Apply for a Free UK Global Health Insurance Card Online

A free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in EU countries, and a few others, on the same basis as a local resident, and you apply for it online through the official NHS service at no cost. The card is free, there is no deadline to apply, and it lasts for up to five years, according to GOV.UK. Some commercial websites charge an administration fee to forward your application – you never need to pay one.

A GHIC is not travel insurance and not private medical cover. It gives access to state-funded treatment abroad, but it does not pay for repatriation to the UK, private hospitals, or trip costs, so most travellers pair it with travel insurance. This page explains how to apply, who you can include, how renewal works, and where private medical insurance fits if you want faster access to treatment at home.

Last updated: October 2026

Written by the Free Price Compare editorial team | Reviewed October 2026

How do I apply for a GHIC in the UK?

The GHIC is applied for online through the official NHS service, and the whole process takes a few minutes. You need your full name, date of birth, address and your National Insurance or NHS number to hand. The card is free, and applications are processed by the NHS Business Services Authority, so there is no reason to use a third-party site that charges a fee.

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority confirms that GHIC and UK EHIC applications are free, and warns that some websites charge for submitting an application on your behalf, according to the GOV.UK guidance. If a site asks for a payment to apply, it is not the official NHS route.

• Go to the official NHS GHIC application service.
• Enter your personal details and your NHS or National Insurance number.
• Add any eligible family members on the same application.
• Submit – there is nothing to pay.

Your physical card arrives by post, usually within a couple of weeks. GOV.UK advises applying at least two weeks before you plan to travel so the card reaches you in time.

Can I apply for my partner and children?

Yes, you can apply for your partner and children on the same GHIC application, so a family does not need to complete separate forms. On the official NHS service, the main applicant can include a spouse or civil partner and any dependent children under 16, provided their healthcare is paid for by the UK. Each person receives their own individual card.

Each family member’s card is personal to them and must be carried by that person when travelling. For a child’s GHIC, a parent or guardian completes the application on their behalf and the child’s name appears on their own card – useful for school trips abroad, where some organisers ask for proof of healthcare cover before departure.

If you want a clear comparison of the GHIC and the older card it replaced, our guide to the European Health Insurance Card and what changed in 2026 sets out the differences in plain terms.

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Can you have both UK EHIC and GHIC?

Most UK residents can only apply for a GHIC, not a new UK EHIC, because the GHIC replaced the EHIC for people whose healthcare is funded by the UK. A small number of groups remain eligible for a UK EHIC, such as some UK state pensioners living in the EU and certain other protected cohorts, and they apply for the EHIC rather than the GHIC. You would not normally hold both an active new EHIC and a GHIC at the same time.

If you have an existing UK EHIC that has not yet expired, it remains valid until its printed end date, so there is no need to replace it early. When it expires, most people then apply for a GHIC. The two cards give broadly the same access to necessary state healthcare across EU countries; the EHIC also covers a slightly wider list of countries for the specific groups still entitled to it.

What does the GHIC actually cover abroad?

A GHIC covers necessary state healthcare in EU countries, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, on the same basis as a resident of the country you are visiting. The NHSBSA also lists certain French overseas territories, including Guadeloupe, Mayotte and Réunion, though cover can vary by destination. “Necessary” means treatment that cannot reasonably wait until you return home, such as emergency care or treatment for a sudden illness.

Treatment on a GHIC is only free where it is free for local residents. In many countries, residents pay a share of the cost themselves, so you may be charged the same local patient contribution. Using a GHIC in France, for example, gives you the same access as a French citizen, which is not the same as completely free A&E care – you can still face a co-payment.

Is the GHIC a replacement for travel insurance?

No, a GHIC does not replace travel insurance, and the NHS is clear it should not be relied on alone. The card covers state healthcare abroad, but it does not pay for private treatment, repatriation back to the UK, mountain rescue, lost baggage, cancellation, or being flown home after a serious accident. Those costs fall to travel insurance.

For planned treatment abroad, a GHIC does not provide automatic funding. The NHS S2 route requires a separate application and approval before you travel, according to the GOV.UK guidance on healthcare abroad. For a European trip, carrying a valid GHIC alongside travel insurance is the sensible combination, and our guide to health insurance for a trip to Europe explains how the two work together.

