Urgent Help needed - void insurance / repatriation

ToonHak

Copied from overseas holidays forum:

Hi,
I'm new to the forums but at my wits end.
A family member has had an accident in Greece and they cant operate at the hospital on the island, so we need to get her home for the op, however, she just turned 70 at the end of last year.
It seems Nationwide brought down the age of cover without surcharge  from 75 to 70, however, my family memeber wasnt aware of this.
She said she rang Nationwide earlier in the year to check she was still covered as she hadnt received any paperwork since 2017, she was told they had went paperless, but she was still covered despite being 70 at the time.
She had also rang to check if her husband was still insured as he had had a heart attack last year and was told they wouldn't insure him, which is fair enough so she arranged alternative cover for him.
Nationwide / directline (the insururer) are refuing ro pay out meaning we have a very expensive repatriation to pay for (quotes ranging between £28k - £35k).
Firstly we need to get her back asap, any advice as we dont just have £30k lying about.
Secondly is there any advice on fighting to get money as they are saying we need tonhave proof of call and we cant find it at minute despite looking through call logs.

Thank you

huckster

Do you need to get her home to UK ? Surely the Greek authorities have other options ? Have you checked whether UK and Greece still have an agreement for healthcare under the Brexit transitional arrangement. 

LadyDee

OP, regarding the call to the bank - can you find from your parents' phone records when that call was made?  I believe all telephone conversations are recorded by banks and you should be entitled to request a transcript of the call.  This hopefully would confirm your mother's recollection of what was said.

LadyDee

Your mother should be eligible under the reciprocal EU health care - see here.  information-on-healthcare-in-greece
The fact that they cannot do the operation on the island surely doesn't preclude transferring her to a mainland hospital, just as a local person would have to be transferred.

Sandtree

Before Dec, as long as she has her EHIC card (a requirement for the insurance as well) then she is entitled to the same treatment as a local would get in a public hospital. If the local hospital is unable to deal with her condition they must have mechanisms to relocate patients to a larger facility.