Can you go abroad only with your European health insurance card?

Can you go abroad only with your European health insurance card?

Faced with an increase of more than 5.4% in global tourist flows in 2018, the report from the National Center for Care Abroad (CNSE) reaffirms the crucial need to consolidate the conditions to support this mobility.

Unfortunately, many situations today demonstrate the importance of supplemental travel insurance.

Indeed, the EHIC does not cover repatriation assistance, private care, so-called comfort costs (single room, television, telephone, etc.), or even all of the health expenses incurred in certain countries. The remaining charge can turn out to be very high. The European card issued gives you the right to health insurance within a specific framework (as a reminder: unexpected medical care, emergency). In certain cases, your mutual health insurance may possibly cover part of the costs depending on your level of cover indicated in your contract.

Before your departure, it is essential to check the status of your health insurance coverage when traveling, particularly within the European Economic Area.

The Foreign Ministry also invites travelers to have an assistance contract or travel insurance to cover all health and repatriation costs.

French social health protection is one of the most competitive within the EU. France devotes 9.1% of GDP to expenditure on sickness and health care against 8.1% allocated of GDP for the European average. According to the 2018 report from the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (DREES), the out-of-pocket costs of households as a proportion of health expenditure are relatively low in France with 6.8% compared to other countries like Spain (24.2%), Portugal (27.7%), Greece (35.5%) and Latvia (41.6%). The quality of French social security service is exceptional, which is far from being the case in the majority of EU countries.

For some countries, additional travel insurance is therefore strongly recommended for a temporary stay in view of the very high costs of intervention, rescue and hospitalization.

Note that if you are a national of a country outside the European Union and you travel in the territory of the Schengen area, i.e. the 4 member countries of EFTA and the member countries of the '' EU with the exception of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland, Romania, United Kingdom, for a maximum period of 90 days, the Schengen visa will allow you to move freely in each Member State of this territory . If you intend to visit a State or several States of the Schengen area, for holidays, a professional project, a business trip, a cultural or sporting event, for medical reasons, for studies and research (etc. .) and you must apply for the Schengen visa. Schengen visa insurance is compulsory as part of a Schengen visa application with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros to cover, in particular, emergency medical expenses and assistance in the event of repatriation.

As you may have discovered, the EHIC has many advantages when traveling within the European Union. The easiest way is to always have it with you whenever you travel outside your country of residence. However, it is essential to also know the limits of the EHIC. It will not always be enough to cover your healthcare costs abroad. It also does not cover assistance services (such as repatriation) and even less accidental damage caused to others (Civil liability). So remember to supplement your coverage with good travel insurance to leave truly protected!