Declan Breen
New Member
Hi, just a quick question in relation to getting insurance. Is this necessary or will the European health insurance card be sufficient
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Hi, just a quick question in relation to getting insurance. Is this necessary or will the European health insurance card be sufficient
I thought the problem was Expats using the card in spite of the fact they lived in Spain ...
BTW IIRC the current EU rules now allow what amounts to medical tourism. If you're home country has long waiting lists you could hop across the border with the bill heading to your home government. At least that's my memory of what is supposed to happen this year.
EU expats who live in Spain as legal residents are covered under the full regional health plan where they live.
It would be interesting to compare what the EHIC descriptions say about care in each of the EU countries!
Hi
I walked the Camino in 2012 and took out a travel insurance ontop of my Health Card to safe guard myself and family back home...
take a look at this link I found it very good value for money..
https://www.247travelinsurance.co.u...F9B32DA74DEA63B812EF883B&sid=186#policySelect
I hope it is of some help..
Buen Camino
Bryan![]()
Hi Bryan,
Thank you for the link, seems a competitive site, which option did you go for?
Blessings
Blu
Hi Graham,
I went for the Backpacker and Long-stay and will be doing the same this coming May for my next Camino...
when you complete the purchase your policy with all details and contacts is ready to print off so I printed 2 copies and left one at home and took 2 copies in separate waterproof pouches just in case one got wet on route... it is a good price and gave me peace of mind...
I hope this is of some help
Bryan
Please be careful people! Has anybody here actually put in a claim with that insurance broker? With success? That website doesn't go, as far as I can see, to one insurance company but to a broker who might or might not be interested in customer service! SY
Last year in Spain I had to attend the emergency dept. at Lugo hospital. They asked for two things before they could start looking at my problem, these were my passport and my travel insurance. They copied these to keep for future reference if needed. Luckily they were not, but the lesson was clear. ALWAYS take a copy of your travel insurance document with you.Hi Graham,
I went for the Backpacker and Long-stay and will be doing the same this coming May for my next Camino...
when you complete the purchase your policy with all details and contacts is ready to print off so I printed 2 copies and left one at home and took 2 copies in separate waterproof pouches just in case one got wet on route... it is a good price and gave me peace of mind...
I hope this is of some help
Bryan
The entire policy, Alan? Or just the card?Last year in Spain I had to attend the emergency dept. at Lugo hospital. They asked for two things before they could start looking at my problem, these were my passport and my travel insurance. They copied these to keep for future reference if needed. Luckily they were not, but the lesson was clear. ALWAYS take a copy of your travel insurance document with you.
Alan
Be brave. Life is joyous.
The entire policy, Alan? Or just the card?
Gracias, Alan. We have a similar laminated membership card with Allianz which is handy to carry. (Photocopied and kept with credit and debit cards of course). I am anticipating a wonderful camino for us - our memories of walking the VDLP are still bright and precious, although this will be totally different, as it is every time, isn't it!Hola Lynne!
I buy my travel insurance online [ from a company called Online Travel Insurance, would you believe!] and they supply a Travel Insurance Receipt/Certificate which I print off and take with me as proof of insurance. This is one page, A4 size. I also print off a second page to take with me, that has the phone numbers to call when you might need assistance from the insurance company. The company that backs O.T.I. is Allianz.
I hope you have the best time on the VDLP - I loved it 3 years ago.
Alan
Be brave. Life is joyous.
Please be careful people! Has anybody here actually put in a claim with that insurance broker? With success? That website doesn't go, as far as I can see, to one insurance company but to a broker who might or might not be interested in customer service! SY
Forgot to add: Check with your credit / debt card provider, often some sort of travel insurance is already included in your contract and an upgrade is available at reasonable prices. I also can recommend this book (not Camino specific, more general travel advice) that covers all these topics in great depth: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PB1QF4/?tag=casaivar02-20
Buen Camino! SY
Mai / June this year from Prague to Santiago (see http://praguesantiago.eu/) ok, not much to see yet, still working on that blog ;-) SY
Mai / June this year from Prague to Santiago (see http://praguesantiago.eu/) ok, not much to see yet, still working on that blog ;-) SY
Hi. I try to get best travel insurance for me and my wife I am with BUPA travel, been with them a very very long time. Tried and tested but not cheap 310£ for annual insurance.OH, also, just read reviews on 24/7 insurance and it does NOT make for good reading!
