BREXIT... effect on travelling

[dfps]

Okay---no political comments please.This post is not concerned with the rights and wrongs of the Vote.

Brexit is now a reality. I know which way I voted but that's irrelevant now.

Brexit is here and probably here to stay so we have to look at the consequences for Cali drivers who frequently
visit the EU zone.

My questions :

1. Will there be any difference to insurance policies for cover in the EU zone when we eventually leave ?

2. As many Cali drivers wander Europe for several months at a time ( along with all the other UK based Motor Home fraternity ).
Will there be the effect on Travel Insurance ? ( which often only covers limited stays in Europe ).

3. Will there be the impact on Breakdown Insurance ?

4. Will be there be any impact on Health Insurance ( the old EU health card for reciprocal emergency health care ) ?

My guess is that UK Insurance companies are currently in a big room somewhere in London having a meeting and rubbing their hands at the thought of the premiums they are going to be able to charge.

Thoughts ?

Please no comments about the Brexit itself......that's been done to death on other forums......just practical, helpful comments / opinions please.------thanks

 

[AlanC]

I think at the moment no one really knows.

However my threepeneth...

All European Insurance may well go up in due course. That is vehicle insurance that covers Europe and specific long therm travel insurance for Europe, although there should be no increases for the rest of the world cover.

Breakdown cover abroad will increase, I guess, but I don't think UK cover will change much.

The EU Health card will not be valid once we leave, so there will be a cost involved here if you want cover in Europe.

All guess work, so time will tell if any of these guesses come true.

Alan

 

[skinnywhippet]

Implications for easy pet travel? I'm guessing that there won't be a return to quarantine, but could it all stay as is?

 

[AlisonF]

Implications for easy pet travel? I'm guessing that there won't be a return to quarantine, but could it all stay as is?

Slightly off @dfps question. But anyway - there is no reason I can see why pet travel needs to change. Quarantine and the subsequent per passports are to prevent / minimise risk of disease, particularly rabies spreading. The injections for the passports have been tried and tested over the last few years and movement of pets is pretty easy - although some countries further removed from mainland Europe (e.g. Norway and UK) have tighter restrictions. Can't see it would need to change.

 

[GrannyJen]

My guess is that the EHIC will be invalid fairly shortly after article 50 becomes reality.

Insurance will change very little.

Pet travel will change very little.

Iceland will beat Germany, Brazil and Argentina on their way to world cup glory in 2018.

 

[dfps]

Are there any members on here who work in insurance ?. I guess these issues would have been discussed in the and around office etc. ?

 

[skinnywhippet]

Slightly off @dfps question

Sorry yes I didn't address the original poster's questions.

I wouldn't have thought any vehicle related insurance would be affected very much at all, as costs and risk factors shouldn't change.

Health insurance might become a little more costly but I would hope simple reciprocal arrangements can continue.

There will be so much to negotiate on the bigger issues that the sensible thing would be to leave other arrangements in place that currently work reasonably well.

 

[fred]

Are there any members on here who work in insurance ?. I guess these issues would have been discussed in the and around office etc. ?

Yes I work in insurance.

1. Will there be any difference to insurance policies for cover in the EU zone

Of course, if the UK leaves europe then a policy including European cover will likely be more expensive. Almost all of your insurance cover cost relates to covering the cost of accidents. If the € is worth more against the £ then a European cover policy will reflect that increase. There are likely to be increased administration and injury costs too as people may have to rely more on private care.

2. As many Cali drivers wander Europe for several months at a time ( along with all the other UK based Motor Home fraternity ).
Will there be the effect on Travel Insurance ? ( which often only covers limited stays in Europe ).

As above.

3. Will there be the impact on Breakdown Insurance ?

As above but the cost of breakdown cover is often minor.

4. Will be there be any impact on Health Insurance ( the old EU health card for reciprocal emergency health care ) ?

Nobody knows! If (and it's a huge if) there is a Brexit there's little reason to expect EHIC will remain.

However I have to say that I disagree with your fundamental premise:

Brexit is now a reality

It isn't in any way a reality yet and there are a number of reasons why it may never happen. So I wouldn't worry too much about your insurance costs changing much.

 

[Velma's Dad]

4. Will be there be any impact on Health Insurance ( the old EU health card for reciprocal emergency health care ) ?

Important to note I think that this is really two separate questions:

a. EHIC cover (reciprocal arrangements for access to public healthcare in EU/EEA states) should be expected to be discontinued post-Brexit, although of course it might end up being kept in place following the negotiations.

b. Private travel health insurance will of course continue to be available, presumably at somewhat higher cost than today, assuming the EHIC card can no longer be used for say a quick trip to a GP while on the continent so insurers will see more claims for that kind of thing. However even travel insurance for the USA, which has astronomic healthcare charges, isn't much more than for Europe-only.

