Are medical costs always covered by your healthcare insurance?

Imagine you are swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. You stand up and feel something under your foot. It feels itchy and you find yourself limping as you leave the water. Then you see the spines and realise that you trod on a sea urchin. Because you are allergic to that, you immediately go to an emergency room where thankfully your treatment is successful. But are the medical costs covered by your health insurance?

In holiday countries with coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Turkey and Spain, Dutch visitors are often treated in private clinics. The treatment there is usually more expensive than it would be in the Netherlands and because health insurance only reimburses medical costs up to the Dutch level, the excess amount is not covered by basic health insurance. That means you might have to pay quite a substantial amount yourself.

If you want to be reimbursed for all your medical costs, you will need additional cover or travel insurance with cover for medical costs. Health insurance also carries a standard deductible of € 385, which is the amount that you have to pay. Have you opted for a voluntary increase of that deductible? This could go up to €885. If you have not previously used your deductible in the Netherlands, you will pay (most of) the costs of medical treatment abroad.

Have you taken out travel insurance through Aon? Then you will be reimbursed for treatment costs in a private clinic, even if they are higher than what you would have paid in the Netherlands. In this case, you have no deductible. If you have taken out insurance for your trip from another insurer, we advise you to check whether you have a deductible for medical costs.

Our travel insurance will not only reimburse costs – it also makes sure you can get help if you need it. For example, the S.O.S. assistance service will arrange for your return journey if you should fall ill or have an accident abroad.

Do you participate in dangerous sports, such as technical diving or paragliding? Then you will usually need additional cover. Check your insurance carefully so that you are not taken by surprise .

With the EHIC, you can show that you are insured for medical care abroad. Always take your EHIC with you when you travel! This card is personal to you, so if you want family members to have their own individual EHIC, you must apply for them separately. Has a hospital refused to accept this card? Then please contact your health insurance provider immediately.