Disney Disaster - Reclaiming Medical costs help please!

abijanzo

Hello,
We have recently returned from a holiday disaster in Disneyland Paris...
Myself, my mum and my 3 year old daughter succumbed to the dreaded sickness and diarrhoeah bug within 2 hours of arriving at the hotel. We were all very ill and my daughter frighteningly was within minutes of hospitalisation.
I thought I had taken Disneys own insurance when booking but in the rush to book our last minute holiday I had somehow not included it. I didn't have an E111 either.
We ended up paying many euro's in emergency call out and prescription fees which I was told I would be able to reclaim from the government on return home.
Is this the case? If so could someone please pointy us in the right direction to make a claim.
It's bad enough that our much saved for holiday was a complete disaster (we literally only managed 20 mins in the park :-() But if we could reclaim some of the medical expenses I would be very grateful.
We are btw all fully recovered now and just glad to be home safe and well.

Thanks in advance.

jonesMUFCforever

I think you have no chance at all.
The E111 would have given you free basic medical assistance but as you did not have one or any travel insurance I'm afraid that you are on your own.
I would imagine that the French may have believed that you did have insurance to claim back on when back in UK.

dmg24

Also, if the hotel called out the emergency doctor, it is quite likely that this was a private service, and therefore not recoverable even if you had had an E111.

Donnie

:mad: Grrrr..... How could you be so irresponsible, especially when you have a three year old child in tow?

Thinking that you had insurance simply doesn't wash.

Let that be a lesson to you. Just thank goodness that all is well with your family.

DKLS

Donnie, is bang on, we are so naive in this country, when it comes to medical costs.
They can escalate massively, In NY I was in a cab that crashed, and my colleague broke 2 teeth, the bill came to £6500!!!!
Never travel without insurance, its not worth the risk especially if your traveling with kids.
If in doubt get an annual family policy.

dzug

ejones999 wrote: »

I think you have no chance at all.
The E111 would have given you free basic medical assistance.

An oft repeated myth, but not true - it would have given you access to basic medical assistance paying the same fees as French residents, and the same rights to reclaim a percentage of them from the French authorities. Definitely not free.

poppyolivia

Oh no...this is such a shame..I think the OP realises now she should have had insurance..no point giving her a bad time.
The last time I was there (Jan 07) I got food poisoning and we had to fly home that day (at least I had 5 days holiday in good health)...I was sick (and the other) so much I though I was going to pass out..the medic was called (a firefighter on a pushbike) and he took all my details and said he thought I should lie down and not fly...but I had too..the thought of being stuck there by myself was scaring the living daylights outta me...The bus to the airport was the worst cause there was no toilet on it..I cried all the way to the airport rocking back and forth..nightmare!
The weird thing is when we arrived at the hotel someone was lying in reception obviously really ill too...it was a horrible experience that I have never felt like before and never want to again. Do you think you got food poisoning or a bug from the hotel/holiday or you would have had the bug if you were at home? What Hotel were you in? I was in Santa Fe.
I'm off in about a wk so hopefully this time will be ok ...I am taking so much medication with me I hope I don't overdose!

Thank goodness you are ok I honestly don't think you can reclaim anything..I really feel for you and your family.

Take care

Poppy xxx

Zoetoes

Is it not a legal requirement to have insurance in place before you travel?

It's such a shame that your Disney trip was spoilt. I think you'll just have to accept that you've lost your money. Make sure you have insurance in future, I'm sure you will after this. It probably wouldn't have been much either.

We always take E111 cards with us, always have insurance policy numbers, and AA breakdown if we're driving there (guess what? we broke down last time, best £23 I ever spent!).

I hope you get to go again.

abijanzo

What can I say? Peoples judgmental responses never cease to amaze me.

I came here asking for financial advice and I get blasted as a bad mother - well Happy New Year to you too!

You will not find another mother on earth who loves her children more than I do, you have no idea of the circumstances involved in booking the trip and where or how the mistake occurred but you nevertheless have succeeded in judging me.

I wish I could meet you face to face and tell you what a cowardly and disgusting person you are for making such a horrible comment and if it were possible making an awful situation even worse with your ill will.

I suggest you keep quiet in future as you offered no advice so what was the point? Maybe you just made your small minded self feel a little bigger? And the same goes to the people who thanked you.

Talk about kicking someone when they are down.
Very very sad.

soolin

I have my own annual policy and when I book package tours I am always asked to sign a declaration to say that I have insurance and therefore will not be requiring the travel agent to provide a quote for their own service. They always tell me it is a legal requirement to have insurance which is why they need the form signed, but I believe they are lying to frighten people into taking out insurance with them so they get their commission and not actually legally required.

Even when I have booked online insurance has been added and I have had to specifically opt out before committing to buy, so it seems it would be difficult to think you were covered when you were not.

However, I do feel very sorry for the OP, the charges abroad make me realise how good it is to be able to go and see a doctor or go to a hospital here for emergency treatment and not have to take out an overdraft to pay for it.

turtle2k1

abijanzo wrote: »

What can I say? Peoples judgmental responses never cease to amaze me.

I came here asking for financial advice and I get blasted as a bad mother - well Happy New Year to you too!

You will not find another mother on earth who loves her children more than I do, you have no idea of the circumstances involved in booking the trip and where or how the mistake occurred but you nevertheless have succeeded in judging me.

I wish I could meet you face to face and tell you what a cowardly and disgusting person you are for making such a horrible comment and if it were possible making an awful situation even worse with your ill will.

I suggest you keep quiet in future as you offered no advice so what was the point? Maybe you just made your small minded self feel a little bigger? And the same goes to the people who thanked you.

Talk about kicking someone when they are down.
Very very sad.

I'm not sure what sort of response you were expecting? You went on holiday had no insurance, didn't take E111 cards and paid the price when you got ill?