Apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC)

Use this service to apply for healthcare cover if you or someone else is receiving, or has received, emergency treatment in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland and do not have a UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC) or UK European Health Insurance Card (UK EHIC).

What countries are in the EU

The EU countries are:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

You can also contact us to apply for a PRC by phone.

Important

You only need a PRC at the point of receiving medical treatment while abroad. To make sure you have healthcare cover before you travel, apply for a UK Global Health insurance Card (UK GHIC) or UK European Health insurance Card (UK EHIC).

What is covered by a PRC

A PRC will cover you for medically necessary healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return home.

Medically necessary healthcare includes things like:

  • emergency treatment and visits to A&E
  • treatment for a long-term or pre-existing medical condition
  • routine medical care for pre-existing conditions that need monitoring
  • routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth
  • oxygen therapy and kidney dialysis

A PRC only covers you for treatment you receive at a public hospital, clinic or other treatment facility. If you are receiving private treatment, you need to consult your travel insurance.

A PRC cannot be issued to a pharmacy.

For more information on what the PRC covers in the country you're visiting, check the guidance on the GOV.UK website.

Who can use this service

You can use this service to apply for a PRC for:

  • yourself
  • someone else, for example if you are a relative, friend, or medical professional

You can apply for a PRC for ongoing treatment and for treatment that has already taken place.

You can only use this online service for treatment in an EU country, Montenegro, or Switzerland.

Who cannot use this service

You cannot use this online service and need to contact us instead if:

  • you're receiving treatment in Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway
  • you live in the in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland

If your treatment is in another country, you cannot apply for a PRC.

Before you start

We'll ask you for your details, including:

  • your email address
  • your National Insurance number, if you know this
  • your OHS reference number, if you have one

We'll also ask for details about your medical treatment, including:

  • the name of the hospital, clinic, or treatment facility
  • the email address for the hospital, clinic, or treatment facility providing your treatment, which can be provided by medical staff

If you're applying on behalf of someone else, we'll ask for their details.

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How we use your information

To process your application, we may share your information where applicable with:

  • Indesser, Equifax and LexisNexis, which are third party data providers acting on our behalf who will make a UK residency check
  • NHS Digital to validate EU Settlement Scheme status

For more information about how we use your information, read our privacy notice.