A sick grandad is stranded in a Turkish hospital after being hit with a £20,000 bill that his travel insurance firm won’t pay.
James McHugo, 78, from Hulme, collapsed at the airport after he arrived at Antalya for a holiday.
He was thought to be suffering from severe dehydration but his condition worsened and he developed pneumonia.
The retired painter and decorator – who suffers from chronic heart failure and diabetes – spent more than a week in intensive care, after doctors drained fluid from his lungs.
Two weeks after being admitted to hospital his condition has improved and he has been moved to a normal ward.
But his family were stunned by a phone call from the hospital saying he can not be released until a £20,000 bill for his treatment is paid. His travel insurance company Atlas Direct is refusing to pay, saying his pre-existing medical conditions were not fully declared at the time his policy was taken out. Mr McHugo, a dad of three and grandad of four, had arranged the holiday with friends and his family say the insurance policy was taken out by one of his pals.
They have no idea what the policy says, but say they cannot afford to pay the hospital bill, leaving Mr McHugo stranded.
Mr McHugo’s distraught daughter Sharon Mason, 40, said her father’s condition had improved but he is still very ill and needs a medical flight back to Manchester. She added: “He is there by himself – his friends flew back this week – so we are very worried about his health and mental state. I spoke to him by telephone on Thursday and he seemed confused.
“We are getting no joy from the insurance company.
“It’s an absolute nightmare especially as the hospital is saying they will not release him until the bill has been paid. We are not in a position to pay. He is a pensioner and cannot afford it.”
Mrs Mason’s husband Peter, 41, and her brother Robert, from Stalybridge, are to fly to Turkey to try to resolve the situation.
They have also contacted Mr McHugo’s MP, Tony Lloyd, who is liaising with the Foreign Office.
A spokeswoman for Atlas Direct said she was unable to comment on individual cases but said existing health conditions must be fully declared when an insurance policy is taken out.
In September, the M.E.N. reported the plight of Jean Edwards, who was also stranded in Turkey in an insurance wrangle.
Her insurance firm refused to pay her medical bill, claiming she failed to declare some existing health complaints properly.
Jean, 73, from Middleton, who fell ill on holiday in Bodrum, spent two months in hospital before her insurance company made a £30,000 ‘humanitarian’ payment to bring her home.
But she died just ten hours after being flown to Manchester in an air ambulance.
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marcus, salford (08/02/2010 at 09:50)
Tezza, Tyldesley (08/02/2010 at 10:00)
He has a pre-existing medical condition that he appears not to have disclosed so why should his insurance company pay up.
castlefieldres, manchester (08/02/2010 at 10:05)
They are not going to insure someone for a week or two who has serious underlying health issues for about £50. This poor gentleman suffers from chronic heart failure and diabetes, making this kind of event much much more likely for him than a healthy person.
Insurance is a business. My mother recently had a heart attack abroad and the insurance company were brilliant.
Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary (08/02/2010 at 10:11)
I doubt the insurance company would have covered him had he fully declared his condition.
Same old story, don't pay a fair price for insurance, then play the sympathy card whn it goes wrong.
No sympathy.
MPs gravy train, UK (08/02/2010 at 10:17)
Having said that, it will be a very worrying time for his family and I hope something can be worked out.
Sheikh Rattle 'n' Roll With It, Bury (08/02/2010 at 10:48)
8/02/2010 at 09:50
I also hope James gets home safely, but please don't go blaming the Insurance Company when all the facts are not known.
All Insurance Policies and the amount they cost are based on risk. Also, if a risk is considered too high, for example offering insurance to someone who has twice been convicted of Drink Driving, an Insurance Company can refuse to offer a Policy. If that convicted Drink Driver takes out a Policy and doesn't disclose that he has two Disqualifications, the Insurance Company will not become aware of the convictions until any Claim presented is investigated, thus allowing the Insurance Company to cancel the Policy back to inception. The same is likely to apply here. If pre-exisiting Medical Conditions have not been disclosed to the Insurance Company, by Law, the Insurance Company can cancel the Policy back to inception, as they can argue that they would not have insured James, had his conditions been disclosed.
Splat!, Utopia (08/02/2010 at 10:53)
d1v1s1onby0, Wigan (08/02/2010 at 11:05)
Until recently my mother holidayed abroad and would diligently list all her medical conditions in full (And she is quite a sick woman so there are a few) . The insurance company would then quote her in the region of £600 for a fornight in Benidorm which she would pay.
2 years back (I have been living in Oz) when I returned to the UK I actually had a read through her policy and was horrified to discover that everything she had declared was on an exclusion list.
As a woman who was approaching 70 she had been a little naive in believing that she was paying such a large amount because she was being covered for her poor medical history, and had accepted what the salesperson had told her.
To be honest if she had read the policy she probably wouldnt have understood the implications.
I wonder how many other people are in the same situation of believing (And being led to believe) that they have insurance as they have been totally honest with the insurance company, only to find that when it comes to making a claim they are stuck?
Needless to say - she now holidays here in the UK
Pandora (08/02/2010 at 11:46)
Rob Wilson (08/02/2010 at 11:51)
I hope this issue is resolved and the man gets better but people must realise other countries are not as understanding or caring as our own.
