EHIC - Do we need one?

Quite simply,for our ski trip to Austria on Saturday we have taken out holiday insurance, Do we really need EHIC cards?

Is it not a little bit late to be worrying about it now? I doubt you could get them for Saturday ;)

I don't know the system for charging after skiing accidents, although I spend a lot of time in Austria. My European Health Card was free and came very quickly, though getting it by Saturday might be pushing it.

The only insider tip I can give is that I met someone here who arranged ambunlance flights, she said the best insurance in terms of getting patients' needs paid for was Visa. She also said that flying hospital cases to the UK was a nightmare because NHS is often unable to confirm there is a bed available.....and without that confirmation the flight will not leave. In those cases I suppose it helps to have an insurer who will pay for a longer stay than the technical minimum you are covered for.

I have never had to use mine but I always travel with it

Maybe worth mentioning that with insurance cover, off-piste may be excluded. So if you ever feel like nipping down the side of the piste or up a mound of powder, it might be worth having the health card for backup.

I have never had to have medical treatment while ski-ing, but I would have thought the insurers wouldn't pay out for private treatment whilst the basic free treatment we are entitled to as EU citizens is available. So, I would say get what you can free and then pay for the extra in the expectation that the insurers will refund you.

I would also think that if you bring your NHS medical card with you, and possibly your National Insurance number, if you haven't got the EHIC, then you would probably get the free treatment because they could check that you are entitled to it, but, again I may be wrong.

So, I would say the answer to the question is 'Yes' you do need the EHIC, but if you can't get one in time, bring your NHS medical card and N.I. number.

Ally

I would never travel without mine.

I would say you should apply today for one, you may get it very quickly, ours took a couple of days to arrive.
Look at http://www.ehic.org and make up you mind if you need one - we never go abroad without ours.

Edit - I see you ask if you need them, not if you should apply, meaning you might already have them. If you have take them.