E’s not so good
Like many readers, my husband and I enjoy spending part of our retirement touring in our motorhome. Recently, we have travelled a lot around Europe in the shoulder season of September and October to take advantage of the quieter roads and campsites and the cooler weather. We enjoy searching out the more remote spots to explore as we love walking and exploring the countryside.
However, last year when in Portugal, we were returning from a walk in the mountains near Chaves, when two large dogs rushed out of a smallholding barking and snarling furiously and would not leave us alone. The owners were nowhere to be seen.
My husband, who had our dog on a lead, walked quickly ahead and got away but I was not so lucky and was bitten on the back of my leg by one of the dogs. We managed to make it back to the campsite, although I was bleeding quite a lot.
The campsite owner phoned a taxi to take me to a hospital – fortunately, there was one in Chaves, only about 10 minutes away. There I was seen very promptly; they cleaned the wounds and put in a couple of stitches before bandaging it up.
The only problem came at the end; the hospital refused to recognise my EHIC card as we were no longer in the EU.
I explained that it was still valid until the expiry date, which was 2025, but to no avail, and I ended up having to pay. I know, legally, the EHIC card should be valid, but this particular hospital had its own procedures and refused to budge from them.
Just a cautionary tale, because if I had had the GHIC, it would have been accepted without question.
Also it is best to give any barking dogs on the loose a wide berth; although, in Portugal, this is easier said than done as nearly every house seems to have a guard dog or two! Luckily, all’s well that ends well and I recovered quickly!
Anne Ambrose
ED Checking gov.uk Anne is correct that, if your EHIC is still in date, you should not need to apply for the GHIC.
However, we followed this up with the FCDO for clarity, which confirmed that the
EHIC will still be valid as long as it remains in date.
But it did also stipulate that GHIC and EHIC will only cover state healthcare, not treatment provided by a private doctor or private clinic.
According to nhs.uk/ using-the-nhs/healthcareabroad/apply-for-a-free-ukglobal-health-insurance-cardghic you can apply for a new card up to nine months before your current card expires.
The new UK GHIC is free and lasts for up to five years – apply through the NHS website as unofficial websites may charge a fee.
Also remember that these cards are not a replacement for travel insurance – you still need a good policy when travelling to Europe that will cover medical expenses.
What is and isn’t covered under the GHIC/EHIC scheme may also vary from one country to another.