I cannot obtain a GHIC card

soundblaster

After watching the Martin Lewis show i learned a lot about the EHIC card now replaced by the new GHIC card. The advice was very good.
I have never had either of these cards. I realise you need holiday insurance, and having one of these cards helps cover you for minor accidents in 27 European countries for example. 
I took his advice about going to the official NHS website to apply for one and typed in my name and address on an online form to find it came back and said "I have to be British"
I was upset by this because i am from the Isle of Man. I may as well be from Asia or Africa, i have no rights whatsoever to obtain one.
I contacted the NHS website help on Facebook and they said "I can complain" "I have to be British, the Isle of Man is not part of Europe"
This is totally unfair as it means relying 100% on Holiday insurance which i read is notorious for not paying out.
I have not been on Holiday in Europe before, but people tell me that say i had a heart attack or stroke or was taken ill that i have to pay for the Hospital treatment myself and that when i return i have to hope that the Insurance will pay out?
This is ridiculous, what if the bill was £5,000 or £10,000 or even £100,000. How could i be expected to pay this upfront when i do not have that kind of money then worry about if the insurance company would pay out, say i took ill in Spain or France?
What would i do here? Do i say "Sorry i do not havge the money, here is a copy of my insurance document, you will have to ring them"?
My main way of paying for anything is a debit card, would i need a credit card to borrow this amount of money on it and then get back home and hope the Insurance company will payout?
Here on the Isle of Man we have people in their 80s with existing medical conditions who cannot afford the insurance and cannot even get an GHIC card or anything.
Who can take up this case, because with problems like this, i would be too scared to ever go on holiday having to pay for such things up front 

jonesMUFCforever

Yeah right.
Please tell me that you would not travel abroad to any country without appropriate travel insurance?

silvercar

any large expense would be met directly by your insurer, it’s only small expenses where you are expected to pay out and then seek reimbursement.

unforeseen

I'm surprised a Manx resident wasn't aware of this, especially if born and bred on the Island. 

https://www.gov.im/news/2016/jul/07/public-reminded-of-need-for-travel-insurance-when-visiting-eu-countries/

  The Isle of Man is not part of the UK, a member of the EU or of the EEA, so people living on the Island are not – and never have been – eligible to use the EHIC scheme.

Caz3121

soundblaster said:

relying 100% on Holiday insurance which i read is notorious for not paying out.
I have not been on Holiday in Europe before, but people tell me that say i had a heart attack or stroke or was taken ill that i have to pay for the Hospital treatment myself and that when i return i have to hope that the Insurance will pay out?
This is ridiculous, what if the bill was £5,000 or £10,000 or even £100,000. 

Maybe look at factual sources and real experiences rather than listening to stories about " a friend's cousin's neighbour" (or similar)
Insurance policies will pay out for things covered by the policy, they do not pay out for things that are not. Some people may choose to ignore pre-existing conditions or 'forget' to declare elements which can come back to bite them should they need to make a claim. Some people simply don't read or understand what they are buying and may choose policy types that are not appropriate for their travel, (because they showed as the cheapest) potentially finding themselves uncovered (eg travelling for a year and buying an annual policy without reading that there is a maximum trip duration of 30 days)
Some years ago my father took ill aboard, the insurance company were fantastic and arranged his healthcare in a private clinic for a two week period before arranging for replacement flights with a doctor having been sent out from the UK to accompany him back. The insurance covered all these costs directly (nothing to 'claim back')

bagand96

soundblaster said:

Who can take up this case, because with problems like this, i would be too scared to ever go on holiday having to pay for such things up front 

You would have to start with Tynwald. The Isle of Man is self Governing. It isn't part of the UK. It isn't part of the EU (and wasn't part of the EU when the UK was). 

The EHIC was an EU scheme for EU residents. Now the UK has left the EU, the UK Government has decided to replace it with GHIC for UK residents. 

If you want to see a similar scheme for Isle of Man residents, take it up your Isle of Man Government. 

In terms of travel insurance, get a decent policy with a decent provider. @Caz3121 provides a good example of how it can work, it's not always as bad as you are expecting. Many companies will step in and deal directly with hospitals when required. Especially for large cost treatments. 

zagfles

soundblaster said:

After watching the Martin Lewis show i learned a lot about the EHIC card now replaced by the new GHIC card. The advice was very good.
I have never had either of these cards. I realise you need holiday insurance, and having one of these cards helps cover you for minor accidents in 27 European countries for example. 
I took his advice about going to the official NHS website to apply for one and typed in my name and address on an online form to find it came back and said "I have to be British"
I was upset by this because i am from the Isle of Man. I may as well be from Asia or Africa, i have no rights whatsoever to obtain one.
I contacted the NHS website help on Facebook and they said "I can complain" "I have to be British, the Isle of Man is not part of Europe"
This is totally unfair as it means relying 100% on Holiday insurance which i read is notorious for not paying out.
I have not been on Holiday in Europe before, but people tell me that say i had a heart attack or stroke or was taken ill that i have to pay for the Hospital treatment myself and that when i return i have to hope that the Insurance will pay out?
This is ridiculous, what if the bill was £5,000 or £10,000 or even £100,000. How could i be expected to pay this upfront when i do not have that kind of money then worry about if the insurance company would pay out, say i took ill in Spain or France?
What would i do here? Do i say "Sorry i do not havge the money, here is a copy of my insurance document, you will have to ring them"?
My main way of paying for anything is a debit card, would i need a credit card to borrow this amount of money on it and then get back home and hope the Insurance company will payout?
Here on the Isle of Man we have people in their 80s with existing medical conditions who cannot afford the insurance and cannot even get an GHIC card or anything.
Who can take up this case, because with problems like this, i would be too scared to ever go on holiday having to pay for such things up front 

Your government, obviously. Perhaps you should start a campaign to join the UK, or maybe for the same tax rates as the UK so your government can afford this sort of thing.

elsien

If someone can’t afford travel insurance, they certainly can’t afford the costs associated with not having it.
My 80 year old relative had to be airlifted from a cruise ship to a Portuguese hospital, spend several weeks in intensive care there, have a repatriation flight home, and the added accommodation and other costs of his wife staying in the city with him. 
Pretty sure that wouldn’t be covered by a GHIC. 

Nannytone

You complain about being treated as if you are African or Asian who are not UK citizens.
But you are not a UK citizen either so why should you be treated differently?

mattyprice4004

You're not a UK citizen, that's your problem - so you can't have a GHIC card.

Scotland get free prescriptions, can I complain that I'm only just across the border but I'm being treated by the Scottish government like I'm from Asia / Africa? I can, but I'd look silly - a bit like this thread.

soundblaster

mattyprice4004 said:

You're not a UK citizen, that's your problem - so you can't have a GHIC card.

Scotland get free prescriptions, can I complain that I'm only just across the border but I'm being treated by the Scottish government like I'm from Asia / Africa? I can, but I'd look silly - a bit like this thread.

It is not silly as you put it.
If the UK people can obtain one so should we.
There are people on this Island who cannot go on Holiday because of it because of existing medical conditions and or being too old.
Insurance companies are not reliable and overcharge if you do not have one of these cards, unfair on the elderly you cannot be bothered to think about, unlike me. Just because it does not affect me personally does not mean i come on here writing as you did!
I could have a selfish attitude just like because that area does not affect me personally, however it affect them.
We have every right to be treated the same as everyone else here because we are a part of the British Isles!