--- title: "European Health Insurance Card: what it covers and what it won't" description: "It is free, you apply online and it covers less than people think. Where it works, what it leaves out and when you need something more." url: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/european-health-insurance-card markdown: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/european-health-insurance-card.md lang: en site: Gigapass generated: 2026-10-24 languages: es: https://getgigapass.com/blog/tarjeta-sanitaria-europea-que-cubre de: https://getgigapass.com/de/blog/europaische-krankenversicherungskarte it: https://getgigapass.com/it/blog/tessera-sanitaria-europea fr: https://getgigapass.com/fr/blog/carte-europeenne-d-assurance-maladie pt: https://getgigapass.com/pt/blog/cartao-europeu-de-seguro-de-doenca nl: https://getgigapass.com/nl/blog/europese-zorgpas ja: https://getgigapass.com/ja/blog/ehic-hosho ko: https://getgigapass.com/ko/blog/yureop-geongang-boheom-kadeu zh-hans: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hans/blog/ouzhou-yibao-ka pl: https://getgigapass.com/pl/blog/europejska-karta-ubezpieczenia-zdrowotnego sv: https://getgigapass.com/sv/blogg/europeiska-sjukforsakringskortet no: https://getgigapass.com/no/blogg/europeisk-helsetrygdkort da: https://getgigapass.com/da/blog/det-bla-eu-sygesikringskort tr: https://getgigapass.com/tr/blog/avrupa-saglik-karti ru: https://getgigapass.com/ru/blog/evropeyskaya-karta-strahovaniya zh-hant: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hant/blog/ouzhou-yibao-ka ar: https://getgigapass.com/ar/mudawana/bitaqat-altamin-alsihhi-alurubbiyya he: https://getgigapass.com/he/blog/kartis-briut-eiropi index: https://getgigapass.com/llms/en.txt --- # European Health Insurance Card: what it covers and why it is not insurance > It is free, you apply online and it covers less than people think. Where it works, what it leaves out and when you need something more. [Home](https://getgigapass.com/en) › [Blog](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog) › European Health Insurance Card: what it covers and why it is not insurance Money and insurance It is free, you apply online and it covers less than people think. Where it works, what it leaves out and when you need something more. **Tomás Berruezo** 10 Aug 2026 5 min Photo by Ansgar Scheffold on Unsplash In this article › What that means in practice › Where it works › How to apply › So do you need insurance for Europe? The European Health Insurance Card is one of those things everyone knows exists and hardly anyone can say what it actually does. In short: it gives you access to the PUBLIC health system of the country you are in, on the same terms as a resident there. It is issued by the EU or European Economic Area country where you are insured; if your health cover comes from elsewhere, none of what follows applies to you and travel insurance remains the only route. ## What that means in practice - If public care in that country involves a co-payment, you pay it too. - It only works in public system facilities: at a private clinic it is no use. - It covers care that becomes necessary during a temporary stay, not planned treatment. - It does not cover repatriation, which is precisely the largest bill that can appear. - It does not cover luggage, cancellations or third-party liability. The fourth line is what turns bad news into a serious financial problem, and it is why insurance does not duplicate the card. ## Where it works In European Union countries and a few more with an agreement. Outside that scope it is no use, and there are European countries that fall outside it, the same ones that usually fall outside included roaming. ## How to apply 1. You apply free of charge online through your country's social security body, or in person. 2. It takes a few days to arrive by post, so it is not something you request the day before. 3. It has an expiry date: check it before every trip. 4. It is personal: every family member needs their own, children included. > The card treats you. Insurance brings you home. They are not the same thing and they do not replace each other. ## So do you need insurance for Europe? For a weekend in a European city, plenty of people travel with the card alone and that is enough. For a trip with activities, with children, a long one or one into the mountains, repatriation and treatment at a private clinic are weighty arguments. What to look for in a policy is in [what travel insurance really covers](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/what-travel-insurance-covers). General information. The terms and the countries covered are published by the body that issues the card, and that is the source that counts. Know where you're going? Pick your destination, days and data. Install it before you leave and pay once. [See destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en#destinos) Tomás BerruezoPlans and small print Thirty years reading operator terms, first for work and now out of habit. If something is billed separately, he finds it. ## Frequently asked questions **What does the European Health Insurance Card cover?** Public healthcare that becomes necessary during a temporary stay, on the same terms as a resident of that country, co-payments included. **Does it replace travel insurance?** No. It does not cover repatriation, private clinics, luggage or cancellations. **Where does it work?** In European Union countries and a few more with an agreement. Outside that scope it is no use. **Who can get one?** Anyone insured in an EU or European Economic Area country, through their own country's social security body. If your cover comes from elsewhere it will not be issued to you. ## Keep reading - [Money and insurance](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/airport-taxes) | Flight taxes and surcharges: why the final price isn't the advertised one | 5 min - [Money and insurance](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/business-trip-expenses) | Business trip expenses: which receipts to keep and how | 5 min - [Money and insurance](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/credit-card-travel-insurance) | Your card's travel insurance: when it's enough and when it's a trap | 5 min