Thank you Jorido. If you hear of any Yearly travel insurance from the UK, I would be interested. Everyone we have asked, including those who insured us for many many years - said we have to be resident in UK and that a UK address was not acceptable.
In the meantime, we will be following the avenue this recent case, won against Lamal - which may offer a way forward. If others would like to join us- that would be great, thanks.
But yes, if that becomes the only available solution- to be 'double insured' eg double cover for UK and CH, in order to get basic cover elsewhere- we will, of course. If we do take FMF's advice, to go for cheapest with highest franchise- I wonder if Lamal would argue this should be used instead. Interesting question.
Thanks to anyone who made useful comments.
Lamal would not know you were double insured, they generally pick up medical bills without having to fill out a multi page claim form, unlike other insurances that only rarely expect to pay out.
Mind you, H needed an emergency operation last June which could not be done in State hopsital. 20 mins 1 night in hospital- cost us about 10.000.-
S1 is of course valid for retirees to EU States who are retired there on UK pensions without Maltese pension or income - as it is in other EU States. It seems strange that this will be protected after Brexit if we get a Deal- and yet that it would not be with Switzerland, which has made a Deal with UK.
''If you’re living in Malta before the end of 2020, your rights to access healthcare in Malta will stay the same for as long as you remain legally resident.
This guidance explains what you need to do in Malta depending on your circumstances.
If you’re registered for state healthcare in Malta, most services are free. You may have to pay for prescribed medicine.
At the moment, UK nationals can access the Maltese healthcare system for free in one of these ways:
paying social security contributions
using a UK-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for temporary stays
showing a UK passport if you’re staying for up to one month
using an RHA Entitlement Card
registering a UK-issued S1 with the Entitlement Unit in Malta
being exempt from paying social security contributions, for example someone on benefits or with a low income
The S1 form entitles UK nationals access to state healthcare on the same basis as a Maltese citizen. You’re entitled to an S1 if you receive a UK State Pension or certain other benefits. Find out more about the S1.
Aged 65 I will have a Swiss OAP of about 700 a month so I will need to pay Swiss Health insurance as a result, this is regardless of living in the UK or Malta!
Yes, I am aware of this. This post is a 'just saying post' in return for your post about 'entitlement' - this applies to 100s of 1000s of British expats on UK pensions alone, all over EU- who will continue to be covered if we leave with a Deal. Somehow, in Switzerland, which actually has a recent Deal currently with UK- we have been told this will no longer be the case. Hence the wish to legally challenge it.
You could of course refuse your Swiss pension- if it is cheaper, and rely on S1? both in Malta and France.
I suspect there are very few UK pensioners living in CH getting Free health cover when the Swiss need to pay. You don't seem to grasp the additional benefit you get living in CH v other EU countries where locals get free / cheaper health cover.
How can there be anything to legally be challenged? UK leaves the EU on the terms it agrees or not with the EU, based on the result of a referendum & confirmation by the election result. Boris did promise to get BREXIT done, the only party that was clear on this.
I won't have an S1 aged 65 to rely on if I don't take my Swiss pension, I will still need BUPA.
Switzerland is not in the EU, is it? Cover S1 will remain after December- but we were told that it would not cover the same as before. That was challenged in Court- and won. The point being that S1 should give you the same cover as basic Swiss insurance. It will continue to do so in the EU after Brexit.
I do hope for you that Bupa will never turn back on you as they have on many people I know after severe illness or accident. I sincerely do.
As you say CH is not in the EU.
If you want reciprocal with CH you will get zero cover at all
You seem very sure that UK pensioners living in the EU will get the same cover as they get today, do you have a link?
'' UK state pensioners and cross border workers who hold an S1 form
Your S1 form means that the UK is your ‘competent state’ - responsible for funding your healthcare. You are affiliated to the French health system via CPAM and receive health care on the same basis as a French national, but the UK reimburses France for your health care costs.
Nothing will change for you if the UK leaves the EU under a Withdrawal Agreement. The draft Withdrawal Agreement continues the reciprocal health care / S1 scheme for British residents in the EU and EU nationals in the UK. This applies whether you currently hold an S1 form, or whether you’ve not yet retired but the UK will be your competent state when you do so.''
From your friend The Local but there are many others out there.
Thats the current situation, nothing to do with next year going forward.
We are making excellent progress- so if anyone wants to join us - you are welcome.
Retired a few years ago to Switzerland ‘under our own steam ‘ and as a consequence have paid to date for our own Swiss health insurances.
However, as my wife recently reached the UK retirement age we have now via our
UK S1’s been accepted with the Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG ( me as a dependent as I am still 18 months away from the UK retirement age ).
The UK Overseas Health Services are now in the process of issuing our GHIC
cards , but reading through the above contributions just wondered if any further
progress had been made with the legal case ( in terms of the same level of
insurance being available as Swiss citizens or residents) or have we just to rely on
the GHIC cards as basic travel cover when outside Switzerland or the UK ?
Giving this a bump - does anyone have any information or links that might help !
S1 seems to only cover you in Europe, and gives you free healhcare in UK too.
There seems to be no way of insuring for travel outside Europe. GHIC covers us for emergency only in Europe- and our travel insurance and REGA provide repatriation. We just cannot take the risk to travel outside Europe, and there are NO insurances that will cover healthcare/accident costs outside Europe, if you do not have 'normal' basic Swiss Insurance.
Ok - I understand that the situation with the GHIC and outside of Europe , but just wondered if any further developments had been made on the legal case with
the same level of insurance now being available (as Swiss citizens or residents )
if being insured via the S1 ?
Would be very interested too- so do share if you find anything. Happy to meet up too to discuss- as there seems to be very few of us in this situation.
BTW GHIC only covers S1s in Europe for 'emergency' treatment - hence the requirement to have travel insurance that would cover repatriation for treatment in Switzerland, and REGA membership on top for good measure, and sufficient savings to cover anything over.
We have accepted that this means we will not be able to go to the amazing places beyond Europe where we have dreamt to go and been invited- India, OZ, NZ, Tasmania, and again to SA. Sad, but we have travelled a lot, and there is so so much to see, discover and experience right here in Europe.
If we can form a small group- we could ask for audience with the British Ambassador in Bern to discuss possible solutions- or find an Insurer who would cover- as currently no product in Switzerland exists for our situation.
Ok - thanks for the information - will share if I find anything new .
Happy to join the group .
Seems like there is only 2 of us so far + you.
We would be very happy to pay for travel insurance that would cover us abroad, as we always did in the UK, but the product just does not exist in Switzerland.