EHIC or travel insurance for pre-existing condition

Navi48

Hi all

I am looking for a better insurance quote and more info on using the EHIC in france.  Quotes so far for a pre-existing condition are £1100 for one week to France for an 80 year old which is obviously too much to consider for a holiday. 

So can anyone recommend any other companies I could try.

In addition, I would mainly be concerned about getting emergency treatment taken care of. Not minor conditions or repatriation.  So would an EHIC card cover the cost of emergency treatment completely in france?  

Thanks

lisyloo

Yes.
but not private ambulances, taxis for anyone else, extra accomodation, cancellation of trip, curtailment etc. 
possibly bandages, prescriptions etc.

TELLIT01

It will provide you with the same level of treatment that a French national would receive.  If they have to pay towards the cost, you would have to do the same.  If it's free to them, it will be free to you.  Just make sure you don't go to a private hospital if in need of treatment.

elsien

Why would you not be considering repatriation?
 Just asking because I had a family member who ended up in intensive care in Portugal. The cost for his wife for hotels and meals and taxis back and forth to the hospital would have been unaffordable if he’d not been repatriated back to the uk. Because he was in hospital for months when he got back.

so when does emergency care turn into long-term health needs?

Navi48

lisyloo said:

Yes.
but not private ambulances, taxis for anyone else, extra accomodation, cancellation of trip, curtailment etc. 
possibly bandages, prescriptions etc.

Thanks lisyloo 
Not worried about any of that other stuff.  Just the big ticket items.  
Private ambulances would presumably only be for private hospital?

Navi48

elsien said:

Why would you not be considering repatriation?
 Just asking because I had a family member who ended up in intensive care in Portugal. The cost for his wife for hotels and meals and taxis back and forth to the hospital would have been unaffordable if he’d not been repatriated back to the uk. Because he was in hospital for months when he got back.

so when does emergency care turn into long-term health needs?

Of course repatriation makes sense so long as you're not seriously ill.  Have no idea how that would work if special vehicles and equipment were needed.  Otherwise a regular flight or train home would definitely be the preferred option

Navi48

TELLIT01 said:

It will provide you with the same level of treatment that a French national would receive.  If they have to pay towards the cost, you would have to do the same.  If it's free to them, it will be free to you.  Just make sure you don't go to a private hospital if in need of treatment.

Thanks.  Yeah I've seen that info but that doesn't tell me whether or not a French person would be covered 100% for serious emergencies and therefore so would a Brit with an EHIC.  It just says "if they have to pay".  Well do they or don't they?  Is it based on region, because i know where i'm stayin? Looking for some documentation online to clarify that but haven't as yet found anything.  

Marmaduke123

Navi, you should know that the unexpected can strike at any time, and may not be related to any existing condition. Emergency treatment is all very well, but you may well need/wish to get home after any acute phase is over, yet be unable to travel on a regular flight or train.

Please get other insurance quotes to include repatriation if needed. What you have been quoted sounds very expensive.

DullGreyGuy

Navi48 said:

elsien said:

Why would you not be considering repatriation?
 Just asking because I had a family member who ended up in intensive care in Portugal. The cost for his wife for hotels and meals and taxis back and forth to the hospital would have been unaffordable if he’d not been repatriated back to the uk. Because he was in hospital for months when he got back.

so when does emergency care turn into long-term health needs?

Of course repatriation makes sense so long as you're not seriously ill.  Have no idea how that would work if special vehicles and equipment were needed.  Otherwise a regular flight or train home would definitely be the preferred option

France isnt as bad because there is the option of a train and being fit enough to sit on a train for a few hours is a lower hurdle than being fit to fly.

With EHIC it wont work, you'll stay in hospital for as long as you are too unwell to care for yourself and on discharge may be told you wont be fit to fly for another 3 months which would mean you'd need to find lodgings for that period and deal with the immigration issues. EHIC provides no cover for any form of repatriation or post hospital accommodation etc.

Travel insurance can charter a medical evac for you where you fly in an adapted plane with doctors onboard. This potentially means you can return to the UK many months earlier than your hospital discharge in France.

Ultimately you may have no friends/family here that you'd want by your side (or they want to be near yours), you may be bi-lingual and be as comfortable in a French hospital for a year as a UK one and similarly would be happy were you forced to spend an extra few months in France post hospital. In which case insurance provides a service you dont need... many others would prefer to spend their time in hospital closer to home