Insurance options for visitors to Germany

My sisters are coming to visit for a month I am wondering what to do about health insurance matters in case of an emergency. They have UK citizenship but no residency as they live in the Caribbean. Do we have to buy private insurance? My husband thinks that people of student age are somehow covered by the system (in emergencies) - I am not so sure about it (one is 12 the other 20)- does anyone have more insight into this??

Perhaps the E111 might be of use but don't know since they are not EU residents. Still it's a place to start and with citizenship of the UK it might work for them. There are other threads on the subject if you search for E111.

The E111 is no longer valid. It's now EHIC, but think it only applies if you are resident in an EU country.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/Hea...ravellers/fs/en

If whatever health insurance they have in the Caribbean doesn't cover them here, they should extend or supplement it so that it does. Simply having UK Citizenship is not a right to health care or insurance. Any decent health care should also cover emergency repatriation. Most travel insurance is cheap, convenient, and covers health and more...

There is really no checks for residency in the UK.

In my opinion, they should use a relatives address in the UK to apply for the new European Health Card. Once they have one then they will be entitled to treatment throughout the European Union.

You can get the form in any Post Office - it's so small and doesn't even ask that much info - I think maybe your NI number. If you don't have your NI card - you can reapply for that also very easily.

Officially - if they are not resident they aren't entitled but since there is no test in the UK (i.e. the NHS is not based on payment of NI since many people don't claim benefit nor earn money i.e. housewives etc).

Anyhow, one visit on to the shores can justify residency - if you want to be pedantic.

And once you've got the card - your in the Insured club...

My younger sister Mother lives between the UK and the Caribbean all the time without clocking in or out...

So Good Luck