Fact Check: Nigel Farage’s claim holidaymakers going to Europe must “prove medical insurance” is false (August 2025)

🗣️ The Claim

In August 2025, during a campaign appearance, Nigel Farage claimed that UK holidaymakers travelling to Europe are now required to ‘prove they have medical insurance’ at the border.

📍 The Context

  • Since Brexit, UK citizens are treated as third-country nationals when entering the EU.
  • This means they are subject to Schengen border checks, but rules vary.
  • Farage framed the supposed insurance requirement as evidence that Brexit has made travel more difficult for ordinary Britons.

🔎 The Facts

  1. Schengen Entry Rules
    • Under the Schengen Border Code, travellers may be asked to show proof of sufficient means of subsistence (including funds or insurance).
    • This is not a blanket requirement, and in practice UK travellers are not routinely asked for proof of insurance.
  2. EU/UK Travel Guidance
    • The UK Government’s Foreign Travel Advice recommends holidaymakers take out travel/health insurance.
    • It is advisory, not mandatory.
    • EU countries require proof only in rare circumstances (e.g., long stays, visa applications, or if there’s reason to doubt a traveller can cover healthcare costs).
  3. Reciprocal Healthcare Arrangements
    • The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) allows UK citizens access to medically necessary state-provided healthcare in the EU at local rates.
    • This undermines Farage’s claim of a blanket proof-of-insurance requirement.
  4. Border Reality
    • Travel industry reports confirm UK tourists are not being systematically asked to prove insurance.
    • Checks focus on passports, 90-day limits, and (from 2025) the ETIAS travel authorisation system.

✅ Verdict: False

UK holidaymakers do not have to show proof of medical insurance when travelling to the EU. Insurance is recommended, but not a legal requirement at the border. Farage’s statement misrepresents the rules.

📚 Sources