Travel Insurance & GHIC after Brexit.

What do you need to know about travel insurance after Brexit?

You may be wondering the effect Brexit has had on travel, whether your EHIC will still be valid, and if anything’s changed with travel insurance for your next holiday.

It’s important you know the facts before you book your upcoming trip, so keep reading to find out more.

Flexibility to change details online

When you buy a policy from us, you can manage it yourself by logging in to your My Avanti account. Here you can:

• access policy documents
• update traveller details
• change your single trip dates (limits apply)
• renew an annual policy if you have no changes to make
• and more.

If you have questions about Covid-19 and how it affects your holiday plans, visit our Covid-19 help page.

Has travel insurance changed since Brexit?

As long as you have your EHIC/GHIC, you’ll still be able to access free or subsidised healthcare for countries in the EU after Brexit.

The UK government still recommends you take out a travel insurance policy when going abroad to Europe, as you would anywhere else in the world. It will help protect you against more than medical expenses by covering you for cancellations or if any of your personal items are lost or stolen, for example.

A travel insurance policy is especially important if you live with pre-existing health conditions because it can give you the help you need if something goes wrong on your trip, like if you need to be transported home in the case of an emergency.

You’ll also need a valid EHIC or GHIC to take out an Avanti Travel Insurance policy.

Do I need to have had both my Covid jabs to be covered?

As long as you’ve had the vaccines you’ve been offered for Covid-19, you should be covered. If you haven’t been offered both doses yet or you’re medically exempt then you can also be covered.

If you’ve refused any doses of the vaccine or haven’t been able to have a dose you’ve been offered, you won’t be covered.

Is my EHIC still valid after Brexit?

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) was replaced by the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) on 1 January 2021, following the UK leaving the EU.

The EHIC, and now the GHIC, is used to provide free or reduced-cost medical care when travelling in the EU.

All EHICs received before 2021 will be valid until they expire. But, if you get a health insurance card for a trip within the EU from 2021 onwards you’ll receive a GHIC.

If you need to get one, visit the NHS website.

Should I declare my health conditions?

It’s key that you tell us about all of your pre-existing health conditions when you take out a travel insurance policy with us. Doing so means we can make sure you get the right cover for you.

You can get a quote over the phone or online, whichever suits you best. We’ll ask you some questions about your medical conditions, so you can be sure that when we say your health conditions are covered – they’re covered.