European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are travelling in Europe, you will need to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This is the replacement for the E111, which is no longer valid. The card entitles you to either reduced cost or sometimes free medical treatment in most European countries and is normally valid for three to five years. However, you should still always take out private health insurance, as an EHIC will not necessarily cover all of the costs of your treatment.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on October 31 2019, your access to healthcare when visiting an EU country is likely to change. If you are planning to visit on or after October 31 2019, you should continue to buy travel insurance so you can get the healthcare treatment you need, just as you would if visiting a non-EU country.

If you are using an EHIC issued by the UK, this will still be valid until October 31 2019.