And dont forget No matter where you’re from, if you’re travelling to the Isle of Man, you’re likely to need some form of insurance. UK residents travelling to the Isle of Man The Isle of Man and the UK have a reciprocal agreement in place where Isle of Man residents visiting the UK, and UK residents visiting the Isle of Man have the assurance of receiving free emergency healthcare. Although treatment is free, repatriation (return travel to someone’s home country) has never been included as part of the reciprocal agreement, and this remains the case today. Because of this, all UK residents who travel to the Isle of Man (including on business) should ensure that they have adequate insurance in place in the event of repatriation being required, as this can be a considerable expense ranging from the cost of a ferry ticket, to the hire of a private Air Ambulance which can cost as much as £20,000. Travelling from outside the UK The Isle of Man only has a reciprocal health agreement with the UK and no other countries. This means that if you’re travelling to the Island from outside of the UK, you will need to make arrangements for full healthcare cover for the duration of your stay in the Isle of Man. It is therefore extremely important that you take out adequate insurance for all trips to the Isle of Man to cover both medical treatment and for repatriation. If you require medical treatment or repatriation and are uninsured, the Isle of Man Government is not able to help and you can expect to have to pay the full cost of treatment and travel home from your own money which can run into tens of thousands of pounds depending on where you live. What is meant by the UK? The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This means that only residents from these four constituent nations of the UK are entitled to free emergency healthcare when visiting the Isle of Man. The UK does not include the Republic of Ireland (Eire), Jersey, Guernsey, or any British Overseas Territories (e.g. Gibraltar, Bermuda etc). What if I fall ill in the Isle of Man without insurance? The vital importance of having adequate insurance in place for visits to the Isle of Man cannot be overstated. If you required medical treatment or repatriation without having the correct insurance cover, the Isle of Man Government would be unable to act or offer financial assistance, nor would the government of your home country (including the UK for repatriation). It is strongly recommended that you take out adequate insurance cover and make your specific needs clear to the insurance provider, remembering to read your policy documentation before travel. What if I’m studying full time in the Isle of Man? Full-time students who are able to prove that their course on the Island lasts more than six months, are classed as Isle of Man resident, so would not need insurance whilst on the Island. What is meant by repatriation? Repatriation is a term used to describe the process of returning a person back to their home. In terms of medical repatriation, this occurs when normal travel plans have been disrupted by illhealth. For example if you miss a flight because of a stay in hospital whilst in the Isle of Man, the burden of securing transport home falls to you or your insurance company; and not the airline/ferry operator or the Isle of Man Government. How much does repatriation cost? The actual costs would depend on many variables, such as the distance of the journey, whether an Air Ambulance was required and what specialist equipment and medical staff may be necessary - plus the nature of your condition. It is not uncommon for repatriation by Air Ambulance to reach sums of £20,000 just for the Isle of Man to UK, and the cost would be considerably more to other countries. I have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)/Form E111 - does this entitle me to free healthcare on the Island? No. The Isle of Man is not part of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), which is where the EHIC (formerly Form E111) scheme operates. EU/EEA residents will require appropriate insurance when travelling to the Isle of Man. It is worth noting that even travellers with an EHIC can be required to pay some of the costs of treatment when in EU/EEA countries. The UK Government strongly advises its residents to make certain that they are insured, even if they hold an EHIC. What is meant by insurance and why is it required? Whilst the Isle of Man has a National Health Service that is funded from taxation and free at the point of delivery, this is only available to Isle of Man
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 21:47:51 +0000
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