If you are travelling from the Isle of Man to Guernsey this summer, we recommend you check your travel insurance to make sure it covers you for the cost of ambulance treatment and transport during your stay.

If you are not covered or you are unsure, we advise you to join the ‘St John subscription scheme for visitors’ to avoid a large bill.

Ambulances in Guernsey are not free and the emergency ambulance service in the island is operated by the charity St John, on behalf of the States of Guernsey.

Although the governments of the Isle of Man and Guernsey have recently announced an ‘in-principle’ reciprocal healthcare agreement for the duration of the current ‘Air Bridge’, cover is limited to the provision of emergency care only and does not cover ambulance treatment or transport.

Because the ambulance service in Guernsey is not fully funded, St John has to raise the additional income through the subscription scheme, public donations, bequests and charges for the service.

If you’re not covered by your travel insurance we recommend you join the St John subscription scheme to cover you and your family in the event you need an emergency ambulance.

The cost of joining the visitor’s subscription scheme is £83 for a family or £35 for an individual. The visitor’s scheme is valid for three months from the time of joining. If you need an ambulance and you are not a member of the subscription scheme you may be charged up to £770 for an emergency ambulance or £371 for a non-emergency transfer booked by a healthcare professional, so the scheme offers great value for money and peace of mind.

To join the subscription scheme call 01481 723866. Unfortunately, we are unable to take payments online for the visitors scheme at the current time.