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My husband and I are both in our late 60s and are planning, initially, to spend 6 months of the year in France. We have our European Health Insurance Card from the UK and would welcome any advice on where we go for top-up insurance.
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If you are only spending 6 months of the year visiting France you don't need and cannot get top up insurance in France, (you have to be a member of the French Health care system to get a mutuelle).   Your EHIC covers you for all accidents and emergencies whist abroad in Europe although you may have to pay and claim back the money on your return to the UK.  If you have on-going conditions then expect to pay for any treatment that may be necessary for those. You can of course get travel insurance in the UK.
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We are moving to France in July and will be resident from then on.  We have already established that we can get an E106, but I understand that that only covers a certain percentage of costs.  Do we need to wait until we are registered with a french doctor before we obtain top up cover or can we do this before we go.  Also does anyone have any recommendations for top up cover?

Thank you

Miszter

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You will need to wait until CPAM issue your Carte Vitale number as they can't do anything without that. Ours took a while to come through so we rang the English speaking helpline, they contacted CPAM and it came quite quickly after that. We went to the insurance company where we have house cover and car insurance and it was all sorted without fuss and without a medical questionnaire. We pay 44 euros a month each, but get quite a bit back as husband's BP medication is quite expensive (88 euros the month we paid for before the card arrived.) The main thing is to get down to your local CPAM with all the documentation as soon as you arrive and get it all in motion, but I understand that you are covered from the date on your letter from Newcastle.

regards

Lisa

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English speaking helpline.  Can I please have the number and do they deal with any problems.  I have been trying to get a refund for the money I paid out for diabetic palaver (needles, testing kit, tablets etc) which I told would be refunded when I was accepted for my 100% free status and any refunds would be back dated.  I have been to CPAM but they I cant get them to understand what it is I want and they just give me an application to join the CMU. 
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Beware.  As a visitor to France  your EHIC does not cover you completely for emergencies and accidents whilst in France.  You only get the same cover as the French - i.e. a certain differing percentage paid for by the French government and the rest has to be paid either in their case by top up mutuelles, or in the British case paying yourself.

The French medical treatment is fantastic.  A friend needed emergency treatment and we cannot fault it, but had to pay for "hotel" charges for the hospital, various other charges  for the hospital, for Doctors, anaethetists, medicines, injections, etc.  You are given forms in each case and send them off.  Having paid approx 800Es the refund was £143 odd!  Despite there being free emergency treatment in the UK, Newcastle states that the treatment in France is under the same terms the French receive - i.e. you are expected to be responsible for the vast majority (which in the French persons case is paid for by their mutuelle).  It does actually state this in the booklet which comes with the EHIC although not in great detail.

It seems well nigh impossible to get six months travel insurance and I would be very grateful to hear of anyway in which this could be obtained.  I travel back and forth at different times to France up to the 6 months limit, and have to hope for the best, although I do have a kind of insurance through my bank.  Getting individual insurances for each trip would be very expensive and the yearly ones only cover for something like up to a 21/30 day trip at a time.

I understand that Spain has an agreement that covers completely all British pensioners for emergencies!

Keep fit and well and enjoy life.

 

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Thanks LisaJ that we very helpful.  I still had to go into the CPAM but at least I knew what to say to them.  They still argued but I stood my ground and argued back.  I think I will be getting my refunds, only time will tell.
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[quote user="WendyG"]

It seems well nigh impossible to get six months travel insurance and I would be very grateful to hear of anyway in which this could be obtained.  I travel back and forth at different times to France up to the 6 months limit, and have to hope for the best, although I do have a kind of insurance through my bank.  Getting individual insurances for each trip would be very expensive and the yearly ones only cover for something like up to a 21/30 day trip at a time.

[/quote]

Hi Wendy

We used Flexicover for 7 months cover in Europe last year, though I understand they will do longer if needed. They also do single trips - all arranged over the internet unless you have any ongoing serious medical problems you want covering, then you need to speak to them by phone. They have won awards for their cover so I guess they are not fly-by-night. You can also arrange it from any country to any country eg live in France, book cover for the UK or USA.

www.flexicover.com

Sue

 

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