holiday abroad without insurance

I must say, I complain about the immigrants who come to live in the UK and need an interpreter (for free) when they're in court or whatever. Why the heck aren't they expected to learn the language if they are allowed to live here? And the Brits do it as well!!

Rob Graham

None of these things. And maybe I went over the top with the use of the word destitute, but the principle's there. By your argument, nobody needs life assurance because the state will always look after them. Is that what we want?

Rob

Hopefully, not for much longer

tim

Quite! In the US there's a lobby group called "English First" which attempts to cut the massive cost of translation services, multilingual schools/services etc provided to different communities. It's made up generally of people whose first language isn't English, but see the need for an agreed common language so people aren't able to simply not bother learning the official language of the country they live in.

Of course the brain dead left-wingers claim such a group is racist even though it's multi-racial.

Yes! They are probably worse than immigrants to the UK in learning their new country's language. We met a bloke in Thailand who had lived there for 15 years (married to a Thai woman), but was recently divorced, and without his wife he had to stick to tourist areas where English was spoken because he only knew a few words of Thai! After 15 years living there!

"Andy Pandy" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I met four Brits (two couples, probably in their 60s) in France a couple of months ago, who'd been living there for (IIRC) six or seven years.

Not only did they not speak a word of French between them, but the women refused point blank to eat any meat that hadn't been brought from the UK...

Why not? We pay taxes and NI so that if we ever need help back off the state we can get it. Of course many people won't consider what the state pays sufficent to keep them in the style to which they've been accustomed (but it's probably more than most people think), and may want more, for them insurance may be a good option. But they need to watch what they'll lose in state benefits if they have insurance.

Why? Are they seriously talking about banning age discrimination in insurance?

And I bet they're the type who complained about immigrants to the UK when they lived here...

Reminds me of someone at work who, while whinging about immigrants, said he supported the "Tebbit test" - ie do immigrants support England or the country they came from.

He was living in Manchester but originally from Sheffield. I asked him whether he now supported Man U or Man City. Surprise surprise, he said neither, he still support Sheff Weds! And his parents had retired to Spain, so I asked who his Dad supports when England play Spain. Guess what...

In message , Andy Pandy writes

I assumed he meant because I might "pop off" before much longer, BICBW. ;-)

"Andy Pandy" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I deliberately didn't go near that particular can of worms, for fear of getting a bit ranty about their hypocrisy. They certainly seemed the Daily Wail type.

"Ah, but that's different..."

In message , Andy Pandy writes

Neither can I, but don't shoot the messenger! Before we went abroad for the first time I picked up enough Spanish to ask some basic questions, but when you are discussing medical matters you need fluency. Not easy when you are 70-ish when you move, as they were.

On a holiday in Ibiza, an 18 y/o girl with whom we shared a table came off a hired moped and got a backside full of grit. I drove her to the medical centre and carried her into the place, to find a doctor who only spoke Spanish and German. Fortunately the problem and its treatment was rather obvious.

In message , Andy Pandy writes

Typical b***** Yorkshireman. :)

There are some towns in the US where eveybody, including the local councillors, speak another language as their first language

tim

Yep. To the point where the company must have a policy for all age groups, not necessarily to the point where it costs the same

tim

TBH this is the reason why I don't expect it to be a problem.

But I'm a few decades to go yet

tim

It's not a healthy way of going about things. We should all support oursleves unless we're in dire schtuck. We need to get rid of as much of the nanny state as we can.

Rob

Why? Why should we rely on an insurance company rather than state "insurance"? Particularly when the state has to pick up the tab for when we're in "dire schtuck", or more usually others are.

It's like paying for insurance twice, once through taxes and once through insurance premiums, but then only being able to claim on one of them. While those who pay no "insurance premiums" still get the payout from the state. You reckon that's "healthy"??

What happens when they need to communicate with people in the next town, or with state/federal authorities like the tax people etc?

Seems pointless then.

Over 75? That'll be 10 millions pounds for a week's cover please....