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MSE News: Three million let their EHIC expire...

Former_MSE_Callum
Former_MSE_Callum Posts: 696 Forumite
Third Anniversary 10 Posts I've been Money Tipped! Newshound!
in Overseas holidays & travel planning
Almost three million people let their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) run out in 2017, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. If you're due to travel in other European countries, check now if yours is still in date...
Read the full story:
'Three million let their EHIC expire last year - check yours now'
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  • kathrynha
    kathrynha Posts: 2,469 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Not sure why this is news.


    Three million people who have previously been on holiday in Europe chose not to last year. The EHIC card is something you only need if you travel to Europe, so no reason to renew it if you aren't planning on travelling to Europe
    Zebras rock
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    kathrynha wrote: »
    Three million people who have previously been on holiday in Europe chose not to last year.

    Source please?
  • mgdavid
    mgdavid Posts: 6,710 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 13 March 2018 at 8:54PM
    !!! wrote: »
    Source please?

    Good question! ..
    The questions that get the best answers are the questions that give most detail....
  • epm-84
    epm-84 Posts: 2,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 13 March 2018 at 2:11PM
    kathrynha wrote: »
    Not sure why this is news.

    Three million people who have previously been on holiday in Europe chose not to last year. The EHIC card is something you only need if you travel to Europe, so no reason to renew it if you aren't planning on travelling to Europe

    There was actually a 7% increase in the number of European holidays taken by British people in 2017 compared to 2016. Croatia saw the largest number of British holiday makers ever, getting almost twice as many British holiday makers as in previous years.

    Possibly people are getting EU breaks in before Brexit when potentially flights and insurance might increase significantly in price?

    Yes there probably are some people who didn't go to Europe last year who didn't in previous years but if you go anywhere by plane it's advisable to have an EHIC. For example, when the volcanic ash cloud happened a few years back many people had an unexpected stopover in Spain.
  • epm-84
    epm-84 Posts: 2,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    mgdavid wrote: »
    Para 3 of the linked article, should you choose to read it!

    Maybe you should have chosen to read the claim made in the part of kathrynha's post quoted before posting!
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,835 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    kathrynha wrote: »
    Three million people who have previously been on holiday in Europe chose not to last year.
    If that's an assumption from reading the article it's not valid - the figures given show that three million people allowed their EHIC to expire without renewing it. Perhaps most of them subsequently did renew or reapply.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • NoodleDoodleMan
    NoodleDoodleMan Posts: 4,462 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Do EHIC cardholders get a reminder when it's due to expire ?

    If not, the fall in renewals is very likely a result of ignorance, rather than a conscious decision to let it lapse.
  • mgdavid
    mgdavid Posts: 6,710 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    epm-84 wrote: »
    Maybe you should have chosen to read the claim made in the part of kathrynha's post quoted before posting!

    You're absolutely right - I misread it! Post amended.
    The questions that get the best answers are the questions that give most detail....
  • kathrynha
    kathrynha Posts: 2,469 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    !!! wrote: »
    Source please?


    It's just a sensible assumption to make based on the fact that 3 million let it expire.
    Zebras rock
  • PeacefulWaters
    PeacefulWaters Posts: 8,495 Forumite
    edited 14 March 2018 at 8:55AM
    kathrynha wrote: »
    It's just a sensible assumption to make based on the fact that 3 million let it expire.

    It's a guess. The lack of renewal reminder is going to be the key reason. That's a guess too, but seems more sensible.
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