Health insurance needed for travel to the Channel Islands

Northern Ireland residents visiting the Channel Islands must ensure that they have adequate health insurance cover.

The recommendation comes from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), as the health care arrangements for UK visitors to the Islands have changed.

The agreement, which allowed UK travellers to get a limited number of medical treatments in the Channel Islands free of charge, ended last year. Anyone now travelling to the Islands, which include Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark and Herm, will be required to pay for medical treatment, should they become ill or injured during their stay there. Although the Channel Islands are considered a Crown dependency of the UK, its health system is not linked to the NHS.

The Channel Islands are not a full member of the European Union. Therefore, travellers should note that possession of a European Health Insurance Card will not allow visitors to avail of free immediate health care on the Islands. It is therefore essential to take out adequate health insurance before travel.

Visitors from the Channel Islands are also liable for charges for medical treatment when visiting Northern Ireland, so they should also ensure they have health insurance cover.

Notes to editors:

1. The bilateral healthcare arrangements between the UK and Channel Islands ended on 31 March 2009.
2. Although the Channel Islands are considered a Crown dependency of the UK, its health system is not linked to the NHS. Therefore with the termination of the bilateral healthcare agreement, visitors will now have to pay for their healthcare should they become ill or injured while on holiday on the Islands.
3. The Channel Islands are not a full member of the European Union and UK visitors cannot utilise the normal reciprocal health arrangements in place between European countries under the European Health Insurance Card scheme (EHIC). This scheme allows free immediately necessary treatment for new and pre-existing conditions that require treatment while visiting other European countries.
4. Media enquiries to the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 2841. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number on 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.