Insurance refusals are rarely well-received by customers – but few make international headlines. However, that is the case with a terminally ill British woman as friends fear she may die abroad following the rejection of her claim.
Lindsey Gates, 40, a cancer patient, was visiting Disneyworld in Florida when she broke her leg, according to a BBC report. Ms Gates believed that she was covered to receive medical treatment following the incident. However, that proved not to be the case in the eyes of her insurer.
Since entering hospital in the US, doctors found that her cancer had deteriorated further and her bill has reached £101,000. However, according to her friend Rikki Wilson, her insurer Travel Insurance Facilities cited an unrelated medical condition from her past as a reason not to offer a payout.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Wilson commented: “It’s a rip-off. They are using a loophole from her medical history from years ago, it has nothing to do with her cancer.”
Continuing, Ms Wilson commented that “she’s on borrowed time” and that “she could pass away out there.”
In response, Travel Insurance Facilities said it would not pay out following a conclusive investigation.
In a statement, the firm said: “We are truly sorry for the unfortunate circumstances - our thoughts are with them all at this difficult time.”
Gates was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and has been receiving treatments for secondary tumours ever since. Her trip was funded by friends and family. They hope to fly her back to the UK via an air ambulance which is believed to cost around £65,000.
Where do you stand on the issue of unconnected medical conditions being used to refuse a payout? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
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