Travel Insurance variations - even before Brexit

[Dentonian]

Sorry to sort of resurect this, but I had been working on the basis of Insurance to EU countries within the EHIC scheme being broadly the same - following a number of city breaks to Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy and most recently Portugal. However, I have just got a range of quotes via a well known website for a short break to Sweden - with exactly the same PEMCs - and found quotes around double the other 5 countries. Is there actually, a big variation within EHIC after all, or has there been a sudden surge in Travel Insurance premiums generally?

Also, why do I have to be "over insured"? Minimum cancellation coverage is £2500, yet I only expect to spend £400 on Flight/accomodation. Similarly, minimum baggage is £750, but I only carry a change of clothes and a few meds on a short-break; 2 nights in this case.

 

[cactustwirly]

Sorry to sort of resurect this, but I had been working on the basis of Insurance to EU countries within the EHIC scheme being broadly the same - following a number of city breaks to Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy and most recently Portugal. However, I have just got a range of quotes via a well known website for a short break to Sweden - with exactly the same PEMCs - and found quotes around double the other 5 countries. Is there actually, a big variation within EHIC after all, or has there been a sudden surge in Travel Insurance premiums generally?

Also, why do I have to be "over insured"? Minimum cancellation coverage is £2500, yet I only expect to spend £400 on Flight/accomodation. Similarly, minimum baggage is £750, but I only carry a change of clothes and a few meds on a short-break; 2 nights in this case.

I think you'll find that's the maximum coverage.
I've just got some travel insurance for an upcoming interrail trip, and I paid just over £15 for 2 people.

 

[thejuggler]

I have never ever been asked to specify the individual Countries I am travelling to for travel insurance, so I don't understand how you are getting a quote just for Sweden.

Its usually UK, Europe inc Turkey, often Egypt and North Africa or Worldwide

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Curiosity led me to a little internet research; it would seem that in recent years the Swedish healthcare system has been moving very much in the direction of a US-style model whereby meeting the overall high cost of providing good quality care depends on the provision of private medical insurance as an important source of funding. In short Swedish health care is now genuinely expensive but this is seen as a pragmatic way of ensuring long-term funding for the system. For those not familiar Dentonian has a PEMC which means that from a health insurance POV they are a high risk client. I suspect these two factors have come together to produce the unexpectedly high insurance quotes.

 

[Dentonian]

I have never ever been asked to specify the individual Countries I am travelling to for travel insurance, so I don't understand how you are getting a quote just for Sweden.

Its usually UK, Europe inc Turkey, often Egypt and North Africa or Worldwide

I think those groupings are for "healthy" people. With PEMCs, Spain and Turkey are higher than the rest of the EU.

 

[Dentonian]

Curiosity led me to a little internet research; it would seem that in recent years the Swedish healthcare system has been moving very much in the direction of a US-style model whereby meeting the overall high cost of providing good quality care depends on the provision of private medical insurance as an important source of funding. In short Swedish health care is now genuinely expensive but this is seen as a pragmatic way of ensuring long-term funding for the system. For those not familiar Dentonian has a PEMC which means that from a health insurance POV they are a high risk client. I suspect these two factors have come together to produce the unexpectedly high insurance quotes.

Thanks, Shaw. Its actually three PEMCs - albeit two are as a direct consequence of the treatment for the first one. It seems ironic that a "socially concious" country like Sweden is following the path of the money obsessed USA, although it probably explains why Sweden is losing its status for longevity (second in the world after Japan, it used to be), to its neighbours. OTOH, it shows that the EHIC situation isn't so clear cut.

 

[Dentonian]

I think you'll find that's the maximum coverage.

It didn't give me the option of reducing coverage for any individual element, but that might be because it was just a comparison site. I'll have a closer look at individual Insurers over the weekend.