Sick or injured abroad

If you become sick or are injured abroad you should seek medical attention locally if you feel you need it. Your travel insurance should cover most medical expenses if you have taken out a comprehensive policy.  

Please be aware that medical facilities abroad may differ from those in the UK.

What we can do to help:

• aim to contact you within 24 hours of being told that you have been admitted to hospital
• if you are in hospital as a result of an assult or other crimes, we will visit you as soon as possible. Please see the victims of crime page for more information
• if you want, we can contact your family or friends in the UK to tell them that you are in hospital
• if you want, we can help you to consult your insurance company or medical evacuation company. Remember to keep any receipts or doctors' notes in case you need to make a claim
• we may also be able to help you communicate with hospital staff if they do not speak English
  

We'll take into account of factors as your condition, your ability to speak on the phone, whether you have relatives and friends with you, whether you have a tour company representative and the standard of medical facilities before deciding whether a visit is appropriate. If we believe a visit is appropriate and there is a British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate in the same city as the hospital you are in, we aim to visit you within 48 hours of being told you have gone into hospital.

What we cannot do:

We cannot pay for your medical treatment or provide treatment ourselves.
We do not usually contact or visit you if you have travelled specifically for medical treatment.

If you are travelling within the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which will entitle you to medical treatment at a reduced cost, or free of charge in some cases. If you normally live in the UK, you can apply for the EHIC at any point, even after medical treatment has become necessary or started.