Does this mean none of us can go to France/Germany/Spain /Italy etc etc

The FAr East is not EU though.

We have never relied on EHIC (E111) on its own. But travel insurance was much cheaper because EHIC covered a large part of costs in case of accident. The point being, if you are older and have pre-exisiting conditions - or if for instance you need dialysis when travelling- many insurance will either NOT cover you, or be so massively expensive. With EHIC, such a person was covered- and could then be repatriated privately to UK after emergency phase, especially if travelling to locations within car travelling distance.

Rose56; I was in the sea and got caught by a large wave. This tumbled me onto the sea bed and the very corse sand scratched my retina. This was confirmed by the doctor who had all the necessary kit. Unfortunately I managed to do the same thing a few years ago whilst tidying my daughter’s garden and cutting the ivy back. Had to go to Tooting A&E. confirmed scratched retina in 3 places identical to the Sri Lanka episode.

Never rely on the 'local' system.

Which could be excellent or it could be very poor.

We know two people who needed a long period of hospitalisation in the Far East; each said they were glad they had taken out travel insurance because the local hospitals were very basic and they doubted they would have survived but in the private hospital the treatment was first class.

Well you are entitled to theirs. So shut up.

Anytime visiting EU countries have always had own health/accident insurance. Never rely on the 'local' system. It will be just like the days pre EU.

Pantglas2

Frankly, I’d worry for anyone daft enough to travel within the EU solely on the E111 - travel insurance is vital.

Quite!!

Urmstongran

Britain will be divorced from the EU not Europe per se. Reciprocal healthcare between countries has yet to be discussed and decided upon. Each European country will make a decision. Covid of course is altogether another layer of complexity bringing separate issues.

We have reciprocal healthcare with many countries; however, I would never rely on that and never did when travelling to Europe or elsewhere.
We always took out travel insurance.

Some offer cover for COVID, our neighbours said theirs does and they are going to Europe next week.

GrandtanteJE65, I dont need my head examined, but I am desperate to see my only close family - my son, partner and two grandchildren who live in France. I haven’t seen them since Christmas and if things dont get worse, I will risk flying there at Christmas. I watch all my friends seeing their grandchildren now and it makes me so sad. So if I don’t, it won’t be my head that needs examining but my mental health!

Fairly sure you can’t scratch your retina with sand!

As I have said you can now get cover for travelling against FCO advice. In fact my current company have just written to me and suggested I might like to pay extra to cover this!

So in short, OP is 100% correct.

If you are younger and do not have pre-existing conditions, you will probably be able to get cover- but even then, it will be invalid if travelling against official advice.

''Reciprocal healthcare between countries has yet to be discussed and decided upon. Each European country will make a decision.''

a massive difference between UK residents in the EU, and tourists. The above applies to residents, NOT tourists.

The fact is, we will lose EHIC cover. That means that all travellers to UK will have to have comprensive Travel insurance to cover sickness and accidents. Fact is, many of us, due to age or to pre-existing conditions, will not be able to get full health and accident cover - or only at massive cost. And fact is, if only essential travel is recommended, due to Covid, travel health insurance will not be valid if travelling against advice.

Elegran- that's very true but, equally, you don't expect your old gym to tell you which other gyms you can use in future or how you should exercise!

Get a visa and insurance and there will be no difference from what obtains now.

I honestly feel that anyone who travels anywhere until there is a vaccine against corona needs there head examined. It just isn't worth the risk!

Obviously health insurance when abroad is one of the things that will need to be sorted out as part of implemting Brexit, but surely you expected that?

It will be a headache as medical insurance differs in the various EU countries. We travelled for two years and found out how different conditions are. It didn't worry us, as we were covered by the Danish state health insurance, as we had both the domestic and the travel insurance card from them. Any health care we needed was paid in full by them.

I doubt that the British NHS will be able to do the same, so if I were a UK resident I would start looking at travel insurance now. There is bound to be many insurance companies offering very different polices.

My, you have been lucky, MissChateline Never contracted any serious infections or had an accident that meant you had to be flown home.

A friend's son is now blind in one eye and has only partial sight in the other, from an infection acquired in India - luckily he had insurance for the treatment.

We have just come back from Croatia a couple of weeks ago. We did use Staysure, and the exta Covid cover for travelling against FCO advice was the princely sum of £1.46, so I don't think the insurance companies are over worried. I would never have relied on the EHIC, it was just a way of keeping insurance costs lower because the EU would pay a part, but not all, or your care.

MissC we all have to do our own risk assessments, and you have obviously decided you can risk travelling without insurance, but I could not take that chance!

I also won a prize for being he only person in our large office to have not had a day off sick in the previous year. I was almost at retirement age and everyone else was much younger including one a 18 and another 22 years old.
We've always bought travel insurance but have never needed to use it.

I’ve travelled abroad for the past 20 years. Backpacked extensively over the years through India, SE Asia, a road trip to the USA as well as months in Switzerland and other European countries. Not once have I bothered with travel insurance. On the one occasion when I needed advice regarding a scratched retina from sand in Sri Lanka I paid the doctor the equivalent of about £2.00 for the consultation and eye drops. My feeling is that in so many cases the insurance companies always find a way of wriggling out of paying up and you might have well burned your hard earned dosh.
In Europe I’ve always taken my EHIC card and only on one occasion had to use it for a minor cut on my finger.
Maybe I should add that I have never had a days serious illness in my life, have every inoculation possible and maintain a very fit and healthy lifestyle. I last had flu 25 years ago ago and won the works prize for the longest time of not having a “sick day”.

We all went to Europe on holiday before the EU. Don't understand what the flap is about. There was travel quite normal in 50s and 60s.

I never went anywhere without insurance. Even now I have a personal insurance should I have the misfortune to suffer an accident be it in the home or outside.

I believe that only a few Insurance companies cover for Covid travel to countries against FO advice, which seems to be constantly changing. Personally I wouldn’t want to travel in these cases because advice is there for a reason. Saved a lot of money this year ?

Otherwise many companies cover for Covid now, and I never travelled to EU countries without insurance anyway, so shouldn’t make much difference.

My annual worldwide cover was renewed in April and COVID was covered also Firecracker.

I actually don’t know anyone who travels to EU without cover and when a friend asked to stay with me in Spain, I insisted she paid for travel insurance- if you can afford a flight, you can afford insurance!

You get what you signed up for. If you cancel your gym membership, you don't expect to get in free.

You can get Covid cover I have this one.