Sharon2010, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 12:17)
My father's health had been stable recently, and he felt well enough to travel in the care of his friends.
One of his friends purchased the policy online for him, one specifically taken out for elderly people aged 70-79, and a full premium was paid for this. When my father travelled, he believed he was fully insured.
The company, Atlas Direct make you purchase your policy first, and then phone for medical screening. Should this not be the other way round?
In response to Hurry O'caine "Who, in their right mind, would even dream of flying to Turkey when suffering from 'chronic heart failure'?", I feel you make a valid point to a certain extent. Insurance companies such as Atlas Direct have a duty to ensure that vulnerable or elderly people taking out a policy are properly screened in person before being issued a policy. Failure to do so results in the mess that we now find ourselves in.
Blue Dude, Manchester. (08/02/2010 at 12:24)
I feel for the chap and his family. Its a lesson to us all.
Savage Mandarin, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 12:32)
Have you been in touch with the Insurance Ombudsman?
poc (08/02/2010 at 12:35)
"Insurance companies such as Atlas Direct have a duty to ensure that vulnerable or elderly people taking out a policy are properly screened in person before being issued a policy."
I can't help but feel that you've got this the wrong way around. There have been many cases with people being stranded abroad due to similar circumstances and as such it was your father's duty to ensure he was covered and not left it to a friend to take out his insurance. Admittedly this would have put the insurance cost up, but that's to be expected in exactly the same way young drivers pay more for car insurance.
Hopefully this will at least serve as a warning to others, however I'm sure we'll be reading a similar case again in a few months time.
Having said all that, only a cold-hearted person wouldn't feel sympathy with the situation your family find yourselves in, so all the best in getting your father home safe and well.
Pandora (08/02/2010 at 12:39)
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/turkey?ta=health&pg=5
Pandora (08/02/2010 at 12:42)
Turkey, Ankara, British Embassy
Address:
British Embassy
Şehit Ersan Caddesi 46/A
Çankaya
Telephone:
0312 455 3344
Fax:
0312 455 33 52
Office hours:
GMT:
Mon-Fri: 0645-1530
Local Time:
Mon-Fri: 0845-1700
salfordrat (08/02/2010 at 12:43)
Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary
Wow - hold the front page - Hurry O'Caine has 'No sympathy' for something or other. Tell us something we couldn't have guessed for ourselves Hurry lol
Black Flag (08/02/2010 at 13:01)
That's because Turkey isn't part of the EU.
BALL AND BAT, ALL OVER (08/02/2010 at 13:05)
Rob Wilson
8/02/2010 at 11:51
Just out of curiosity does anyone know, if a person holidaying in this country became ill, would they have to pay for medical attention or do they recieve it free? I hope this issue is resolved and the man gets better but people must realise other countries are not as understanding or caring as our own.
Rob Wilson
8/02/2010 at 11:51 A VERY GOOD POINT ROB,WELL IVE HEARD THAT THERES A SCAM WHERE AMERICANS HAVE FLOWN OVER HERE AND FAKED A FALL AND SAID ITS THERE LEG OR ANOTHER INJURY AND BECAUSE OF THEY HAVE TO PAY IN THE USA IN ENGLAND THEY GET THE OPERATION FREE AND MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THIS IS UNTILL ITS ALL OK.
I FEEL VERY SORRY FOR THIS MAN IN TURKEY WITH THIS ATLAS INSURANCE,I MEAN WHY DONT THEY JUST PAY THE MEDICAL BILL AND SAY ITS A GESTURE OF GOOD WILL,SHARON ID GET YOUR MP ON IT THEN THE GOVERNMENT,I DONT THINK ATLAS DIRECT WILL BE GETTING ANY MORE INSURANCE POLICIES NOW DO YOU,SOME TIMES YOUR BANK ACCOUNT HAS CERTAIN THINGS IN IT TO HELP YOU IN THERE CASES AND THE OLD POST OFFICE E111 THAT IS NOW THE EUROPE TRAVEL CARD. AND IS TURKEY NOT IN EUROPE YET AS IM SURE THEY HAVE SIGNED UP...
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (08/02/2010 at 13:05)
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (08/02/2010 at 13:22)
selfexiled (08/02/2010 at 13:23)
Absolute codswallop, any American that can afford to fly to the UK would not be in a position were they did'nt have health and travel insurance . The costs of the after care alone for a injury such as you descibe could bankrupt the average wage earner so they would not take the risk.There is a procedure in the NHS to claim from individuals for medical care if it is deemed that someone is taking advantage of the system, so before you start making disparaging unfounded remarks about our allies get your facts straight.
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (08/02/2010 at 13:33)
Seriously though, I agree with others, he took a risk by not declaring his condition and now must pay the price. Imagine if you insured your car on third party only and then had a prang, you couldn't seriously then expect your insurance to pay for the repairs to your own car
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (08/02/2010 at 13:43)
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (08/02/2010 at 14:09)
A confidential internal report on health tourism estimates that the bill for treating foreign patients amounts to at least £62 million a year, The Times has learnt.