Blessings
Blu
It would be interesting to compare what the EHIC descriptions say about care in each of the EU countries!
I used CAAI have a Blue Cross Travel pak but am wondering how much coverage is needed/enough and if there are other providers with better ( I know, relative term) coverage. What do other Canadians use?
Hello
Insurance companies make exclusions for Existing Medical Conditions - I had cancer and I take medication now for suppression and I need life long follow-up (I'm in good health now!!) ... will I need specialist cover? I'm pretty sure I'm not alone with this on the forum so I'm curious how others dealt with this.
I wanted it stipulated on a travel insurance policy that my husband had major spinal reconstruction last year. I didn't want him to have a fall while we are away and have the travel insurance say it was a pre-existing injury. It taught me a lot about reading policy documents. I even rang one company and asked to speak to a representative from their medical team to see if he was covered (and he wasn't). I finally found a company that would issue a policy stating the surgery procedures that were performed. It cost more, of course, but we have peace of mind that it is all fully disclosed.
It is an Australian company. Insurance companies make a big noise about what they cover but when I rang one to enquire about pre-existing conditions I was told they weren't covered BUT we cover ALL of these things which the consultant listed....all basic and covered by all travel insurance companies...so in effect that is ALL they cover and nothing else! It sounds impressive but it's not. We have a governing insurance council in Australia and I also rang them for companies that might offer cover for pre-existing conditions. There were only two that they knew of, one of which turned us down (after submitting medical information) but the other was only too happy to cover us...again at a higher cost, but I felt that someone did actually see we were trying to do the right thing.Sriyantra - was the policy from an international company? I've found a few links from Kanga's post... I dont mind paying more, i just want to be sure I'm covered and there's not some catch-all opt out that blames everything on the pre-existing condition. I think I've found a few but it's always good to get personal recommendations.
Kanga - many thanks for the links.
CClearly and Cher - I agree that health cover is the most important thing but having totted up how much I have spent to get kitted out (as a first timer), I do feel it's worth investigating how much it will cost to insure... but I agree the medical cover is more important... but a little peace of mind in all directions is alway useful. I've since read that the NOMAD policy is on the expensive side and I've booked marked a few companies to contact.
Many thanks for the comments... as with everything in life it's always good to get recommendations.
Hi Declan I've been looking into this because of recent experience with a friend in France the EHIC was OK initially and thank goodness his mortgage policy covered him for flight back to UK. So far I'm having a problem because when you go into the fine print I discover questions like - do you have a pre-existing injury, have you visited your doctor in the last 6 months, would your doctor say you were fit enough ... might be straightforward for you but I do have arthritis in my ankle and if anyone out there knows who I could try???Hi, just a quick question in relation to getting insurance. Is this necessary or will the European health insurance card be sufficient
...so in effect that is ALL they cover and nothing else! It sounds impressive but it's not. We have a governing insurance council in Australia and I also rang them for companies that might offer cover for pre-existing conditions. There were only two that they knew of, one of which turned us down (after submitting medical information) but the other was only too happy to cover us...again at a higher cost, but I felt that someone did actually see we were trying to do the right thing.
We also have insurance brokers. I rang 4 and all said they would get back to me. I am still waiting!
Yes, it's a problem getting cover if you have a pre-existing condition - most insurers don't want to know. But if you don't declare they may avoid the whole policy, even if a claim is not related to a pre-existing condition - or if it is murky. For instance you break your leg. What happens if treatment for cancer might have contributed to osteoporosis?
My thoughts totally Kanga... and a very real exampe for me. I am covered a bit with my EHIC and my husband could also drive down and collect me to a point... and as French resident I only have to get back over the border for treatment... but I would just like the peace of mind. I've been given the details of a couple of companies that insure for cancer (even thought I'm cancer free) - I guess this must be a problem for a lot of people for a range of reasons... I'm waiting to hear back... I'm sure there is a policy out there for me... but I dont want to find out there's a problem when I already have a serious problem to deal with.![]()
We are with Nationwide bank, so had to buy extra days last year up to around 50. This year, because my husband is now 75, that also has meant additional premium. He also has 2 new meds, related to quite minor problems, so this also incurs more cost. However, the total this year comes to £170. For peace of mind re repatriation costs, especially, I feel this is a worthwhile expenditure out of the total for our trip.My wife and I have a quite good travel insurance already, organised through my bank. We will be starting our first camino on 4th September from SJPDP. With this in mind I checked earlier today to see if we could get the insurance cover extended (from its current 31 days for any single trip) to cover 50 days. The response that I got was quite ridiculous. Apparently we are not covered, at all, for hiking/rambling/trekking unless accompanied by a qualified guide. They are quite adamant about this and not open to any alteration.
