France

[WelshGas]

Until December you have the same access to health care as anyone else in the EU.

Basic health care. No repatriation or any other benefits such as return of vehicle and passengers if they cannot drive . Can still be very expensive.

 

[WelshGas]

For visitors to France

Anyone requiring urgent medical attention will be provided with emergency medical care. If you don’t have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you should expect to be charged in full. It is always recommended that you purchase travel insurance to ensure you have sufficient funding to cover medical treatment you may need overseas. It is important that you keep any relevant receipts and paperwork, making copies if possible, to ensure you or your insurance company can apply for refunds if applicable.

As things stand, an EHIC affords you access to state-provided medical care in France at a discounted rate, or sometimes free, if you are on a temporary visit. Any facility that asks you to pay for your treatment upfront is probably not a state-provided institution.

EHIC doesn’t cover the cost of private treatment in France. It also doesn’t cover the following expenses:

• Being returned to the UK
• Mountain rescue services
• Treatment on cruises

Make sure you seek treatment from a state-provided healthcare facility to ensure you are covered. State healthcare providers in France are called conventionné. These practitioners fall into one of the following categories:

• Secteur 1: those who charge the standard social security rate
• Secteur 2: those who place an extra fee in addition to the standard rate

Be wary of healthcare arrangements made by a travel representative or hotel – any costs associated with private healthcare are not refundable.

 

[campandfly]

I have contacted Comfort insurance RE are we covered for Vehicle insurance travelling in the EU.

There policy for campervans is covered by AVIVA the boss at Comfort is talking to AVIVA checking to see if we are covered. The lady at Comfort would not at the moment say we are covered and is hoping to call me back ASAP with an answer.

Surely it would be Comforts duty to inform policy holders that there policy has changed terms and they are now not covered.

 

[Mickyb123]

Travel insurance will not be covered while FCO have an essential travel only advice in force. Vehicle insurance is difficult, I would check before travelling that you are covered for the van. Any feedback would be good.

 

[Jabberwocky]

You are right about travel insurance, but it is not really critical just travelling through France as far as i am concerned. Life is always a risk, but this one is not difficult to rationalise. There will soon be an end to UK quarantine for Europeans (watch this space) an FO advice will follow that, so will be nice to get ahead of the crowds.
On vehicle insurance, I doubt it is correct that you would not be covered. If you ring an insurance co. to ask the question, doubtless at the present time, they will just say you are not covered. But it is the contract that matters and unless anyone can point to a specific clause which states that FO advice invalidates your insurance, then it is speculation to suggest there is no cover.

You might want to have a look at this web site before you go on your travels.
Post from a similar thread.

Covid-19 Holiday / Travel Insurance

With the opening of borders in Europe becoming more widespread and the UK Government advice about international travel still being as the below I have been wondering about insurance cover and if existing policies are valid and if so would it depend on an agreement, in the event of any claim...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Martin]

I have just spoken to our contact at Safeguard about this and they confirm that your vehicle is still covered with them even if the government advice is not to travel.

 

[WelshGas]

Special EU site.

Re-open EU

reopen.europa.eu

 

[v-tec]

Travel insurance will not be covered while FCO have an essential travel only advice in force. Vehicle insurance is difficult, I would check before travelling that you are covered for the van. Any feedback would be good.

I got a quote for holiday insurance yesterday with this little foot note,
Also wouldn’t allow to start insurance before 1st July

 

[Ian S.]

arrived safely as per picture. ot a single offoficial in France or Switz asked a single question. the place is wide open

GO PEOPLE WERE FREE!!!!!!

 

[subthree]

arrived safely as per picture. ot a single offoficial in France or Switz asked a single question. the place is wide open

GO PEOPLE WERE FREE!!!!!!View attachment 61568

Looks marvellous. Which Canton are you in?

 

[Ian S.]

A fantastic wild camping spot very close to Bern and Fribourg cantons in the mountains. A beautiful evening.

 

[v-tec]

Looks fantastic,we are due to go on tuesday,
who did you get to cover you with travel insurance.

 

[Ian S.]

we have an annual travel policy taken out before C19 so happy to get into a scuffle with insurer if necessary or more likely rely on EHIC.

 

[v-tec]

Looks like air bridges could be in place on the 29th So hopefully can get some insurance on the 30th

 

[subthree]

arrived safely as per picture. ot a single offoficial in France or Switz asked a single question. the place is wide open

Sorry for the following question but we are trying to plan our trip (escape) for a few weeks time. Did you literally just get the ferry/Eurotunnel and drive through France to CH? Did you overnight in France? No issues at all so far?

 

[B J G]

arrived safely as per picture. ot a single offoficial in France or Switz asked a single question. the place is wide open

GO PEOPLE WERE FREE!!!!!!View attachment 61568

Possibly with the high Covid-19 death rate in UK nobody wants to risk coming near a UK reg. vehicle. Makes for quick travel.

I returned to UK 3 days after French total Lockdown from near Normandy/ Brittany border to Dieppe and expected to be stopped or at least questioned at a Toll point -- nothing.

 

[Ian S.]

Yes airbridges have got to happen sooner rather than later. The Swiss seemed really relaxed about the whole C19 thing and are very welcoming. Many campsites here are fully booked so wild camping is the way forward. No hardship!
Subthree, yes as easy as ABC to get into France. Used Eurotunnel. Absolutely no one batted an eyelid. Even if they had, as we were transitting FR to CH they would not have bothered us. Yes, we wild camped at a great spot we have been to before near Chalons just south of Reims called Chepy found on Park4night App which is great.
Entry into CH all they want is your money for a motorway Vignette - I will have perfect one to sell as soon as I am home!

 

[TwoDogs]

we have an annual travel policy taken out before C19 so happy to get into a scuffle with insurer if necessary or more likely rely on EHIC.

Before we look at whether policies cover coronavirus, it’s important to note that the FCO’s current advice will invalidate many insurance policies unless you’re taking an ‘essential’ trip. Since 17 March, the FCO – which gives advice on which countries are safe to visit – has advised against ‘all but essential travel’ to any country outside of the UK. The advice is indefinite, meaning no one knows when it will change. For as long as the FCO’s advice remains in place, many policies won’t cover you for anything if you choose to travel – from lost baggage to life-threatening injuries.

Read more: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/06/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-your-travel-insurance/ - Which?
Unless your policy specifically covers it, you'll lose that scuffle, and relying on EHIC is risky cos there's a lot it doesn't cover (as someone else pointed out)....you could, in the worst case scenario, be left with massive bills.

 

[Jontymo]

Keep us all updated please, we are looking to go early August for a week or so.