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European Health Insurance Card: What it really covers on holiday
The EHIC helps with medically necessary treatment in Europe – but does not replace travel health insurance.
Status: September 16, 2026. The European Health Insurance Card, or EHIC, enables statutory insured persons to access medically necessary state healthcare during a temporary stay in the EU as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Treatment according to the rules of the travel destination
Insured persons are generally treated under the same conditions and costs as locals in the respective country. This does not automatically mean free care: usual co-payments of the travel country may also apply to travelers.
What the EHIC does not cover
- private medical care,
- medically necessary repatriation to Germany,
- rescue costs and many search or rescue operations,
- treatment if the trip was expressly undertaken for this purpose.
Why travel health insurance remains advisable
Above all, repatriation can become very expensive. Private travel health insurance abroad can cover this gap. Check the scope, maximum travel duration, pre-existing conditions, and repatriation conditions before your trip.
Source: European Commission, official EHIC information.
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