So that leaves us in the position of trying to find a good travel insurance company that will cover us for up to 50 days, bearing in mind that I am 72 and my wife is 68. Has anyone else had this problem and /or can you suggest any good companies providing such insurance for UK based clients?
Thanks for the reply. I quite agree that the cost of the travel insurance is well worthwhile. But the problem with our existing insurance provider is that they will not cover me for anything as I am over 70yrs old, but it still covers my wife (68), but even so will cover my wife for "Hiking and Trekking up to 5000 metres altitude" ONLY if accompanied by a qualified guide. (Brainless mindsets spring to mind ).We are with Nationwide bank, so had to buy extra days last year up to around 50. This year, because my husband is now 75, that also has meant additional premium. He also has 2 new meds, related to quite minor problems, so this also incurs more cost. However, the total this year comes to £170. For peace of mind re repatriation costs, especially, I feel this is a worthwhile expenditure out of the total for our trip.
I suggest you go to a local insurance broker; the cover you need is definitely out there and it may be easier to get help via a broker. Make it clear that you are not doing a "trek", just a long walk!Thanks for the reply. I quite agree that the cost of the travel insurance is well worthwhile. But the problem with our existing insurance provider is that they will not cover me for anything as I am over 70yrs old, but it still covers my wife (68), but even so will cover my wife for "Hiking and Trekking up to 5000 metres altitude" ONLY if accompanied by a qualified guide. (Brainless mindsets spring to mind ).
Your cover with Nationwide Bank seems much more reasonable, but we bank with HSBC and it's not really feasible to swap banks just for better insurance cover. Your policy seems to allow some flexibility i.e. paying for extended periods or greater ages limits, unfortunately HSBC seem to have everything set in stone. We'll keep looking......
Good advice. Check your particular cards details!!! As I've said above, mine offers great insurance but not all of them do!Just a caution I thought I would pass on - if you are relying on travel insurance that your credit card offers then have a good look at it. The time of our flight from Santiago to Madrid has been changed and when I picked up the new ticket from the travel agent we started to talking about travel insurance. The agent told me that they are astounded at the number of people going overseas believing that their credit card travel insurance is all they need, or they haven't read the fine print re using their card to qualify for the insurance. When they need the insurance they find out that there are all sorts of loopholes. Check it out if you intend getting your insurance that way.
One of the main points to check is the duration of the insured cover. Most policies only cover for a limited period, this applies even to a full year policy. Companies seem to quote a maximum number of days per year e.g 90 days, but be aware that any single trip is limited to something between 28 and 42 days. The one my wife has allows for single trips of up to 40 days if you are aged up to 65 years but only 31 days for those older. If you are her age (68) the 31 day limit will probably not be adequate cover for the time need to go from SJPDP to SDC disregarding any further walking to Muxia.Good advice. Check your particular cards details!!! As I've said above, mine offers great insurance but not all of them do!
PJ Hayman Rowlands Castle allows you to put your pre-existing conditionYes, it's a problem getting cover if you have a pre-existing condition - most insurers don't want to know. But if you don't declare they may avoid the whole policy, even if a claim is not related to a pre-existing condition - or if it is murky. For instance you break your leg. What happens if treatment for cancer might have contributed to osteoporosis?
On further investigation of the need for a "qualified guide" I think that they assume that if you are hiking you must be high in some mountain range or other, which explains the 5000 metres altitude aspect as well.The hiking cover, but only if accompanied by a "qualified" guide, did make me laugh. I think we all qualify!
From USA I would recommend Travel Guard or comparable travel insurance to cover for evacuation, death, emergencies unforeseen. Travel Guard covers for all contingencies and is NOT expensive. Why worry when you can have full coverage for the length of your trip??