We had an enquiry yesterday:
“Good morning. I would like some assistance in obtaining our Spanish EHIC cards for myself, my husband and son if it applies to him. He is 12 years old. We are residents in Spain and pay social security. Please, could you let me know if this is possible”?
What is an EHIC card?
So, what is an EHIC card? And do you need one? Because many people think if they have travel insurance it is enough.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is a card for citizens of the Member states of the European Union, plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, and they must use it to receive medical assistance while travelling to any of these countries.
You present your SIP health card and European Health Insurance card together when you need treatment in another country if you are a Resident of Spain. And possibly your travel insurance as well.
Many people assume that because they have a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) they don’t need to pay out for travel insurance as well. But this is not the case. If you are travelling in Europe you should have both or you may have serious problems if something happens.
The EHIC card entitles you to public health care in European countries. Not each country will be the same but you should have the same right to the free or subsidised medical treatment that residents in that country receive. Unfortunately, though some hospitals can be difficult and people´s cards refused or they get sent to private hospitals, who do not take EHIC cards, especially after a personal injury accident.
All Residents who travel should apply for the cards and if something happens and it is refused alongside their SIP card in another European Country then use their travel insurance for medical care. It would be silly to only rely on an EHIC card as this doesn’t cover baggage, flights home in an emergency and all those things.
Equally, do not think well it is okay I have travel insurance as some insurers expect you to have taken an EHIC out, if you look at the travel policies carefully some say that holidaymakers must have a valid EHIC card as well as travel insurance.
Non-Residents of Spain
If you are non-resident you need to apply for the EHIC in your own country. This is the same situation in reverse. You need to find where to apply for one to come and visit Spain, alongside your travel insurance. Then this will cover medical assistance which a cardholder may need in case of sickness or accident during a visit or temporary stay in the Valencian Community. You should also bear in mind that:
– The EHIC covers any medical treatment necessary to be able to continue your temporary stay abroad and includes patients with chronic medical conditions.
– It provides the same rights as Spanish nationals under the same conditions.
– It gives free access to medical assistance for the cardholder.
Residents of Spain
If you are a Resident of Spain it needs to be applied for in Spain. So yes, if you are travelling out of Spain in the EU (currently including Britain) then you definitely need one.
It does surprise us how few Residents who go back and forth to the UK actually apply for one, and really they should.
We cannot help non- residents apply for the cards as they need to do it in their country of Residence, but we can help Residents of Spain apply for a European Health Insurance card. We can also renew a Spanish European Health Card online, for the holder and their beneficiaries.
We need the following information:
– social security number (only for the holder, the person who is working or has a pension)
– NIE numbers of all (holder and beneficiaries)
– Date of birth of all
– address
You can send this all online, all very straightforward.
We request the card on line and the client will receive it to their Spanish address, there is no option to put our address as a postal address.
The card lasts many years and to obtain them is inexpensive. Please contact us if you would like to arrange your EHIC cards if you are Resident in Spain. We are able to obtain these for Residents in the whole of Spain not just in our area!
20 Comments
Idris
Hey,
I would like to apply for a EHIC as a Spanish citizen.
Would you be able to send me the link for applying? I prefer doing it myself.
Thank you