Changes to Healthcare rules in Channel Islands

April 3rd, 2009

Healthcare agreement scrapped

If you are considering taking your holidays in the Channel Islands this year (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark or Herm) then you would possibly assume that travel insurance would be one thing you DIDN’T need to worry about. After all, the islands are all ‘crown dependencies’. Well, you would have been right, but a change to the law this week, relating to healthcare for UK visitors means that you could be faced with a medical bill if you fall ill or are injured. 

An agreement which has been in place since the mid-70’s, providing UK travellers to the Channel Islands with some free medical treatment, is now being scrapped, in what can only be seen as a cost-cutting exercise by the UK government.

The current system means that anyone who falls in whilst on holiday in Jersey would receive free in-patient and outpatient treatment and free ambulance travel, but would would be required to pay for prescription medicine or to see a GP. Under the new rules, from April 1st 2009, services that were previously free would have to be paid for, although if the person has travel cover, the insurer would pay the bill.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health said that they had always recommended that visitors to the Channel Islands should take out separate insurance cover, as there have always been elements of treatment that were not covered under the previous agreement.

For further details refer to the DOH website

Travel Insurance - Do you really need it?

February 17th, 2009

Travel Insurance - The real cost when things go wrong

Whether you are planning your annual family getaway, a short trip without the kids or maybe even an overseas wedding, one of the things that will be on your list of things to do is ‘Travel Insurance’. But, before you rush out and buy, check if you already have cover. Some banks, including HSBC and Alliance & Leicester will include annual family travel insurance free of charge with certain bank accounts. But if not, is it really necessary and what could go wrong if you don’t take out cover.

Medical expenses are potentially one of the biggest expenses you may incur if you have an accident or fall ill abroad. Remember, you are not at home now so if anything happens you may find the system works a little differently if something goes wrong. Many countries will provide you with some form of emergency medical treatment, but if you had to be flown back to the UK quickly, you wouldn’t be covered.  This is what it may cost you:

• £35-45,000 - air ambulance from USA’s East coast
• £12-16,000 - air ambulance from the Canary Islands
• £15-20,000 - scheduled flight, stretcher and Doctor escort from Australia

Cancellation insurance should cover you for the full cost of the holiday if you or any members of your party can’t travel for a variety of reasons including accident, illness, redundancy, a home emergency or bad weather which causes your flights to be cancelled

Baggage and Personal Effects. Don’t take it for granted that your home insurance policy will cover all your personal effects if you travel abroad. Check the small print first, especially if you are thinking of taking some of your more valuable items with you.

Legal Expenses and Personal Liability cover. Imagine being faced with a ‘foreign’ legal system if you are involved in an incident and someone tries to sue you - especially in a country with no legal aid system. This will not only cover your legal expenses but also any payment you are ordered to make.

A good travel insurance will cover you for all of this and more, and with annual multi trip policies from as little £80 for a family of 4, is it really worth taking a chance?

UK and Overseas Wedding Insurance

February 17th, 2009

Advertisement Feature - E&L Insurance for weddings and receptions in the UK and abroad

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