Millions of UK EHIC/GHIC cards set to expire in 2025, raising insurance concerns

Close to two million European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) and Global Health Insurance Cards (GHICs) issued in the UK are due to expire in 2025, prompting renewed warnings from travel insurance providers about the risks of relying solely on these cards for overseas medical protection.

According to data released by travel insurer Holidaysafe, sourced from the NHS Business Services Authority, approximately 1.96 million health cards – including EHICs, GHICs, and UK EHICs issued under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement – will expire this year. This surge in expirations coincides with the peak summer travel period, heightening the risk that some travellers may unknowingly travel without valid access to reciprocal healthcare arrangements or comprehensive insurance cover.

While EHIC and GHIC cards allow UK residents to access emergency and medically necessary public healthcare in the EU and select partner countries, they offer limited protection. Private medical treatment, medical repatriation, non-EU travel, and high-risk activities such as winter sports or cruises fall outside the scope of these reciprocal agreements. These risks remain squarely within the domain of travel insurance providers.

The warning comes as insurers face rising claims costs and pressures on underwriting profitability. NHS data shows the UK government has paid over £813 million since 2016 for reciprocal healthcare costs under EU agreements. In 2019 alone – the last full year before the pandemic – costs peaked at £127.3 million.

Decline in valid cards raises risk

Industry stakeholders are concerned about the overall decline in valid EHIC/GHIC cards since the UK’s departure from the EU. Since 2020, the total number of active cards has dropped by 3.4 million, suggesting that a significant portion of the UK population may be unaware of the need to renew or may be assuming broader coverage than the cards provide.

For insurers, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to reinforce the importance of travel insurance as a comprehensive risk transfer tool – not only to cover what EHICs and GHICs do not, but also to navigate a more complex, post-Brexit healthcare landscape.

As Turkey overtakes Spain in popularity, British travellers have been informed that their UK-issued GHIC won’t cover them for medical emergencies in Turkey.