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Travel insurance
| HOLIDAY
Section Contents |
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| Holiday insurance | |
| Helpful links | |
| Remember
- always ask your Renal Unit if you have any queries. |
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Page
Contents
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| Insurance Companies | European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) | |||
| MASTA - Overseas travel information | ||||
Holiday insurance - don't book your holiday until you take out holiday insurance which covers you for a pre-existing medical condition. Most standard policies do not and if your travel agent states that you will be covered under their insurance policy, ask to see a copy of their full policy. The cost of treatment for a person with kidney failure can be extremely expensive abroad, especially beyond Europe.
Rather than provide our own recommendations, we now suggest that you visit the NKF's list of recommended companies at
http://www.kidney.org.uk/holidays/insure.html
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) The
EHIC can be obtained free of charge, either over the phone on 0845 606 2030
or online at http://www.ehic.org.uk Please
note: because the reciprocal health service agreements do not
always cover the full cost of treatment, it is always advisable to have
insurance even when travelling around the EC.
The UK has reciprocal health service agreements with other EC member countries(as
well as some countries outside the EC). You need to obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
and take it with you if you are to benefit from these reciprocal health service agreements.
This will entitle you to free or reduced cost emergency
medical treatment in specified countries.
WARNING!!! Some websites with similar sounding names try to persuade you that you ned to pay for the EHIC.
This is not true. To avoid rogue websites, make sure that you follow the proper link on this page to
http://www.ehic.org.uk
Information
on diseases abroad can also be supplied by MASTA (Medical Advisory
Service to Travellers Abroad)
For more information and details of your nearest clinic visit their website: http://www.masta.org
They provide up to date health and travel news and can supply an individual health brief according to your itinerary, including details of recommended vaccinations, up to date health news and travel advice from the Foreign Office etc.
Various other travel clinics provide similar services.
Emergencies - Make sure you and your travelling companion(s) have with you at all times emergency contact numbers. These should include your medical contact at destination (nearest unit or equivalent will be provided by your UK renal unit - make sure you know whether it is open 24 hours, and if not, what your alternative contact number is), numbers of your UK renal unit, travel agent and insurance company.
Further
reading
Health
Advice for Travellers, a booklet published by the Department of Health
contains comprehensive information on the EHIC. It also details what is covered
by reciprocal arrangements for healthcare abroad, tips on avoiding health
risks and information on vaccinations required for visits to certain countries.
Available, free of charge, by calling 0800 555 777, or download it from the Department
of Health Website here