Should I get travel insurance as a UK citizen in Holland?

May 13, 2009 10:22 AM

Do I need travel insurance if I live in the UK and am travelling to Holland?

I'm about to spend 4 days in Holland (flying the day after tomorrow). I completely forgot to look into travel insurance.

I'm a UK citizen (since always) and have a European Health Insurance Card (which is not about to expire). Does this basically cover me for medical issues and emergencies in Holland?

Should I still get travel insurance?

If so, can I still book it at this late stage?

And if the answer to the last two questions is yes: who would the hive mind recommend? I've never heard of any of the companies the comparison sites bring up.

Details: I'm in my mid-20s. I have mild asthma but no other medical conditions. I'm not planning on driving or taking part in any dangerous activities, and I'm not taking anything particularly valuable (passport and wallet are probably the only things I really wouldn't want to lose). I don't have any other kind of insurance other than home insurance.

Other details: I'm an idiot who doesn't know anything about insurance.

Thanks in advance Internet.

posted by Kirn to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total)

The NHS has a page that tells you what an EHIC holder is entitled to in the Netherlands. Given the high level of coverage I would probably not bother with travel insurance.

It's not too late; you can purchase many policies as long as you do it before you leave the country. In the past, I have purchased a cheap annual policy from moneysupermarket.com. I have no experience making a claim on a personal travel insurance policy.
posted by grouse at 10:27 AM on May 13, 2009

You probably don't need it - I've travelled to Europe from the Uk a numer of times without insurance- but I recomend . I bought cover to go to Mexico.
posted by laukf at 11:39 AM on May 13, 2009

Should have added a link to insureandgo.com in the above.
posted by laukf at 11:40 AM on May 13, 2009

I'm a UK citizen (since always) and have a European Health Insurance Card (which is not about to expire). Does this basically cover me for medical issues and emergencies in Holland?

It covers you for medical expenses incurred in Dutch hospitals. It does NOT cover you for re-patriation expenses, changing flights if you are stuck in a Dutch hospital, etc, etc.
For example, say you break your leg in Holland. Hospital bills are covered by the EHIC. But the doctor says you can't fly for two weeks. You have to spend a ton of extra money on hotels, food, etc. Your mother is terribly worried for you and wants to visit. So she has to pay for a flight over, and another hotel room...

Plus the obvious stuff - EHIC will not cover you being mugged/robbed, flight cancellations, lost luggage...

If you had travel insurance on top of the EHIC it would (should) cover everything above.

Bottom line, you can get some real cheap travel insurance (~£15 for a single European trip last time I checked) so it makes sense to get it, considering how much it could save your arse should things go wrong.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 12:31 PM on May 13, 2009

And yeah you can get travel insurance on the internet right up until you're actually out of the country.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 12:32 PM on May 13, 2009

Losing a bag can be a pain, more so if it has a lap top or camera in it. Sometimes you miss flights and it can be pricey to get another one at short notice. Basically, some of the stuff mentioned above can also be pricey, we had to repatriate a student from Spain last year with a leg in plaster and it meant buying three seats on a plane at late notice. A friend of mine had to be airlifted off a mountain and then repatriated with a broken leg a few years ago. Another mat got mugged in Barcelona and was able to get his money back. If anything requring repatriation happened when you were on your own someone would probably have to come and collect you at further additional cost.

This leaves aside big ticket stuff that could go wrong and leave you in the poo, e.g. legal costs, other people's medical costs.

I generally get travel insurance, have used it once or twice. Fight delays last summer cashed in with a nice stay in a Cornish B&B and a very nice meal when flights tot he Scillies were cancelled.
posted by biffa at 1:43 PM on May 13, 2009

You can buy travel insurance over the counter at any Post Office. It's around £15 for an average break in Europe and will cover you for almost everything - mugging, delays, loss of baggage, emergency expenses, the lot. Asthma will make little or no difference.

I wouldn't travel without it, it equates to complete peace of mind and at £15-20 it's, um, pretty good value.
posted by fire&wings at 2:56 PM on May 13, 2009

Thanks everybody, I've taken out a policy.
posted by Kirn at 12:13 AM on May 14, 2009