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Croatia is a beautiful holiday destination and has become an increasingly popular destination for British holidaymakers. As with all EU countries, if you have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you are entitled to reduced costs for healthcare, and sometimes even free healthcare when you are visiting. But take heed. As with all EU countries, there are individual differences in what is offered under the policy, and it is important to be aware of what exactly you are or are not covered for. Bearing this in mind, you should always take out single trip or annual holiday insurance before you travel. This ensures that you have covered all bases. What is Covered by EHIC? The Croatian Health Insurance Fund (CHIF) is the state funded system that supports public GPs, and it is one of these GPs whom you need to visit should you require medical care that will be covered by your valid EHIC in Croatia. When visiting a GP, make sure you are in control of which one you go to, then you can be sure it is a CHIF registered one. Hotel staff and holiday reps may well book an appointment with a private GP, which will not be covered by your EHIC. Different annual holiday insurance policies or even single trip ones may cover you for private healthcare but the EHIC does not. A co-payment, which is often required in EU countries with a reciprocal agreement with the UK, is also demanded in Croatia. This is required even if you have a valid EHIC card. If, however you have a single trip or annual holiday insurance policy you may be able to claim this back. If you only have an EHIC, this co-payment is non-refundable in the UK or in Croatia itself. The fee is minimal and the reason you cannot claim it back from the state is that it is the fee that local people also pay. Hospital visits when abroad are not something we like to think about but they do happen, so it is best to be prepared. Having single trip or annual holiday insurance gives you real peace of mind with regards claiming back any costs, but the EHIC also covers you for the same range of treatments that a local Croatian resident would receive in the case of an emergency. Extra Information Dental treatment is always a bit of a grey area when it comes to reciprocal healthcare agreements, but in Croatia you will receive the same benefits as a local as long as you have a valid EHIC. This will involve an initial payment that is subsidised as long as you show your EHIC. Insurance policies may well cover you for dental treatment but every single trip and annual holiday insurance policy will be different so check your policy details carefully if you are unsure. A useful number to have close to hand when travelling in Croatia is 112. This is the emergency services number and a number that can be called for free from any landline or mobile. Be sensible and log this number in your phone before you travel as, although it may only be three numbers, stressful situations can cause us to forget the simplest of things. Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of InsureMore. We provide low cost travel insurance and offer a range of policies including annual holiday insurance, single-trip, multi-trip and family insurance. For all your travel cover needs, InsureMore can help you in the quickest and most cost-efficient way.
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