EHIC medical cards and tips for travelling in Europe on holiday
When going on holiday there are many things which you have to consider, but one of them which can at times be overlooked is the right documentation, and it can also be the difference between making things easier or have problems if anything unfortunate were to happen while you were on holiday in Europe.
Within Europe all documentation is required to be carried at all times, which includes your passport and medical cards as well as a drivers license if you have one. Which when asking for identification at tills or checkouts most cashiers will accept the drivers license for the proof of identity when paying by debit or credit card.
Although, despite the rule if you were to misplace your bag or purse, or worse it were to get stolen or taken from you, it does mean the documents would also be lost. That is why it is advisable to have a copy of those documents somewhere safe and separate from your actual documents, such as a hotel safe. Another option is to leave an additional copy of your documents with family, so if for some reason you needed help from the police or the Foreign Embassy or needed medical attention, these can be accessed easily.
When going away for a holiday in France, or any other place within Europe such as Germany, Spain etc then one thing you should check you have up to date is a health card. Formally known as the E111, this is now known as the EHIC card.
EHIC stands for European Health Insurance Card and is free to obtain, allowing you to obtain free or reduced cost health care in the event you have a need for medical care while in a country within the European Union, but it also covers you in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
If you are a resident within the UK you can easily obtain one for free if you are 16 plus, although if you wish to help a child get a EHIC card the parents would have to apply for them prior.
It is recommended to keep both the EHIC card and the passport together so they do not get separated or lost, or even forgotten while rushing around to get away on holiday. Although if you were to forget it you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate, PRC for short, to cover you at the place you are being treated which would be directly posted there.
Another thing you can always invest in is travel insurance, which even if you have a bag stolen you can be covered. Or if worse happens and your luggage goes missing, there are prolonged delays or even if the company goes bust, it gives you some compensation instead of being left stranded.
Although, if you are going to be driving in France it is a good idea to think of Car Breakdown Cover, and again having copies of all documentation placed in a safe place, including things such as the log book can be a great peace of mind. But also knowing things such as the Emergency number for Europe, which is 112, can be a great help while on holiday if it was needed.
One thing which is not always remembered to bring is cash. When travelling over Europe most countries use the currency Euros now, and it is essential if you want to use some shops, visit markets or sometimes if needed to pay for some toll routes while driving through.
There are also public toilets which can be found throughout France which are dotted around even more so in some of the major cities like Paris, and some of these need about 20 to 50 cents to enter.
There are many ways to obtain cash, such as at an exchange desk at an airport, on a ferry or even a post office local to yourself. Although it is to be remembered that the exchange rate can change a lot from some days to the next, so it is best to check prior to see if you can get the best exchange rate for your money.
More importantly, when you do have the cash, remember not to leave it all in one place and to divide it up between those who are travelling or separate it, so that if the worst happened and you got pick pocketed or you simply lost your wallet you will still have some money, which is better than nothing.
One more thing to remember is to have credit, or debit card company numbers to hand, so again, in the worst case scenario that they get stolen or lost, you can cancel them by phoning up the company so nothing on the card is placed or ordered wrongly.
One more thing which most people will not leave without is their mobile phone, or cell phone if you prefer. Although it is to be remembered that you have to check prior that all phones are enabled for international calling, and when using a Pay As You Go, or a contract, prices can fluctuate when abroad. Numbers for your service provider can always be helpful as if you misplace or lose your phone you can cancel it so that you do not end up with an extensive and scary phone bill at the end, if it were to be abused.
On a slightly lighter note, an easy way to get help, or know your way around is to take pictures of everything from a taxi, a toilet or even a cash point so if you want directions and do not know the foreign language you can show a person a picture of where you want to get to and get directions even past the language barrier.
But in general if you are going on holiday it is always best to be prepared so that you can enjoy your break away in the best way possible whether it be a holiday in Paris, France, Germany, Spain or anywhere else you wish to head to.
Within Europe all documentation is required to be carried at all times, which includes your passport and medical cards as well as a drivers license if you have one. Which when asking for identification at tills or checkouts most cashiers will accept the drivers license for the proof of identity when paying by debit or credit card.
Although, despite the rule if you were to misplace your bag or purse, or worse it were to get stolen or taken from you, it does mean the documents would also be lost. That is why it is advisable to have a copy of those documents somewhere safe and separate from your actual documents, such as a hotel safe. Another option is to leave an additional copy of your documents with family, so if for some reason you needed help from the police or the Foreign Embassy or needed medical attention, these can be accessed easily.
When going away for a holiday in France, or any other place within Europe such as Germany, Spain etc then one thing you should check you have up to date is a health card. Formally known as the E111, this is now known as the EHIC card.
EHIC stands for European Health Insurance Card and is free to obtain, allowing you to obtain free or reduced cost health care in the event you have a need for medical care while in a country within the European Union, but it also covers you in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
If you are a resident within the UK you can easily obtain one for free if you are 16 plus, although if you wish to help a child get a EHIC card the parents would have to apply for them prior.
It is recommended to keep both the EHIC card and the passport together so they do not get separated or lost, or even forgotten while rushing around to get away on holiday. Although if you were to forget it you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate, PRC for short, to cover you at the place you are being treated which would be directly posted there.
Another thing you can always invest in is travel insurance, which even if you have a bag stolen you can be covered. Or if worse happens and your luggage goes missing, there are prolonged delays or even if the company goes bust, it gives you some compensation instead of being left stranded.
Although, if you are going to be driving in France it is a good idea to think of Car Breakdown Cover, and again having copies of all documentation placed in a safe place, including things such as the log book can be a great peace of mind. But also knowing things such as the Emergency number for Europe, which is 112, can be a great help while on holiday if it was needed.
One thing which is not always remembered to bring is cash. When travelling over Europe most countries use the currency Euros now, and it is essential if you want to use some shops, visit markets or sometimes if needed to pay for some toll routes while driving through.
There are also public toilets which can be found throughout France which are dotted around even more so in some of the major cities like Paris, and some of these need about 20 to 50 cents to enter.
There are many ways to obtain cash, such as at an exchange desk at an airport, on a ferry or even a post office local to yourself. Although it is to be remembered that the exchange rate can change a lot from some days to the next, so it is best to check prior to see if you can get the best exchange rate for your money.
More importantly, when you do have the cash, remember not to leave it all in one place and to divide it up between those who are travelling or separate it, so that if the worst happened and you got pick pocketed or you simply lost your wallet you will still have some money, which is better than nothing.
One more thing to remember is to have credit, or debit card company numbers to hand, so again, in the worst case scenario that they get stolen or lost, you can cancel them by phoning up the company so nothing on the card is placed or ordered wrongly.
One more thing which most people will not leave without is their mobile phone, or cell phone if you prefer. Although it is to be remembered that you have to check prior that all phones are enabled for international calling, and when using a Pay As You Go, or a contract, prices can fluctuate when abroad. Numbers for your service provider can always be helpful as if you misplace or lose your phone you can cancel it so that you do not end up with an extensive and scary phone bill at the end, if it were to be abused.
On a slightly lighter note, an easy way to get help, or know your way around is to take pictures of everything from a taxi, a toilet or even a cash point so if you want directions and do not know the foreign language you can show a person a picture of where you want to get to and get directions even past the language barrier.
But in general if you are going on holiday it is always best to be prepared so that you can enjoy your break away in the best way possible whether it be a holiday in Paris, France, Germany, Spain or anywhere else you wish to head to.
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