Biking in Europe E111

Barrie

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Dear Friends,
As it is the touring season I wanted to remind those of you who do not already know to get an E111 form from the post office in good time before you leave for Europe. If you already have one from last year it MIGHT need renewing.
NB:-

About this time last year I was setting off to SW France on my trusty and much loved 1150 GS, I got about 30kms past Le Mans and was hit head on by a 74 year old lady who had gone to sleep at the wheel !!! The bike was fully loaded with luggage and stuff [I was alone] and the impact shot me through her windscreen then on......... this was as near to fatal accident one could have and survive ! Now I get to the point........ I was in hospitals in France for 4 months where I had several complicated operations, after I woke from a six week coma. two months in intensive care. By the time I had arrived back to the UK hospital in November last year my French hospital bill was about £500,000 ! So a good job I had an up to date E111 card with me.
Had I not had the card the repercussion on the family finances would have been disastrous !
Needless to say my bike was a write-off. I am still on crutches and making great progress but I must say the French medical team saved my life for which both my family and I are eternally grateful.

This was my first accident on a bike after some 30 years of biking all over the world.
Barrie.
 
Jeez - nightmare accident :eek:
As you say, lucky you had the E111 - did you have to claim anything on your travel insurance?
The thing with the E111 cards is that they expire after a certain date - make sure you check your card for its expiry date :thumb2

As an aside, I thought that as we in the UK are members of the EU family why do we have to have a card proving this? Isn't a passport enough evidence?
Also, if you are a non-UK citizen but still a member of the EU foes that mean that you need a similar card from your country if you require health care in the UK :nenau
 
Good post Barrie, and nicely timed :thumb

I'm going to copy it over to the Travel section and sticky it there, 'cos it'll be swamped and dissapear here too early :thumb2

Bill
 
You can apply for an E111 online by completing the form HERE.
I did one a year or two ago and it arrived inside a week, but obviously get it done well before that if you're going away to make sure you do get it in time:thumb2
 
I agree go get one if you don't already have one and if you do make sure it is up to date...

now called EHIC European Health Insurance Card as posted worth its weight in gold no matter how seriouse or non serious an accident - you are foolish to travel europe without one.

this was a friend just the day before yesterday slippy road surface one minute smiling next minute 3 police cars 2 ambulances and a fire engine two to hospital xrays and Dr's all has to be payed for...

off004.jpg
 
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You can apply for an E111 online by completing the form HERE.
I did one a year or two ago and it arrived inside a week, but obviously get it done well before that if you're going away to make sure you do get it in time:thumb2

Be aware, the link above takes you to an agency website who charge you a £10 admin fee for the card.

Its free from here
https://www.ehic.org.uk

and the imformation you provide on both sites is exactly the same i.e. Name, Address, dob & Nat Ins Number.
 
Don't forget too that the EHIC only provides for immediate and necessary treatment/care. If you have to be 'repatriated' to the UK for further treatment you will need proper travel insurance

Mike
 
Don't forget too that the EHIC only provides for immediate and necessary treatment/care. If you have to be 'repatriated' to the UK for further treatment you will need proper travel insurance

Mike

Good point well made and also if you already have one, check the date it expires.

I used this site the other week for both of our cards on the same free application and they arrived in a week.

https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do
 
Thanks for this :thumb. Mine had indeed expired as of the 19th of December 2010 and I wouldn't have been aware that it was out of date were it not for this thread. :beerjug:

mine 22/02/11 and it's important it's current :thumb
 
Just checked mine.It expired 3 weeks ago!:blast Thanks for the timely reminder.
 
Don't forget too that the EHIC only provides for immediate and necessary treatment/care. If you have to be 'repatriated' to the UK for further treatment you will need proper travel insurance

Mike

Mate of mine had an orf in Spain. Only had EHIC, no travel insurance.
Said he was glad he didn't because the Spanish hospital he ended up in for a few weeks was 5 star unlike his local NHS rat-hole that he would have been repatriated to.
 
Just checked mine and guess what -- it has expired - never even crossed my mind to check
 
Just checked mine and guess what -- it has expired - never even crossed my mind to check

Thats why i always complete the form so i get mine and the girlfriends at the same time. Becasue you know what girls are like, they always remember dates etc. So sure enough a timely elbow in the ribs a few weeks ago to say they were going to expire, got me ordering our new ones. :D
 
Hello Friends....:augie

I am new here.Me and my friend plan a travel trip to Europe.We have a plan to hire Bikes for exploring the Spain with ease and relax.So we want to know what are the requirements for hiring a bike at Spain and How much it costs for 20 days.Is it better option to travel in Bike rather than other mediums of Travel.please suggest me some advices and ways which will help me and mine friend during Spain travel.
Kind regards
Bill Jones:jager:beerjug:
___________________________________________________
For more information visit villa tossa de mar | villa denia
 
Hi all, can someone advise whats the purpose of the health card? My travel insurance that I pay for each year covers any medical bills so why do I need a card as well?

:nenau
 
Free treatment

I understand that the card gives you free treatment in an emergency like visiting A&E over here. Sure your health / travel insurance may cover you but you'll be shelling out money up front.

It wouldn't shock me to find that insurance companies already state somewhere in the small print that you should have a card in Europe. Just get one, I think they're free anyway.

Roger
 
Hi all, can someone advise whats the purpose of the health card? My travel insurance that I pay for each year covers any medical bills so why do I need a card as well?

:nenau

Most insurance policies have an excess. Some say they will waive the excess if you show the EHIC. It's a mutually beneficial thing as the insurer will only have to cover the costs that cannot be passed on to the NHS e.g. repatriation costs, travel costs of relatives.

I have personal experience of this. My son had a minor accident in Spain when he was 9. The hospital checked our insurance and insisted I pay the excess despite me showing the E111 as it was back then. On the return to the UK I was asked to fill in a claim form by Co-Op insurance and within a couple of weeks they refunded my excess and a few other incidental costs.
 


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