Travel Insurance – Gran Canaria Airport
Most individuals don’t anticipate getting sick while on their well-earned holiday in Gran Canaria. Fortunately, most of the time there is no need to become familiar with the island’s medical facilities. But since the unexpected can occur at times, it’s prudent to be prepared just in case. Therefore, the question: Travel insurance – Do You Need It?
Availability of State Healthcare
Make sure the hospital or doctor you contact is a part of the public healthcare system if you wish to use your EHIC or GHIC to obtain state healthcare.
Some hospitals and medical facilities provide both private and public healthcare. Therefore, you must be very clear that you want to be treated as a public patient and not as a private patient. Private healthcare expenses are not refundable and are not covered by your EHIC or GHIC.
If you need hospital care, you must present your EHIC or GHIC at the time of admission; if not, you will be paid as a private patient.
On the Gov.UK website, travellers from the United Kingdom can obtain further information.
GHIC and EHIC
European visitors must have their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) with them in order to access the public health system. A GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) is required if you are travelling to Gran Canaria from a non-EU nation. These will allow you to access any necessary medical care in Gran Canaria for free or at a discounted rate, just like a Spanish citizen would.
Travel Insurance
Please be advised that a GHIC or EHIC does not serve as a substitute for travel health insurance. You will be charged for any care you receive because the medical facilities in vacation resorts are sometimes private. When contacting your hotel or tour operator for medical assistance, you will frequently be directed to private healthcare facilities. Please be informed that since your EHIC or GHIC will not be accepted, you will be charged for any treatment you receive. Keep the bill and mail it to your insurance provider for reimbursement if you have private healthcare travel insurance. Please be advised that you could have to pay an excess depending on your insurance coverage.
Additionally, several expensive services like mountain rescue and medical repatriation (being flown back to your home country) are not covered by an EHIC or GHIC.