I rang them and they said that my German EHIC would also be acceptable. They need you to have the equivalent of a CEAM because they only pay the extra.
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Hi Fabien, Thank you very much for coming on and replying.
When you say S1 holders might eventually be covered but the process to claimm would be tedious [and presumably complicated], do you mean eventually in the English (“finally”) or the French (“possibly”) sense ?
The English way 
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Which is european. A UK one is not.
If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, you can choose to apply for a new UK EHIC instead.
The above quote from www.nhs.uk (ie official source)
I have a S1 & UK issued EHIC (applied for the EHIC in 2023 so quite recent)
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just checked mine… expires in 2025 and is definitely EHIC.
it’s different to the previous one in that it doesn’t have UK surrounded by stars…
and I don’t know what CRA stands for… (previously that box was empty…)
ah well…
EDIT: Citizens’ Rights Agreement
Not true.
I have rights under the withdrawal agreement but am not allowed an S1 or EHIC.
I have a French CEAM card as my last place of work was France.
Who are CRA EHICs aimed at?
CRA Ehics are aimed at groups covered by the WA including:
- British S1 holders (state pensioners and certain disability benefit recipients) living in the EU, who have always been issued with UK Ehics and not the French equivalent (Carte européene d’assurance maladie), as the UK pays for their healthcare. This was agreed to continue under the Brexit WA. Their Ehics would be valid for five years as is usual for British Ehics. These can be used to access healthcare in other parts of the EU when on trips.
- British students studying in EU institutions before the end of the transition period, who could receive a card valid for the duration of their studies.
- EU citizens living in the UK before 2021 and benefiting from ‘settled status’ in the country under the WA deal.
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Ok, sorry, I guess ‘not true in all cases’. It seems the NHS website hasn’t considered people who have worked in Europe.
However, relating to the original questions: if you have a CEAM card then the Staysure Expat option should be ok.
If you are covered by the UK you may be able to apply for an EHIC instead of a GHIC.
This might help Bargeman with his problem.
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No problem.
Yes Staysure would be ok for me but not my wife as she holds an S1. She also has both EHIC and GHIC The plastic build up in her purse of bank, store, health and numerous other cards is never ending such is the necessary evil of today.
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I don’t see why the UK EHIC (CRA) shouldn’t work just as well as the German EHIC… since both are supposed to work in all EU countries (and some others as well…)
Crikey, how many good replies.
Thank you all.
I’ll try to make comments to the most relevant. I’ve been unable to reply today until now 7.15 pm
At 1 o’clock this morning I found the UK gov website page that does indeed say if you have withdrawal agreement rights and an S1, a UK EHIC card can be applied for.
The UK GHIC and EHIC card both give health care rights as if you are a citizen of the country.
However the difference is:
EHIC covers all states in the European Economic Area.
GHIC doesn’t include Switzerland, Lithuania and (if remember correctly) Andorra.
Before Brexit we had European (UK)EHICs, which we were, improperly (it now seems), advised by the then UK government, that we had to swap them for GHICs, giving less rights 
. So we did. Tomorrow I’ll be applying for new UK EHICs.
We have never been active financially in France (apart from spending all our money here, to help the French economy). So can’t apply for a French CEAM (EHIC).
Obviously for those with a French CEAM card, this whole problem of travel insurance eligibility disappears. 
.
Now here’s the question, is a UK EHIC the exact equivalent to the French CEAM?
If the answer is “yes”, then there are probably a few 10s of thousands of UK citizens resident in France who are eligible to have one. It reads that some already do.
If there’s equivalence I would think that that would be enough of a customer base for a French insurance company to find a workaround to get the business.
The search, and discussion goes on.
My head hurts 
, I’d rather be trouble shooting a marine diesel engine .
Any insurance experts out there to fight our corner (Fabian ).
Hi Stella
I’m no expert, but it might be that cross border free economic movement rights (money movement) between the EU and the UK ended with Brexit.
From what I’ve read… the UK issued EHIC (CRA) entitles the holder to the same health rights as the other Residents of whichever EU country (and a few extra countries).
This card was issued after Brexit, specifically to allow those of us with CdSWithdrawal Agreement… to enjoy the continuation of the Health situation we had enjoyed before Brexit.
As I understand things… the Travel Insurer will cover Health Expenses after allowing for what the “State” pays… so all the Travel Insurer needs to know is that the Traveller is entitled to the same Health cover as a Resident of whichever country the Traveller is visiting… (in Eu and those other countries on the list…)
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I have a UK EHIC. This time round they refused to issue a GHIC though, when I asked for that as well. I asked for the GHIC too, as I recalled we were told by UK gov the GHIC would have other non- EU countries added and they had previously issued me both EHIC and GHIC.
It would make a lot more sense if once in the system, France could just issue us the normal CEAM as it’s part of the package here + backbill it to UK if there were any extra costs (unsure if there would be). Instead we have this care gap that can’t be filled that has suddenly come out because it wasn’t thought through by the bureaucrats.
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strikes me we need someone with the (UK issued) EHIC/CRA to make a phone call and talk this through… just like @Rachman did…
this EHIC/CRA is “special” for us with CdSWithdrawal Agreement… and supposed to work, just like before Brexit… for EU countries etc…
perhaps @fabien can look into this… 
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I just emailed Staysure yesterday and got a reply today!
Sarah J (@Staysure) says …
Sarah J (Staysure Support)
Oct 25, 2024, 12:03 GMT+1
Hi,
Thank you for your email.
We have had confirmation from the underwriters that if you are not able to obtain a CEAM, then the GHIC will be fine provided you are able to explain why you were not entitled to obtain the CEAM in the event of a claim and that you meet the other eligibility criteria of a French Expat policy which is the following:
- A British National, spouse, or dependant of a British National permanently resident in France for six
of the last twelve months; - Registered with a doctor in France, who will grant access to your medical records;
- Travelling from and returning to France
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you require anything further.
Kind regards
Sarah
Staysure Customer Support Team
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Excellent news Susan, thanks for posting.
In the next couple of days I will email them and ask if a (UK) CRA EHIC card is acceptable as it’s slightly different in countries where it is recognised (3 more) than the GHIC issued by the UK.
I might sound like I’m being too careful, but I have had two big insurance claims in the past, and I have found out that insurance companies will find any reason not to pay out if possible, so now I like to have everything in print.
I’ll report any reply that I get from them. 
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For those following this thread.
I approached our bank asking about Assurance Voyage “yes we have that product”. Our details taken.
Two days later “Sorry we cannot offer you the product as you do not have a CEAM card issued by CPAM”
So strike Credit Mutual off your list if you don’t have a CEAM.
Don’t they just!! In my youth I had a motorcycle accident where an inattentive lady car driver turned across my path and I had no option but to ride straight into the car’s front grille - luckily I was uninjured.
Her insurer’s loss adjuster tried to claim that the front forks being bent back under the engine by the impact was “pre-existing damage”.
It took a year to get that claim sorted out. What made it worse was that the bike I was riding I had borrowed from a friend, as mine had been stolen the week before!
Insurance companies will be first up against the wall when the revolution comes. 
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