Holiday from England to Belfast with no travel insurance?

froggylegs

Hi, can anyone advise?  I cannot get travel insurance as all say I’m too risky and they won’t give me a quote.  Had dreadful 12 months with cancer diagnosis out the blue Oct 2023 (now cancer free) followed by breaking my neck in Feb 2024,  unstable, huge surgery.  Got sepsis and pneumonia while in hospital.  Still not discharged by neurosurgeon but recovering well, back at work etc.  

Am I safe to book a holiday in Belfast with no travel insurance?  If I had a fall and re broke my neck (which I’m told would likely happen from a simple fall from standing), would i get full free NHS care, including recovery flight home, without travel insurance?

Many thanks in advance.

user1977

Although administered separately in each nation, your entitlement to NHS care works throughout the UK, if that's what you're asking? I'm not sure what they'd do in practice about getting you home (if anything), but I can't see why it would be different in principle from you being hospitalised somewhere else in England.

p00hsticks

froggylegs said:

Am I safe to book a holiday in Belfast with no travel insurance?  If I had a fall and re broke my neck (which I’m told would likely happen from a simple fall from standing), would i get full free NHS care, including recovery flight home, without travel insurance?

I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine that you'd get transport home.

I know several people who have been hospitalised while on holiday within the UK (one is still there) and in each case they have simply been treated in the hospital local to where they fell ill until they are ready for discharge (at which point a hospital generally tends to expect you to arrange your own transport home). 

froggylegs

Thanks both, for your replies, much appreciated.

elsien

If at some point In a prolonged stay they were looking at you being closer to home, the argument would be between the two relevant NHS Trusts and would likely be the cheapest safest transport option if it was agreed. So potentially an ambulance and a ferry rather than a flight. 

That would be if you were coming back to England to a hospital there. No-one is going to be paying your transport to get home if you’re being discharged home rather than being  transferred between hospitals. 

SiliconChip

There are a couple of posts in this recent thread on the Travel board regarding NHS repatriation between countries in the UK that may be of interest.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6549374/repatriation-costs-after-accident-within-uk

DullGreyGuy

What will happen in practice will depend a lot on the circumstances, if you are well enough to be transported by different mechanisms, what support network you have in the two areas etc. Certainly the NHS will fund moving you in some circumstances but not all. Its also one of those things you typically have to ask for, if you dont ask then its rare that they'll offer unless you're talking about it being hard not seeing your kids/spouse etc

Eldi_Dos

What type of bank account have you got, some accounts include travel insurance.Not sure if that includes while in UK but would be worth asking.

Brie

Eldi_Dos said:

What type of bank account have you got, some accounts include travel insurance.Not sure if that includes while in UK but would be worth asking.

need to check the T&Cs though as our travel insurance through our bank wouldn't cover my OH.  I would have understood if it wouldn't cover him for having another heart attack but they couldn't say if they would cover our luggage or anything.  I was covered if I travelled by myself but not with him.