Help,
Did you still have regular UK health insurance while travelling? If so, it'd be worthwhile to see how much they cover for overseas hospital visits. (I know nothing about UK health insurance, but I do know that Dutch health insurance covers up to twice the cost of an equivalent visit to a Dutch hospital, so maybe...)
I don't really have any advice beyond that. :/ I did know that you can't take out travel insurance while abroad, and that this is standard, so I guess your chances for that appeal aren't too good. Although a quick look at the insurer's website doesn't show that restriction made obvious anywhere, so maybe it could be successfully argued that you couldn't have known, and that in combination with the communication from your insurer at least the costs beyond the first day shouldn't be yours to bear.
Good luck with this! Let us know how it all turns out.
Geez, that is harsh. Particularly considering they confirmed verbally that all was ok. If you have any way of verifying that, then I would argue strongly that you made decisions based on those calls.
Incidentally, while it is true that with *most* insurance policies you have to take them out before you leave, there are some where you don't. The main one I know of is World Nomads. One reason why it is so popular.
If you have a credit card, check whether they might have some coverage included.
Hope you have some luck chasing this up!
Oh, an extra point; assuming you purchased this insurance online - it would be easy to argue that the insurance company should not have taken your money if they weren't going to cover you.
They could have easily done a check on your IP address to recognise that you weren't in the UK. The very least they could have done in that case was provide a proper warning. Or really, they should have just asked in their form where you were if this was such a big deal.
Giving someone the confidence of insurance without actually being insured is quite unethical behaviour in my opinion.
Thanks for the advice -I had not thought of the IP address angle and will pursue this one also - I paid with a visa debit card so there maybe an angle there too.
Still making no progress on this - I have had my appeals to insurers rejected - I am worried that if I don't pay up that the third party debt recovery agency could have the ballifs at my parents doorstep - I am getting a little desperate to find advice -
I am worried that if I don't pay up that the third party debt recovery agency could have the ballifs at my parents doorstep
Would be a little surprised if that happened from an overseas debt recovery agency, however remember that bailiffs can only enter a property if they have a warrant (and it needs to be checked that they do first time they visit) - and they can also only take property owned by the debtor, no one else including your parent's things which would likely be most things in and around the house.
I am worried that if I don't pay up that the third party debt recovery agency could have the ballifs at my parents doorstep
Would be a little surprised if that happened from an overseas debt recovery agency
I agree - the cost of doing that overeas would probably not make it worth their while. Have you spoken to a lawyer? It might be worth getting them to check over the smallprint in the contract - as Peter said, they really should have checked where you were before taking the money and agreeing to insure you.
0 Response to "Hospital Bills"
Post a Comment