Like a lot of people we simply maintain annual multi-trip worldwide travel insurance policies, and I've never seen the EHIC card as a substitute for that. EHIC is not going to cover you for the potentially very high cost of repatriation to UK (eg by air ambulance) if you suffer a serious accident or illness while on the continent. Reckon on £15,000 or more for that, which is a lot to pay out of your own pocket if you're not insured.

Sorry, that may all be completely obvious to most people on this forum, but I have seen confusion elsewhere between EHIC and travel insurance.

 

[MattBW]

IMHO its very hard to say what the impact will be until the split is negotiated and agreed. The biggest impact is likely to be on the cost everything. Inflation rises are extremely likely and dependent upon who the underwriters are (currency) and the exchange rate it could effect costs. Factor in a weaker pound and Europe is going to feel more expensive.

The EU healthcard I also agree will no longer be valid, it will be back to travel insurance which will increase accordingly across the EU because of this extra risk to insurers.

 

[Amarillo]

Brexit is now a reality.

When did David Cameron invoke Article 50? I have neither seen or heard any mention of it on the news.

 

[Velma's Dad]

When did David Cameron invoke Article 50? I have neither seen or heard any mention of it on the news.

Sorry but I think that's off-topic for this thread. Despite the precise wording of the OP, it seemed abundantly clear to me that @dfps wanted to get comments on how a UK exit from the EU (taking the assumption that happens) will affect various practical things of relevance to us as Cali owners.

Questions around whether the exit will actually go ahead are being debated in other threads.

 

[GrannyJen]

Just another view on travel insurance following @MattBW 's post.

Unlike the EHIC costs do depend on certain existing conditions and risks undertaken whilst travelling: further, there may be limitations on time spent "abroad", probably of more interest to Cali owners. It is a very inferior replacement as I found to my cost in 2011 after being saddled with a 5,000 euro bill in Antwerp.

 

[WelshGas]

Don't forget the Reciprocal Health Agreement works both ways. If it doesn't work for us then it won't work for EU Nationals.
Anyway, although I take the card I always have Full Travel/Health Insurance in Europe. Seen too many transfers into ICU of patients struck down whilst on holiday in Europe and the family landed with very,very significant treatment and repatriation costs . The EHIC does not give great cover and certainly does not cover repatriation.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Anyway, although I take the card I always have Full Travel/Health Insurance in Europe.

Likewise. Although I don't always insure myself for everything in life (some things I'm prepared just to accept a risk) I never set foot anywhere outside the UK without good travel insurance. In my view it's pretty cheap on an annual basis. I've made use of it too, after an injury overseas some years back.

 

[Amarillo]

Sorry but I think that's off-topic for this thread

The OP made a statement as fact. It is not off topic to seek clarity on that statement.

 

[Velma's Dad]

The OP made a statement as fact. It is not off topic to seek clarity on that statement.

[Sigh] Okay: @dfps what was your basis for saying "Brexit is a reality"? And can we then get on with talking about the practical implications?

 

[GrannyJen]

As practically every political statement from Cameron to Juncker reiterates the point that the referendum result will be honoured so it is not unreasonable to phrase a question in that way.

I daresay if one really wanted to be pedantic then perhaps "the Brexit referendum result is reality" and if one reads further then the phrase "Probably here to stay" could be considered a quite adequate qualification.

Please let's not turn every thread into an interminable discussion on the referendum campaign and result. One is plenty enough.

 

[xkirkba]

UK has reciprocal emergency healthcare with countries other than EU. The arrangement is at least as valuable to other European citizens as it is to us. The Brussels Beurocrats might like to scrap it out of spite but citizens and businesses value it. I think May and Merkel are pragmatic so I expect it to remain in some form.

 

[greenfintry]

But there could be a visa requirement and associated costs and hassle etc....

 

[sbmcd]

Found this today, looks like we will have to be careful with what we pack when w we finally get to travel to the EU again.

Dutch officials seize ham sandwiches of drivers arriving from UK

Personal imports of meat and dairy products into EU banned since Brexit transition ended

www.theguardian.com

 

[Loz]

Cheaper to buy that sort of food abroad anyway.

 

[GSX1300R]

It’s all early days yet..Let’s wait and see when the first camper vans and motor homes roll off the ferries..It’s all going to depend on if they make you sign a declaration the same as airlines.. So if you are caught with a cheese sandwich you could be fined €250..

 

[Romke]

Don't go abroad if you don't want to eat foreign food.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Don't go abroad if you don't want to eat foreign food.

Good point although I draw the line at autoroute service area dross on the A26. It's even worse than Welcome Break.

We'll just have to scoff down out Waitrose honey roast ham sandwiches on board Le Shuttle, before we get to the Channel mid-point.