Heading abroad this year?

A free GHIC paired with the right travel and health cover is the sensible combination before you go.

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How do I renew my GHIC, and can I apply if I live abroad?

GHIC renewal means making a new online application through the official NHS service, usually in the months before your current card expires. There is no automatic renewal, so check the expiry date printed on the card and reapply in good time – the renewal application is the same free process as a first-time application. A GHIC is valid for up to five years.

Eligibility to apply depends on your healthcare being paid for by the UK, which normally means being resident in the UK. If you have moved abroad permanently, your entitlement may change, and some people living in the EU fall under different arrangements, such as the S1 scheme for certain pensioners. If your circumstances have changed, check the current eligibility rules on the official NHS pages before you apply.

How does private medical insurance differ from a GHIC?

Private medical insurance (PMI) is a UK policy that pays for private treatment of new, acute conditions at home, which is a different thing from a GHIC that covers state healthcare while you are abroad. PMI typically funds quicker access to specialists, diagnostics and private hospital treatment in the UK, alongside the NHS, rather than replacing it. A GHIC is for necessary state care overseas; PMI is for eligible private care in Britain.

PMI generally does not cover ongoing management of chronic conditions, emergency or A&E care (which remains the NHS’s role), or pre-existing conditions, which are usually excluded or handled through a moratorium. Under moratorium underwriting, conditions you had in a set period before the policy started are excluded until you have been symptom- and treatment-free for a continuing period. Full medical underwriting instead assesses your history up front, so you know what is excluded from day one. Scale matters here: 6.5 million people were covered by health insurance in the UK in 2024, up 4% on 2023, according to the ABI (published January 2026).

If you want a broad view across protection products, you can also compare insurance quotes online and see how health cover sits alongside other policies.

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How much does private medical insurance cost?

Cover starts from £23 a month, with WPA promotional cover ranging from £22.90 to £38.58 a month across the single, couple and family tiers. Premiums depend on your age, location, chosen excess, underwriting method, hospital network and cover level, so the right figure for you comes from a personalised quote rather than a headline average.

Premiums may vary depending on each individual’s circumstances. £22.90/month (about £5.28/week) for a 29-year-old non-smoker with Treatment Cover (£100 excess). £25.17/month (about £5.81/week) for a 35-year-old non-smoker with Treatment Cover (£250 excess). £38.58/month (about £8.90/week) for a 50-year-old non-smoker with Treatment Cover (£250 excess). All prices under WPA promotion. All include limited cancer cover and a £50,000 Treatment Cover limit per year. These are indicative UK examples; prices correct as of May 2026 and vary by individual circumstances, location, exclusions and plan terms.

For market context, UK health insurers processed a record £4 billion in individual and workplace private medical insurance claims in 2024, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Price rises with age, and a higher excess usually lowers the monthly premium, so adjusting the excess is one of the simplest levers when comparing quotes.

Figures are indicative and may change.

If you are weighing a specific insurer, our overview of AXA health insurance plans shows how one provider structures its cover and excess options.

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What if you get a medical bill abroad?

A medical bill abroad after using a GHIC may be reclaimable through the NHSBSA or your travel insurer, so keep every document and receipt. In some countries you pay the local resident charge up front and reclaim it, while in others the GHIC is accepted at the point of care. If a bill is in a language you do not read, ask the clinic for an itemised invoice and keep the original.

For bills that are not covered by state healthcare arrangements, such as a private clinic that did not accept the card, travel insurance is where you would usually turn. Keeping both a valid GHIC and travel insurance on any trip reduces the risk of being left with an unexpected cost. For a side-by-side explanation of both cards, see our EU health insurance card guide covering GHIC and EHIC.

Free Price Compare has partnered with Health Window to compare health insurance options across leading UK insurers in one place, so you can see how each choice changes the price. It’s also worth reviewing your wider protection at the same time, such as critical illness cover, which pays a lump sum rather than funding treatment.

• European Health Insurance Card: What to Know in 2026
• Health Insurance for Trip to Europe: 2026 Guide
• Compare Insurance Quotes Online | FreePriceCompare.com
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• AXA Health Insurance Plans | Free Price Compare

Information correct as of 30 October 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Free Price Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).