Q.  We are travelling to Europe this summer for our holidays. What health insurance do we need?

13.06.10

Every member of your family travelling needs an individual European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card allows you to access public healthcare services if you become ill or get injured when visiting certain European countries. It doesn’t cover private treatment or the cost of repatriation to Ireland.

The countries covered by the card are the 27 member states of the EU, the three other members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland. The card is not required for a visit to the UK if you can show that you are ordinarily resident in Ireland.
You can apply online at www.ehic.ie if you already have a medical card, GP Visit Card or Drugs Payment Scheme card. Otherwise you can download an application form (one form covers all the family) from ehic.ie or get it from your Local Health Office. You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth and Personal Public Service Number (PPS No.).

If you or other members of your family already have a card you should check the expiry dates. If any of the cards has expired, you can apply online to renew it. If a family member has changed name or address, they will need to contact their Local Health Office.
You should apply for the card a month before travelling if possible. If you have concerns about getting a new or renewed card in time, you can get a Temporary Replacement Certificate from your Local Health Office.

You may also wish to consider taking out private travel insurance for expenses that are not covered by the European Health Insurance Card. These may include the costs of repatriation or the expenses of relatives who travel to you if you fall ill abroad.

Citizens Information: Buncrana 074 9363496; Carndonagh 074 9373741

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