire.

 

[tring]

On 12/29/2020 at 1:31 PM, grapau27 said:

There was a TV holiday program about accidents on holiday in Benidorm last year that showed the ambulance taking injured people to private hospitals first to fleece Brits on holiday.

 

I have heard that is normal procedure in Spain.  I do not know what the ex pat's who live there do.

[grapau27]

23 minutes ago, tring said:

Simon Calder was on TV this morning and said the GHIC cards can now be applied for. Our EHIC cards were due up tomorrow, so replacements have now been applied for on the EHIC website and worked fine with receipt received already.

 

Will not work in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, but covers the EU Countries.  The unexpired EHIC's will not work in those countries now either, but otherwise are valid for EU countries until they expire.

 

I missed Simon Calder on TV this morning so thanks for the information.

Our EHICs expire August 2021.

[Esprit]

25 minutes ago, tring said:

 

I have heard that is normal procedure in Spain.  I do not know what the ex pat's who live there do.

My DD resides in Madrid with her husband and have Spanish residency cards. They qualify for the same hospital care as Spanish nationals. 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, tring said:

Simon Calder was on TV this morning and said the GHIC cards can now be applied for. Our EHIC cards were due up tomorrow, so replacements have now been applied for on the EHIC website and worked fine with receipt received already.

 

Will not work in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, but covers the EU Countries.  The unexpired EHIC's will not work in those countries now either, but otherwise are valid for EU countries until they expire.

 

Nice to have a bit of information, of course no credit will be given to officialdom. All credit for them putting this system in place.

 

[Ardennais]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Nice to have a bit of information, of course no credit will be given to officialdom. All credit for them putting this system in place.

 

It is good information, but that’s their job after all. I don’t expect credit in my work just for doing what’s expected of me. Over and above that, then credit is nice. 

[zap99]

1 minute ago, Ardennais said:

It is good information, but that’s their job after all. I don’t expect credit in my work just for doing what’s expected of me. Over and above that, then credit is nice. 

During my long career in Management, I found that saying thank you to people was, not only polite, but appreciated. 

[Ardennais]

21 minutes ago, zap99 said:

During my long career in Management, I found that saying thank you to people was, not only polite, but appreciated. 

Quite agree, and I hope that the Managers have thanked the ordinary staff who have helped make this happen. As a tax payer, though, I expect officialdom to get things done and on this issue, they’ve had plenty of time too to get it done. It’s not Covid related after all. 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, tring said:

 

I have heard that is normal procedure in Spain.  I do not know what the ex pat's who live there do.

We registered with the Spanish health service, so used the local village surgery and the main hospital in the nearest large town, obviously free of charge, including prescriptions, although I believe you now need to pay around €1 for each prescription.

No idea what the situation is now. 

[wowzz]

For information,  Shapps the transport minister, confirmed yesterday that Brits will not need an International Driving Permit when driving in Europe.  

[jeanlyon]

On 12/31/2020 at 12:56 PM, tring said:

Simon Calder was on TV this morning and said the GHIC cards can now be applied for. Our EHIC cards were due up tomorrow, so replacements have now been applied for on the EHIC website and worked fine with receipt received already.

 

Will not work in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, but covers the EU Countries.  The unexpired EHIC's will not work in those countries now either, but otherwise are valid for EU countries until they expire.

 

I had a feeling things would be worked out for both sides.  All the doom mongerers will be proved wrong about holidays abroad.  No International Driving permits needed either.