Do I need travel insurance for The Netherlands?

esuhl

I have an EHIC, but should I also get travel insurance for a 3 day trip to the Netherlands in 2 weeks' time?

I'm probably prepared to accept the risk of most insurable events. I won't be taking anything expensive or doing anything risky. I'm a healthy 39 year old.

It's a cheap trip -- £70 flight and £30/day AirBnB. So I can't see it being likely that anything will go wrong, and if it does, I can afford the loss -- the excess will probably be at least half of any vaguely possible loss.

The only thing I'm concerned about is medical treatment, in the unlikely possibility that I break a leg, or get assaulted, or hit by a car... whatever.

The EHIC card guarantees equivalent treatment to what local citizens would receive from the state. So, were The Netherlands were to have an identical service to the NHS, then I wouldn't need travel insurance.

So I tried to find out how the Dutch health system works, and it seems that general health/injury is dealt with by a public-NHS-like system; while chronic/terminal illnesses are dealt with by insurance.

So... wouldn't insurance for such a short trip, so soon in the future, where I am healthy, have nothing worth stealing, to a country with a decent healthcare system, where everyone speaks English... be rather pointless...?

Any thoughts...?

PeacefulWaters

Imagine a severe medical situation where you're plugged into various machines and it will cost you £12,000 to get back to the uk.

Can you afford it?

Caz3121

Insurance would likely be under £10.....I would take it

photome

Caz3121 wrote: »

Insurance would likely be under £10.....I would take it

so would I

dj1471

Personally I never get travel insurance for trips within the area covered by the EHIC. It might not cost a lot but it adds up if you take lots of short trips.

You're either prepared to accept the risks or you're not, nobody here can answer that for you

FBaby

Imagine a severe medical situation where you're plugged into various machines and it will cost you £12,000 to get back to the uk.

That's the key concern and just for this reason, I think any basic insurance is always worth taking.

photome

dj1471 wrote: »

Personally I never get travel insurance for trips within the area covered by the EHIC. It might not cost a lot but it adds up if you take lots of short trips.

You're either prepared to accept the risks or you're not, nobody here can answer that for you

there have been a few post over the years asking what to do next when no travel insurance has been taken out, its rarely a great ending.

as for lots of trips, a yearly policy doesnt cost much and can even be included with some bank accounts. I can understand self insuring but it only needs that one expensive medical/accident incident to make you ask "why didnt i get insurance!

bigadaj

There's free European cover with nationwides fled account.

NiftyDigits

There is a world of difference compared to what EHIC offers:

richardw

dj1471 wrote: »

.... It might not cost a lot but it adds up if you take lots of short trips..

If you can't afford insurance for medical cover and repatriation to the UK, then don't go, that's money saving and not getting insurance isn't.

Doshwaster

dj1471 wrote: »

Personally I never get travel insurance for trips within the area covered by the EHIC. It might not cost a lot but it adds up if you take lots of short trips.

You're either prepared to accept the risks or you're not, nobody here can answer that for you

That's where an annual policy comes in. I have worldwide cover (including US but excluding winter sports as I don't do any) for about £30. I take about 6 overseas trips a year so I consider that very good value for money.