Travel Insurance - Medical

Medical Treatment
One of the main elements of travel insurance is cover for medical treatment. Medical treatment can be very expensive possibly running into tens of thousands of pounds and if you do not have adequate cover the costs could seriously affect you possibly at a time when you are least able to cope. For example the average cost of heart surgery in the U.S. is $60,000 and if you break a leg in Switzerland treatment will cost about £3,500.
Limited cover is provided in certain countries through reciprocal arrangements with the UK government. Some insurance policies may require that you use these "free" entitlements where ever possible.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Guides to buying travel insurance
Travel insurance guide 2.

Travel to Europe (The European Union)

The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) replaces the old E111. This entitles you to whatever, necessary, state provided medical treatment that is available free, or at reduced cost in the EU country (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) that you are visiting. This can include treatment for pre-existing chronic conditions, provided that getting treatment for this is not the main purpose of your trip. This can be useful if your Travel Medical Insurance excludes the pre-existing condition or if the cover that you would require is so expensive that you cannot afford it, as it offers an additional safety net.

Apply online here European Health Insurance Card

Note: The EHIC does not cover you for the cost of repatriation to the UK and the Department of Health's advice is:
“You are advised to take out comprehensive private insurance for visits to all countries, regardless of whether you are covered by your EHIC.”

British Embassy Athens advice “We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.”

The BBC has a useful page on travel requirements including insurance here.

Countries outside the EU

Other states that have a reciprocal medical treatment agreement with the UK include the following list. The entitlement varies and can be limited to certain age groups or be limited in other ways. Follow the link to Country-by-country guide to entitlements to check what your entitlement may be.

Anguilla
Armenia
Australia
Azerbaijan
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Channel Islands
Croatia
Falkland Islands
Georgia
Gibraltar
Isle of Man
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Macedonia
Moldova
Montenegro
Montserrat
New Zealand
Romania
Russia
St. Helena
Serbia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uzbekistan
Ukraine

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Don't leave reading the small print until you need to make a claim. If you do it may be too late if you find that you have not complied with a specific requirement of the policy......................

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site has “Country specific travel advice”. Follow this link and click on “Travel Advice”. http://www.fco.gov.uk/