Does Anyone Else Travel UK/EU Without Travel Insurance?

[HKF]

I've never had travel insurance when travelling to UK/EU destinations. Just wondering if anyone else does the same? My reasoning is;

• Insurance is normally not worth the paper it's written on
• Insurance companies will almost always try to get out of paying out on a claim
• If I'm in UK/EU, I can get medical treatment using my GHIC card
• If I'm fit enough to be discharged from hospital but not fit enough to travel, I can book into an apartment until I'm fit enough
• I've only ever had to cancel one pre-booked hotel (about £100) and that was my own fault for not booking one with free cancellation

Maybe I'm an exception but just wondering how much of an exception I might be

 

[JRT]

I've never had travel insurance when travelling to UK/EU destinations. Just wondering if anyone else does the same? My reasoning is;

• Insurance is normally not worth the paper it's written on
• Insurance companies will almost always try to get out of paying out on a claim
• If I'm in UK/EU, I can get medical treatment using my GHIC card
• If I'm fit enough to be discharged from hospital but not fit enough to travel, I can book into an apartment until I'm fit enough
• I've only ever had to cancel one pre-booked hotel (about £100) and that was my own fault for not booking one with free cancellation

Maybe I'm an exception but just wondering how much of an exception I might be

We always take out Caravan Club Red Pennant for the EU because of the way it deals with pre-existing conditions.

We never bother with any for the UK.

You GHIC will cover you up to what locals would pay but it won't cover serious illness or death requiring repatriation. A rare eventuality of course but we do know somebody who collapsed and died on a Spanish beach and it was an expensive faff to get his body home.

 

[Odd-no-more]

It's a big risk to not have insurance, I have always had insurance and used it twice, once when our luggage went missing on a flight and once when Mrs Odd was taken into hospital, the bill ran to a couple of thousand pounds even with the card we were liable for 20% plus the ambulance which I think was about a hundred pounds and the insurance paid every penny. Remember in France you only get 80% with the card so 20% of a bill for open emergency heart surgery could soon mount up.

 

[HKF]

We always take out Caravan Club Red Pennant for the EU because of the way it deals with pre-existing conditions.

We never bother with any for the UK.

You GHIC will cover you up to what locals would pay but it won't cover serious illness or death requiring repatriation. A rare eventuality of course but we do know somebody who collapsed and died on a Spanish beach and it was an expensive faff to get his body home.

If that happened to me, my husband is instructed to have me cremated wherever I am, in the cheapest way possible.

 

[JRT]

If that happened to me, my husband is instructed to have me cremated wherever I am, in the cheapest way possible.

That's the option we have talked about as an alternative to taking out insurance.

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[Andy Norfolk]

Never in the UK. Always when travelling abroad.

 

[HKF]

It's a big risk to not have insurance, I have always had insurance and used it twice, once when our luggage went missing on a flight and once when Mrs Odd was taken into hospital, the bill ran to a couple of thousand pounds even with the card we were liable for 20% plus the ambulance which I think was about a hundred pounds and the insurance paid every penny. Remember in France you only get 80% with the card so 20% of a bill for open emergency heart surgery could soon mount up.

I live in France and am in the health care system with a top level mutuelle through our business.

 

[HKF]

That's the option we have talked about as an alternative to taking out insurance.

It makes sense to me. I couldn't care less where my body ends up once I've gone. Absolutely no point in paying money to drag it from one country to another.

 

[Odd-no-more]

I live in France and am in the health care system with a top level mutuelle through our business.

So you don't need insurance, why did you post the thread ?

 

[Langtoftlad]

It's a big risk - not just to cover your own medical bills etc - but what if you cause an accident or are held responsible for someone else's death or injury...?

For £50, not worth saving a few quid

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[dunnah01]

It comes with lots of bank accounts, including Nationwide Flex Plus which also has the best breakdown cover

 

[Verteuil Man]

It depends what you mean by travel insurance. We have breakdown/recovery insurance with the CCC Arrival which is the AA. I know some have had issues with the AA and the 3500 kg limit but read the terms and conditions and they are wrong. Also Red Pennant is a one trip cover which does not cover more than 60 days ( I think. Its not 90 anyway). UK coverage is confined to your EU trip. For UK coverage you need Green Flag which is extra. The Arrival cover is 365 days both UK and EU in any vehicle you and your spouse drive.

Medical insurance is mainly covered by the EHIC/GHIC card and will get you seen in most places. You pay what an EU resident pays. We have medical insurance on top of the GHIC which is by Nationwide. All existing conditions are not covered as nothing we have is life threatening but increases the premium. We pay a bit extra because we are old and want more than the usual 65 days.

