Overview

• Spain began enforcing checks on July 5 requiring UK arrivals to show private medical travel insurance or risk fines up to €6,900 (£5,900) or denial of entry
• On July 16, the Ministry of Health confirmed there is no formal legal mandate for private cover at border control, only a strong recommendation
• Surveys by Opinion Matters and ABTA reveal that nearly eight million UK holidaymakers routinely travel without insurance and about one in four trips may be uninsured
• EHIC and GHIC cards still provide state healthcare access but do not cover private treatment, repatriation or trip cancellations, with overseas medical bills potentially topping £150,000
• Experts including Martin Lewis advise travellers to buy comprehensive medical cover ASAB (as soon as you book) to avoid fines, entry issues and catastrophic costs abroad