Winter 2025: Emergencies, Pharmacies, EHIC, LAMal, Health Cards — The Expat Winter Healthcare Guide

Emergency numbers are not identical everywhere, but a small group already covers most situations for expats in Europe.

• 112: common emergency number across the European Union for ambulance, police or fire brigade.
• 116 117: non urgent on-call doctor line in several countries such as France, Germany and Luxembourg.
• Switzerland: 144 for medical emergencies, 117 for police, 118 for fire.

Useful expat habits:

• Save these numbers in your phone with the country in the label.
• Store the full address of your home in a note or contact card so you can read it out calmly on the phone.
• Keep your insurance name and policy number visible in your wallet or digital folder.

For a broader overview of how European systems work, you can also read the pillar guide published on 12 November: European Healthcare 2025.

In winter, emergencies, ski accidents and strong viruses are more frequent. The difference between a manageable bill and a shock often depends on the card you present at reception.

Key tools:

• EHIC or GHIC: for temporary stays. They give access to medically necessary care at local rates but do not replace full resident registration. Always check expiry dates before each trip and review the dedicated EHIC renewal guide.
• French Carte Vitale: only valid in France once your file is accepted by CPAM via the portal ameli.fr. It makes third party payment and quick reimbursements much easier.
• Swiss LAMal card: in Switzerland, basic health insurance is mandatory within three months of arrival. The Federal Office of Public Health at bag.admin.ch explains deductibles and family doctor or HMO models.
• Private international insurance: very useful for repatriation, winter sports or trips to countries where you are not yet registered in the local system.

A simple winter habit is to take a photo of each card (EHIC or GHIC, Carte Vitale, LAMal card, private insurance card) and store copies in a secure folder on your phone and in the cloud. For the bigger picture of when to use local systems versus private cover, you can refer to the base guide Healthcare for European expats: Healthcare for European expats.

In winter, pharmacies are often your first line of defence for flu, ear infections or prescription renewals. Between public holidays and Sundays, you will frequently rely on on-call pharmacies.

Important points:

• In many countries, one on-call pharmacy per area is designated for nights and weekends. Details are displayed on pharmacy windows, on professional association websites or via local emergency numbers.
• In Germany or Austria many pharmacists are comfortable in English, which helps when you need an equivalent for a medicine you know from home.
• Some medicines are over the counter in one country but only available on prescription in another. Do not be surprised if a familiar syrup or nasal spray suddenly requires a local prescription.

Good practice: always ask for a detailed invoice listing the exact medicine name, dosage and quantity, so you can justify reimbursement to your health insurer or private provider. To understand how the European Health Insurance Card works beyond the pharmacy, you can read the dedicated guide: European Health Insurance Card.

GP and paediatric slots fill up fast in December and January. Waiting until the day the fever spikes is rarely the best plan.

Useful platforms by country:

• France and Germany: Doctolib for many GPs and specialists.
• Germany: Jameda to spot doctors speaking English or other languages.
• Spain and the United Kingdom: TopDoctors for some private specialists.
• Belgium and Luxembourg: Doctena for online booking.

Practical tips:

• Use language filters to find doctors speaking English or French.
• Book a check-up or follow-up for January now rather than waiting for an urgent problem.
• Prepare a short summary in English or the local language of your medical history and treatments to avoid misunderstandings.

For a deeper guide to finding doctors, dentists and specialists abroad, you can rely on this article: Doctors and dentists abroad.

Prices vary sharply across countries, but a few benchmarks help you plan your winter health budget.

• France: a standard GP visit with a conventioned doctor is usually around 26.50 to 30 euros before CPAM and top-up reimbursement. Out-of-hours or home visits cost more.
• Spain: in the private sector, a consultation often costs between 50 and 80 euros depending on city and speciality.
• Switzerland: 100 to 150 Swiss francs for a basic consultation is common, with lab tests and imaging on top.

Useful money habits for expats:

• Ask for a detailed invoice every time, even if you pay little. It is essential for cross-border reimbursement or private insurance claims.
• Check whether you qualify for support schemes in France, such as complementary health solidarity via the family benefits office; the official site caf.fr offers simulators.
• Read the Europe health gap article alongside this guide to see why newcomers often pay more at first: Europe’s hidden health gap for expats.

A child who starts coughing at 10 p.m. on a December Sunday is never pleasant, but good preparation changes everything.

Before winter, check:

• Paediatric on-call numbers or medical regulation lines in your region and save them next to 112 in your phone.
• Nursery or school rules about fever, medical certificates and when children can return.
• A small home kit with a reliable thermometer, age-appropriate fever reducers, saline solution, oral rehydration solution and a copy of the vaccination record.

When in doubt about urgency:

• For very high fever, breathing difficulty or a child who is unusually passive, call 112 or the local emergency number immediately.
• For mild fever in an otherwise alert child, call your usual doctor or the on-call medical line to be guided.

The article on settling in with a family doctor, autumn vaccines and e-prescriptions completes this section well: Family doctor, vaccines and e-prescriptions.

A well-organised digital health folder turns a stressful night into a manageable episode. The goal is simple: any doctor, even abroad, should be able to understand your situation within a few minutes.

Items to include:

• Copies of your cards: EHIC or GHIC, Carte Vitale, LAMal card, top-up and private insurance certificates.
• List of regular medicines with dosages, generic names and, where possible, equivalents used in other countries.
• Allergies, major medical history, surgeries and past pregnancies.
• Contact details of your main doctors and the people to notify in case of emergency.
• For children, copies of vaccination records and certificates that schools may request.

You can store this folder in an encrypted cloud space synced to your phones. It also fits naturally into your wider admin system, for example the year-end checklist for expats in Europe: Expat year-end checklist.

To turn this winter guide into a full strategy, combine it with several articles already published on the site:

• European Healthcare 2025: EHIC, S1/S2, CPAM, LAMal
• Healthcare for European expats: key decisions
• EHIC renewal made simple
• Finding doctors and dentists abroad
• Energy suppliers and housing charges in winter