 

[HKF]

So you don't need insurance, why did you post the thread ?

Because travel insurance covers more than health issues! Lost luggage, cancellations, repatriation, lost documents etc. Also, just to see whether other people travel without.

 

[HKF]

It comes with lots of bank accounts, including Nationwide Flex Plus which also has the best breakdown cover

My UK bank accounts (Santander and Nationwide) only cover UK residents. I live in France

 

[HKF]

It depends what you mean by travel insurance. We have breakdown/recovery insurance with the CCC Arrival which is the AA. I know some have had issues with the AA and the 3500 kg limit but read the terms and conditions and they are wrong. Also Red Pennant is a one trip cover which does not cover more than 60 days ( I think. Its not 90 anyway). UK coverage is confined to your EU trip. For UK coverage you need Green Flag which is extra. The Arrival cover is 365 days both UK and EU in any vehicle you and your spouse drive.

Medical insurance is mainly covered by the EHIC/GHIC card and will get you seen in most places. You pay what an EU resident pays. We have medical insurance on top of the GHIC which is by Nationwide. All existing conditions are not covered as nothing we have is life threatening but increases the premium. We pay a bit extra because we are old and want more than the usual 65 days.

We do have breakdown with our French insurers and it's worked well in the past.

My GHIC card will cover me in the EU and the UK for health related stuff, although when I tried to use it at a UK hospital A&E they had no idea what it was. I got treated and given medication without charge. This was wrong because, as a non-UK resident, they should have taken my card details and charged the French system for my care. However, despite explaining this to them, no one knew what to do. I was actually shocked by that, as I shouldn't have been treated for free.

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[Puddleduck]

I've never had travel insurance when travelling to UK/EU destinations. Just wondering if anyone else does the same? My reasoning is;

• Insurance is normally not worth the paper it's written on
• Insurance companies will almost always try to get out of paying out on a claim
• If I'm in UK/EU, I can get medical treatment using my GHIC card
• If I'm fit enough to be discharged from hospital but not fit enough to travel, I can book into an apartment until I'm fit enough
• I've only ever had to cancel one pre-booked hotel (about £100) and that was my own fault for not booking one with free cancellation

Maybe I'm an exception but just wondering how much of an exception I might be

I would never travel without insurance from a reputable company.

I have had to make a claim on my travel insurance and it was well worth the premium. The claim was paid in full and with no quibbles.

The GHIC card only entitles you to what a resident of the country would receive so you could well end up having a co-pay element.

You may be fit enough to be discharged but who will look after you, do the shopping, cooking, cleaning etc? You are also assuming you will be able to rent an apartment or that there will be a hotel room available and that you will be well enough to make the arrangements.

It's not the cost of cancellation of travel and hotels that I would be concerned over, more the cost of repatriation.

Sorry just my thoughts.

 

[Northernraider]

I don't have it. Never had it last year either, mostly because I forgot to look early enough and partly because when I did remember to look the price was ridiculous and didn't cover some of the places I was going. I have travel insurance included in my nationwide flex account but I think it's limited to 31 days ...which tbf is stupid as it shouldn't matter when you left UK if you need to use it. But I do have savings if I needed anything that wasn't covered by ghic ...but I also have no exsisting ailments and I'm in good general health so it's a calculated risk. If I died I'd hope anyone that cared would just have me cremated here. If I was injured but not life threatening and required repatriation I'd hope I could just have someone fly out and drive the camper back with me and the dogs.

Not sure travel insurance would help much anyway when I'm solo with 4 dogs. So I guess I just hope nowt goes wrong with me while I'm away.

 

[AJM2]

I’ve always taken out annual policies. Only ever had to use it once, when my Mum fell ill when holidaying with us, saved us much more than all the premiums I’ve paid.
For what it costs why wouldn’t you?

 

[HKF]

I would never travel without insurance from a reputable company.

I have had to make a claim on my travel insurance and it was well worth the premium. The claim was paid in full and with no quibbles.

The GHIC card only entitles you to what a resident of the country would receive so you could well end up having a co-pay element.

You may be fit enough to be discharged but who will look after you, do the shopping, cooking, cleaning etc? You are also assuming you will be able to rent an apartment or that there will be a hotel room available and that you will be well enough to make the arrangements.

It's not the cost of cancellation of travel and hotels that I would be concerned over, more the cost of repatriation.

Sorry just my thoughts.

