Travel insurance claim refused by Columbus Direct.....didn't see doctor before return

spakkaman

My son recently went to France to support England with his friends by car. He was feeling rough before he went but as the trip had been months in the planning he set off for the channel early on the Sunday. They stayed overnight in a town a one hour train ride south of Paris and his symptoms worsened significantly and a quick investigation online made it a racing certainty that he was suffering from Glandular Fever. He travelled back by train the next day (I offered to go get him as he was evidently very sick)and the following day I took him to see our doc and sure enough the blood test confirmed GF and he was bedridden for two weeks - three weeks on and he's off work but feeling a fair bit better. A subsequent blood test showed that he has had spleen issues and some Hepatitis and this confirms that this was a fairly acute case of GF.

He reported the issue to his insurer within 48 hours of being back in Blighty but the insurance company now refuses his claim (for having to cut short the trip) as he didn't seek medical advice locally before returning.

Unfortunately he was suffering from fever and massive aches and pains and wasn't in a fit state to consider the requirements of the insurance company - he was in a mess (and from a medical point of view he had spoken to his sister who is a doctor on the phone).

Does anyone know what could be done to contest the stance of the insurer (COLUMBUS DIRECT) - it seems wrong to me? Has this been encountered before?
Thanks.

dacouch

Are the Insurers aware that he spoke to his sister an that she is a qualified doctor?

sheramber

from the policy wording on the website

YOU ARE NOT COVERED
1.
For the
excess
shown in the
policy
documentation
.
2.
For claims arising due to a
medical condition
where a
medical practitioner
did not confirm
that cancellation of the trip was necessary
prior to the trip being cancelled

Medical practitioner:
A registered practicing
member of the medical profession who is not
related to you or to a
travelling companion
, or to
anyone you are intending to stay with

Quentin

spakkaman wrote: »

Does anyone know what could be done to contest the stance of the insurer.....

If his policy wording is the same as that on their website (see #3) then he looks to only have the option of a complaint to them that their policy condition is unfair.


If they ignore or reject the complaint, or he is unhappy with their response he can then escalate the complaint to the FOS for their adjudication (at no cost to him)


If that fails he is left with taking legal action over this, though that would involve some expense and he should take legal advice before going down that route

spakkaman

Thanks for the response.
After objecting they have now accepted the claim but are now saying only travel costs are accepted and they will not pay for the cost of match tickets. This is down to policy wording and my son has argued that this represents pre-booked events/excusions which should be covered. This caused a degree of confusion - we are waiting on a further response - not good.