APRIL INTERNATIONAL CARE INSURANCE

The MER Consortium has contracted the APRIL International Care to provide insurance to all the Joint MER MSc Programme students, both EM scholarship holders and for self-funded students, even if they are not enrolled UBx. UBx is responsible for contract renewal every year and costs are covered by the Consortium. This insurance is for all the MER students.

  • Students are covered everywhere in the world, even in overseas and on board as long as this is linked to their Joint MER MSc Programme.
  • The period of coverage is 1 month before the starting of the programme and up to 2 months after the ending of the programme.

 

EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARD (EHIC)

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) replaced the old E111 in 2006. Your EHIC lets you get state healthcare at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. It will cover you for treatment that is needed to allow you to continue your stay until your planned return. It also covers you for treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, as long as you’re not going abroad to give birth.

The EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or costs such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, being flown back to the EU member states, or lost or stolen property. Therefore, it is important to have both an EHIC and a valid private travel insurance policy. Some insurers now insist you hold an EHIC and many will waive the excess if you have one. The EHIC is entirely free of charge. However, other unofficial websites may charge you if you apply through them.

If you are not of EEA or Swiss nationality, you’ll have to provide evidence that you are ordinarily resident in a EU member state. Proof of entitlement could be your visa, a letter from the Home Office, a letter from your employer or an approved A1, S1, E101, E106 or E109 form.

Each country’s healthcare system is slightly different. Therefore, your EHIC might not cover everything that would be free on the NHS. However, you should be able to get the same treatment as a resident of the country you’re visiting. In some countries, you may have to pay a patient contribution, also known as a co-payment.

The EHIC is valid for up to five years. Check that your EHIC is still valid before you travel. Renewing your card is free. You can renew an EHIC up to six months before the expiry date. However, any time left on the card will not be added to your new card. Renew your EHIC and go abroad knowing you are more prepared.