Is my health insurance in UK valid after i left UK ?

Question

I have european health insurance card issued in uk when i was living and working there, i am traveling around the world as i have enough money not to work now for a couple of years.

1) is this card still valid and will remain valid as long as the expiry date on it?

2) if i have an accident and go to a hospital somewhere in EU (not UK) do i need to worry that i will need to cover medical expenses as i am not living nor working in UK at the moment?

Answer 1

Yes it is as long you inform your insurance company of your move and you keep paying the premium. Then you can claim back any money you've paid abroad providing you have a receipt.

Answer 2

I am not sure what you are referring to.  If you mean the Blue EU health card.  This is not valid outside the EU but will remain valid within the EU until it expires.

If you are in the EU and fall sick then the you are entitled to the same health care that people resident in that country get.  This may very well mean you have to pay and it varies widely from country to country.  You will need to check for each and may consider additional private health insurance to make up any gaps, including costs of returning you to your normal country of residence, when you die or are seriously ill/injured

If you refer to a private scheme it will only be valid until it expires and will only cover you for what is detailed in the policy.

Hope this helps