Lets have another holiday thread to brighten us up.....where will you (hopefully) be going ?

[BoldonLad]

Presumably you mean wouldn’t expect?

Sorry, I will edit

 

[ColinJ]

Quite. Same in Spain, France, etc. The EHIC Card entitles you, as a visitor, to same State provided treatment as a citizen of that (EU) Country. You wouldn't expect to roll up to a Spire Hospital in UK, and get free treatment (unless it was an NHS outsourcing exercise).

When I was on one of my cycling holidays in Spain one of the other riders was struck a glancing blow by a truck coming towards him round a bend. He was lucky not to have been killed, but he did have some unpleasant injuries. He got taken off to hospital...

That evening he came into the hotel restaurant heavily bandaged, and with his arm in a sling. He had gone to a hospital where he could use his EHIC but someone there told him that he might have to wait 10-12 hours to be seen. If he went to the private hospital down the road, they would see him straight away, so he did. He paid for the treatment on his credit card after phoning his travel insurance company to make sure that they would reimburse him.

 

[BoldonLad]

When I was on one of my cycling holidays in Spain one of the other riders was struck a glancing blow by a truck coming towards him round a bend. He was lucky not to have been killed, but he did have some unpleasant injuries. He got taken off to hospital...

That evening he came into the hotel restaurant heavily bandaged, and with his arm in a sling. He had gone to a hospital where he could use his EHIC but someone there told him that he might have to wait 10-12 hours to be seen. If he went to the private hospital down the road, they would see him straight away, so he did. He paid for the treatment on his credit card after phoning his travel insurance company to make sure that they would reimburse him.

My personal experience when hospitalised in Spain, was briefly as follows: Ambulance with two paramedics arrived quickly, gave me immediate treatment, took me to hospital, treated immediately in A&E, then, entered the "further tests" routine (eg ECG, X-Ray, Scan etc). The later experience was very NHS like, ie waiting around for a porter, then, small queue at each testing point. They did find a nurse who spoke English, to tag along with me.

I did not actually have my EHIC Card, or Passport, on my person, they accepted my UK driving licence as proof that I was an UK/EU Citizen.

Discharge from hospital was interesting, I had been taken there in an Ambulance, and, had no idea where I actually was, iPhone and Google Maps saved the day, to find my way back to Cordoba City Centre and Bus Station

 

[GrandadRob]

PK99 thanks for that very reassuring.
Archie. Check out that Natwest travel insurance, we have an Axa one through Lloyds bank, they have bailed out of covid cover, and their total cancellation cover is useless for a good holiday.

 

[vickster]

NatWest insurance doesn’t cover Covid either

 

[PK99]

NatWest insurance doesn’t cover Covid either

First Directory does. Policy is fully covid secure. Before our non Madeira trip I called about another medical cover issue, mentioning in passing our booked Covid tests, the call handler volunteered confirmation that had they been positive all cancellation losses would be covered.

 

[vickster]

First Directory does. Policy is fully covid secure. Before our non Madeira trip I called about another medical cover issue, mentioning in passing our booked Covid tests, the call handler volunteered confirmation that had they been positive all cancellation losses would be covered.

I bank with Natwest however and no intention of changing after 30 years and @GrandadRob mentioned Natwest not FD

You also need to be covered for treatment should you get sick with Covid on holiday

 

[PK99]

My personal experience when hospitalised in Spain, was briefly as follows: Ambulance with two paramedics arrived quickly, gave me immediate treatment, took me to hospital, treated immediately in A&E, then, entered the "further tests" routine (eg ECG, X-Ray, Scan etc). The later experience was very NHS like, ie waiting around for a porter, then, small queue at each testing point. They did find a nurse who spoke English, to tag along with me.

I did not actually have my EHIC Card, or Passport, on my person, they accepted my UK driving licence as proof that I was an UK/EU Citizen.

Discharge from hospital was interesting, I had been taken there in an Ambulance, and, had no idea where I actually was, iPhone and Google Maps saved the day, to find my way back to Cordoba City Centre and Bus Station

My wife's experience of a week in hospital in Moutiers, France, with a fractured pelvis before they would declare her fit-to-fly, was that the EHIC covered 80% of the cost and a credit card for the balance was needed before discharge papers would be issued.

 

[PK99]

I bank with Natwest however and no intention of changing after 30 years and @GrandadRob mentioned Natwest not FD

You also need to be covered for treatment should you get sick with Covid on holiday

That too was covered.

 

[BoldonLad]

My wife's experience of a week in hospital in Moutiers, France, with a fractured pelvis before they would declare her fit-to-fly, was that the EHIC covered 80% of the cost and a credit card for the balance was needed before discharge papers would be issued.

As I said, in my example, my wife's dental treatment did incur a charge (as it would have at an NHS Dentist in UK). It is my understanding that I could have reclaimed that charge from the UK Government/NHS (not sure which). There is, or, was until recently, a department based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne dedicated to such refunds. In the event, the French charge was significantly less than the fee would have been for the same treatment in the UK. I therefore thought it churlish to attempt a reclaim, and so, did not bother.

I am no expert on the French Healthcare System, but, I can only assume that a French person, undergoing the same treatment would have had to pay 20% (it may be possible for said French person to have insurance to cover this?), this being the terms of the EHIC Card, ie to treat a visiting UK/EU Citizen the same as a native as the country being visited.

 

[TheDoctor]

We prefer not to plan, but, rather, just to go!, usually, to mainland Europe for 2-3 months, a couple of times a year (the joy of retirement).

Assuming "recreational travel" opens up in 2021, I doubt our usual options will be possible, "random" travel in the UK, without bookings, is always problematic, and, additional costs (mainly health insurance) for mainland Europe, make that option doubtful.

I think we will have to become boring, and learn to plan and book.

Restricted to 90 days in a rolling 180 day period in 2021. Thanks, Brexit!

 

[postman]

5 days Seahouses airbnb.Already booked.Newbiggin by the sea, was brilliant this year.Loads of walks coffee shops and old fashioned and quaint.

 

[BoldonLad]

Restricted to 90 days in a rolling 180 day period in 2021. Thanks, Brexit!

Dont rub it in! I voted Remain.

 

[Dave7]

5 days Seahouses airbnb.Already booked.Newbiggin by the sea, was brilliant this year.Loads of walks coffee shops and old fashioned and quaint.

We found Seahouses to be 'dead'. We went for the bird watching which was excellent but the place itself had nothing going for it

 

[postman]

We found Seahouses to be 'dead'. We went for the bird watching which was excellent but the place itself had nothing going for it

Oh dear I won't tell Mrs P.Thanks for the tip.