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For UK peregrinos:-hi, does anyone have any insurance related tips for walking the frances? im taking my time and having various stop offs so will probably err on the safe side and get 2 months' worth... are their specialist hiking insurers or do i just go to a comparisson site?
thank you in advance
andy
Thank you for a very detailed post.Here is my annual health and insurance regimen, preparatory to traveling on Camino. By spreading out things to be taken care of and making them part of my regular routine, everything gets done well in advance, without too much strain on my finances.
Bascially, I use two, overlapping methods of insurance.
First, I have travel insurance through my credit card. But as others have said, check the fine print.
Second, I always buy the optional trip insurance from the airline I use to fly to and from Spain. The cost is incidental and covers me as long as I am in Spain. Coverage is for "normal" activities usually undertaken by travelers.
High risk activities are not covered. So, walking (hiking) the Camino is considered normal. However, mountaineering is not an included activity. So, stay away on the Camino paths...
This is in part redundant, but is sufficient to get me returned home in the event of a major illness.
My primary health insurance cover in the US, Blue Cross - Blue Shield, also provides international cover through Allianz, IIRC. I can use the University at Santiago Hospital. Along the various routes, there is an online locator for hospitals and doctors by specialty. In five Caminos, I have not used it. But it is reassuring to know it is there, as a backstop.
One other way to avoid needing medical insurance while you are away on Camino is to treat your body like a car, preparing it for a long distance trip. My usual Camino season is April - May.
So, starting in December, I have my annual physical examination and lab work. While there, I obtain prescriptions for fresh antibiotics for puncture wounds, bronchial infections and middle ear infections. This usually includes Amoxicillin, Azithromycin and Ciprofloxacin. I fill the prescriptions in late March or early April, before I travel.
In January, I have my eye exam. This timing permits time to obtain new eyeglasses if my prescription changes.
In February and March I have a regular semi-annual dentist visit for cleaning and exam, as well as medical specialist examinations and lab work as needed.
By 1 April, I am medically certified as healthy, and with no evident medical issues. I would have these exams and labs done anyway. So, I just arranged them to provide up-front support to my Camino activity.
I hope this helps the dialog.
Most travel insurances cover hiking up to a certain altitude. Nothing on the camino goes high enough. All you need worry about is length of trip. Different companies cover different lengths. In my case, because I am over 65, I had to shop around a bit to find a company that allowed two months for my age group. And dont forget your EHIC card. Produce it immediately if you need medical assistance in Spain. Some doctors have been known to send people to private hospitals that are not covered by EHIChi, does anyone have any insurance related tips for walking the frances? im taking my time and having various stop offs so will probably err on the safe side and get 2 months' worth... are their specialist hiking insurers or do i just go to a comparisson site?
thank you in advance
andy
Tom, you never fail to amaze me. You are always extremely knowlegeable and take the time to make your posts very clear and helpful. And your preplanning tips put me to shame!
I did the same, Kanga, and had to make a claim for hospitalisation on my last trip. The process of getting my claim paid was rather protracted, as among other things they, (Allianz), demanded a full medical history from my GP, which cost me $300, and was not covered in the policy. That said, I was satisfied with the outcome.After very carefully reading the fine print, for my last few trips I relied on the free travel insurance attached to my credit card.
Since you are from the UK; make sure you get your European health Insurance Card:
https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx
It covers you for equivalent state health care in any EU country. It is free.
We never bothered looking at specialist hiking insurance, we just got Annual Multi-trip insurance. This comparison site seems like a good place to start:
https://boughtbymany.com/news/article/top-10-travel-insurance/
What you will bring with you is important, because many policies have single item limits, so if you bring an expensive laptop or camera the full cost mightn't be covered. But many people on the Camino don't bring much in the way of high value items anyway.
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