What to do if you get ill on holiday abroad
We all hope it never happens, but what do you do if you or a companion is taken seriously ill, or has an accident on holiday? What kind of treatment can you expect, how do you make sure you get it and how do you pay for it? And what happens if you need to be flown home in an air ambulance? Here are your questions answered.
1. Dealing with a medical emergency
Our table below shows the emergency numbers for calling an ambulance in 35 different countries. It is likely that you will be able to get through to someone who speaks at least some English, but you might do well to ask a local passerby to help, or make the call for you so there is no uncertainty about the nature of the problem or the location of the patient. Emergency numbers for all countries are on the destination pages of the FCDO website.
2. Contacting your insurer
The advantage of travel insurance is not just that it will pay for your treatment – most policies offer cover of at least £5 million, far more than you will ever need – it will also give you a huge amount of support when it comes to organising it. So, as soon as you or your travelling companion are out of immediate danger, call the emergency helpline on your policy. You will get through to an “assistance company”, which will have trained English-speaking staff and usually a duty doctor on call to assess the situation. Depending on what help you need, they will then contact a local representative who will then make sure you get the care you are entitled to.
The assistance company has a duty to you to ensure proper medical care, but they also have a duty to your insurer to keep the costs down. Normally, the rule is that you will be cared for in the nearest hospital that is deemed medically suitable to treat your condition. Note that once the assistance company has taken over the case, it will normally deal directly with any bills, so that you don’t have to worry about paying. If, however, you are only making a small claim for drugs or a doctor’s appointment, you may have to pay and claim the money back later.
If you don’t have insurance and you don’t have a GHIC card (see below) or it doesn’t cover the destination you are in, you will have no option but to meet the costs of your treatment and probably pay upfront for at least some of it, out of your own resources. The local British Embassy or consulate may be able to give you some help, especially if you need to contact family or friends (see below), but it won’t pay for anything.
Find further advice on what to look for when buying travel insurance in our guide.
3. Contacting your tour operator
If you are on a package holiday you should contact the tour company representative as your next priority. They have a duty to look after you and ensure you are properly treated and will normally help liaise with your insurers.
4. Getting a GHIC
The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) has replaced the former EHIC scheme, and gives British citizens access to free or low-cost medical treatment in the European Union and some other countries, including Australia. It is not a substitute for proper travel insurance, but it is useful in some circumstances. Find full details, including how to apply for your GHIC card, in our guide.
5. The documents you will need in an emergency
You are likely to need your passport, the certificate or card issued by your insurer as proof that you have medical cover in place and, if relevant, your GHIC card. Having these with you at all times, or photos of them on your phone, would be a sensible belt-and-braces approach.
6. If you have to stay in hospital
Assuming you have suitable travel insurance, your policy will cover the direct costs of this. It will normally also pay you a small daily amount on top and for any additional costs of your return journey home if necessary. If you have a travelling companion and they too are insured, that insurance will normally reimburse any additional accommodation and transport expenses which they incur as a result of your medical emergency. But policies and individual situations vary, so they would need to come to an agreement based on the specific circumstances such as the expected length of your stay in hospital, for example.
The GHIC arrangements will only cover standard medical costs (see above) – note that some countries require you to pay for your food while you are in hospital.
7. If you need an air ambulance
In some parts of the world, you may find yourself in a hospital which doesn’t compare very well with what you might expect from the NHS and might not be the most comfortable or reassuring place to be treated. But don’t expect to be automatically “medivaced” home by air ambulance. First, an insurer will obviously only airlift you out, or fly you home early, if you are in a fit and safe condition to be moved. And second, they will only authorise such an expensive option if there are strong medical grounds for doing so.
8. Contacting the British Embassy
According to the FCDO, a British embassy or consulate can offer some support if you have a medical emergency or are hospitalised abroad. It will do things such as contacting your family or friends in the UK to tell them that you are in hospital, if you are unable to do this yourself; help medical staff abroad to contact UK medical staff or your insurance company; help you find an English-speaking interpreter and provide information about local medical facilities. But it won’t pay for your medication or treatment, or for you to return to the UK, or intervene in medical decisions. See gov.uk for more details about this.
9. And for more minor problems…
It may be easier and quicker to go to a local pharmacy rather than a hospital or doctor. Standards vary from country to country of course, but it is definitely an option worth pursuing for minor ailments.
