The Holiday Doctor

Travelling in Europe › GHIC & EHIC

GHIC, EHIC and travel insurance, explained

What each one covers and excludes, the post-Brexit position, and the country exceptions.

In short: carry a free UK GHIC (or a still-valid EHIC) for state care, and travel insurance for private treatment, repatriation and cancellation. The card is not insurance. Apply for the GHIC only on the official NHS site - it is free.

GHIC, EHIC and insurance side by side

UK GHIC

Covers

  • State care, same cost as a local
  • Emergencies and necessary care
  • Ongoing conditions, routine maternity

Does not cover

  • Private clinics
  • A flight home

EU EHIC

Covers

  • State care for EU/EEA residents
  • Emergencies and necessary care
  • Pre-existing conditions, maternity

Does not cover

  • Private treatment
  • Repatriation

Travel insurance

Covers

  • Private care and clinics
  • Repatriation home
  • Cancellation, baggage, the excess

Declare

  • Undeclared pre-existing conditions can void it

The Brexit position

After Brexit, UK residents apply for the UK GHIC, which replaced the EHIC for most people. Existing EHICs stay valid until their printed expiry date. Withdrawal-Agreement groups (UK pensioners living in the EU, students, some posted workers) can still get an EHIC. The GHIC gives medically necessary state care in the EEA at the local cost, free or reduced.

Apply only at the official NHS site. The GHIC is free and lasts up to five years; avoid copycat sites that charge a fee. If your card has not arrived, NHS Overseas Healthcare Services can issue a Provisional Replacement Certificate.

Where the card is limited or not valid

  • Switzerland: the GHIC works only conditionally and you may be asked to prove nationality or status.
  • Turkey: not in the scheme at all - you rely entirely on insurance.
  • Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway: not covered by the GHIC (the old EHIC did cover them).

Why insurance still matters

The card is purely a medical entitlement within the state system. UK insurers paid out hundreds of millions on travel claims in 2024, with medical costs the single biggest category and individual repatriations running into six figures. Insurance covers the things the card never will: private treatment, a flight home, cancellation and the medical excess. Carry both.

2025 to 2026: many UK EHICs and GHICs are expiring in waves, so check your card’s date before you travel. Border changes (EES, now live; ETIAS expected late 2026) are separate from healthcare but worth factoring into airport time.

Common questions

What is the difference between EHIC and GHIC?

The GHIC is the UK card that replaced the EHIC after Brexit. Both give access to medically necessary state healthcare in the EEA at local cost. The GHIC does not cover Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and covers Switzerland only conditionally.

Is the GHIC valid in Switzerland or Turkey?

The GHIC works in Switzerland only conditionally (you may need to prove nationality or status) and is not valid in Turkey at all, where you rely on travel insurance.

Is the GHIC free?

Yes. The UK GHIC is free from the official NHS website and lasts up to five years. Sites that charge a fee are copycats.

Does the GHIC replace travel insurance?

No. The GHIC covers state care only. It does not cover private clinics, repatriation, cancellation or baggage, so you need travel insurance as well.

Check it yourself

Rules change, so the official source is the final word.

AA
Medically reviewed by Dr Adam Abbs, Medical Director. Registered with the Colegio de Médicos de Madrid (ICOMEM 282889105), the GMC UK (7078829), the Irish Medical Council (429282) and the CFPC Canada (720470). Last reviewed 9 June 2026.