Does anyone know if it's any use filling in a E111 form as well as taking out travel insurance? What benefits, if any, does a E111 form give?

Thanks for any help!

E111 gives you access to hospital treatment in Europe without you having to pay for it. You don't need it in Portugal though. (although you may still want one just ot be sure).

Travel Insurance will refund you for anything you do have to pay for such as doctors, medicines etc. as well as cover for delays with flights or theft of personal items, all minus the excess of course.

J

You just flash your passport in Portugal

Dave,

It is absolutely essential that you carry form E111 (or its successor!) as well as adequate personal travel insurance. Reproduced below is advice from the online CAB guidance notes-

"The old UK E111 entitlement form for free or reduced cost healthcare in another European Union country will not be valid after 31 December 2004. You can obtain a new E111 by filling in the application form included in the leaflet Health advice for travellers. Alternatively, you can download it from the Department of Health's website at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers. In either case, the form must be stamped at the post office.

The main difference between the old and the new form is that the new form is now issued on an individual, as opposed to a family, basis. However, you will only need to complete one application form in order to receive E111s for you, your spouse/partner and children. The new E111 form will be valid until 31st December 2005.

The E111 will be replaced by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) during the course of 2005. Tick the appropriate box on the application form for the new E111 and you will be sent an EHIC automatically."

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As you can see from the foregoing, there is a transitional period running up to the demise of the E111, which will be followed by the EHIC. The E111 gives instant access to free primary care services in Portugal, without the hassle of having to pay for it and wait for reimbursement.

The document is also a useful way of verifying your identity if anything untoward happens to your passport.

Have a great time. It is a beautiful country with beautiful residents.

kind regards

Limey

So, just to be clear, if you have a old style E111 , this is valid until the end of this year?

G

End of last year, not this year.

As obtaining an E111 involves zero effort, get one. My wife was bitten by some nasty spider a couple of years ago and the E111 saved us a lot of money/hassle.

Excellent treatment in the local health centre, just cost a lot for pills/ointment etc.

(We think it was a brown recluse spider. )

Tks PM - I have missunderstood the rules. I wrongly assumed that old style family forms could still be used during the transition period until Dec 05 when the new EHIC wil come into play.

The bumf that comes with the E111 clearly states that it is not needed in Portugal. Showing a UK passport confirms that you qualify for treatment here

For what my "twopence" is worth - despite what it may say on English published papers about it not being necessary - Ive had enough contradictory opionions from "civil" ? servants in PT to know that I should get EVERYTHING - just in case - better here to have too much paperwork than not enough (at least you will be the envy of the queue if you have a lever arch file FULL ! )

Plus if you have loads of papers it gives the civil servants something to read at great length while you bleed all over the floor !