I think that's the only thing I'm missing...repatriation. It's not something I've thought about much, which is surprising for me as I normally over-think the slightest thing. I honestly don't know why I'm so casual about this

 

[scotzsue]

We do have breakdown with our French insurers and it's worked well in the past.

My GHIC card will cover me in the EU and the UK for health related stuff, although when I tried to use it at a UK hospital A&E they had no idea what it was. I got treated and given medication without charge. This was wrong because, as a non-UK resident, they should have taken my card details and charged the French system for my care. However, despite explaining this to them, no one knew what to do. I was actually shocked by that, as I shouldn't have been treated for free.

Always been the sam, uk NHS not geared up for getting payments from non resident/non entitled.

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[Langtoftlad]

I don't have it. Never had it last year either, mostly because I forgot to look early enough and partly because when I did remember to look the price was ridiculous and didn't cover some of the places I was going. I have travel insurance included in my nationwide flex account but I think it's limited to 31 days ...which tbf is stupid as it shouldn't matter when you left UK if you need to use it. But I do have savings if I needed anything that wasn't covered by ghic ...but I also have no exsisting ailments and I'm in good general health so it's a calculated risk. If I died I'd hope anyone that cared would just have me cremated here. If I was injured but not life threatening and required repatriation I'd hope I could just have someone fly out and drive the camper back with me and the dogs.

Not sure travel insurance would help much anyway when I'm solo with 4 dogs. So I guess I just hope nowt goes wrong with me while I'm away.

Are you never concerned that your dogs might cause an accident leaving you liable?
Presumably you have vehicle insurance? Is that only because it's a legal necessity?

 

[HKF]

I don't have it. Never had it last year either, mostly because I forgot to look early enough and partly because when I did remember to look the price was ridiculous and didn't cover some of the places I was going. I have travel insurance included in my nationwide flex account but I think it's limited to 31 days ...which tbf is stupid as it shouldn't matter when you left UK if you need to use it. But I do have savings if I needed anything that wasn't covered by ghic ...but I also have no exsisting ailments and I'm in good general health so it's a calculated risk. If I died I'd hope anyone that cared would just have me cremated here. If I was injured but not life threatening and required repatriation I'd hope I could just have someone fly out and drive the camper back with me and the dogs.

Not sure travel insurance would help much anyway when I'm solo with 4 dogs. So I guess I just hope nowt goes wrong with me while I'm away.

I'm very much with you, here. I have savinga that would cover most things and like to think I'd get home somehow. I, too, am fit and healthy. I realise things can go wrong very quickly but, like you, I think I have the same mind set.....a calculated risk. And the cremation thing, just get rid of me where I am! I'm gone anyway, so past caring

 

[Tombola]

what for the sake of a few quid......Nope never, I was on holiday with my sister in USA when she slipped down only a slight slope on dry sand, ankle went over and fell only off her heels,
double compound fracture bones sticking through the skin.....and a 40k bill later she was flew home first class thanks to AXA insurance

 

[DT]

Always out of the UK.

 

[HKF]

I’ve always taken out annual policies. Only ever had to use it once, when my Mum fell ill when holidaying with us, saved us much more than all the premiums I’ve paid.
For what it costs why wouldn’t you?

A calculated risk, I guess, as in my reply to NorthernRaider above. I've never made a claim yet, or been close, so I suppose it feels unimportant to me.

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[HKF]

Always been the sam, uk NHS not geared up for getting payments from non resident/non entitled.

Exactly. It made me wonder how much better off the NHS would be if they got their admin in order! I felt slightly ok with it, since I've paid all my life into the system and rarely taken much out, but I was left at a loss as to why no one had even heard of a GHIC card, let alone what to do with one. It made me wonder how much they lose every year, giving care away for free.

 

[HKF]

what for the sake of a few quid......Nope never, I was on holiday with my sister when she slipped down only a slight slope on dry sand, ankle went over and fell only off her heels,
double compound fracture bones ticking through the skin.....and a 40k bill later she was flew home first class thanks to AXA insurance

I'm covered for health and breakdown, just not other things like cancellations, loss of luggage/documents, repatriation etc.

 

[robnchris]

If you book a holiday abroad with a company, you have to prove that you have Travel Insurance.

 

[Tombola]

I'm covered for health and breakdown, just not other things like cancellations, loss of luggage/documents, repatriation etc.

Lots of house insurance, banks accounts and other things cover some of those items nowadays, maybe also check those

 

[Tombola]

If you book a holiday abroad with a company, you have to prove that you have Travel Insurance.

For most destinations outside the UK, travel insurance isn't mandatory.

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