Has anyone any experience of someone suffering a herniated disc being repatriated by Travel Insurance Company?

DIL has suffered back trauma whilst on holiday & has spent the last 5 days in hospital in France, flat on her back, on a painkilling drip (morphine-type?) . No 1 Son is driving home now, with her 2 girls - French Drs wouldn't let her go with them & Ins Co seems to be stalling, hoping she will be well enough to travel in a few days.   Anyone any experience of anything like this?

Margot

Sorry, can't be of any help, Margot, but sorry she's stuck out there in pain :( Hopefully the insurance company will see sense and send her home quickly :)

Daisy

Sorry to hear about your DIL....hope she feels better soon :-)

Hi,
When you get a FREE insurance or silver, it doesn't covers everythink only
the GOLD Ins. does, its only about another £10.00.
When you think it can cost £500.00 to have a leg put in plaster, plus you
pay for every piece of lint used at about £20.00 a piece, the Ins. money doesn't go
far. The travel agent or Ins. Co.  should say how much they pay up to.
I am lead to beleve, only the Gold pays, for ill people and bodies to be returned home.
Regards
Denese

Sorry to hear about your DIL Margot. I hope she can come home soon.

Tell me about prices adding up, when we were in Corfu, my son got bitten by an insect of some sort, which then became infected, for the doctor to come out (which wasn't needed, but hotel policy) and a course of anti-biotics, it came to over £170!!!

At the moment things look pretty bad re the insurance company - they have decided that M has a "pre-existing condition" - ie she went to the dr last October when she was involved in an accident with whiplash & has recently been examined by a dr on behalf of opposing ins co, who could find NO trauma.   The french doctor is almost apoplectic with rage:  he says this is a new injury & should be covered by insurance ....etc etc.  

In the meantime, Al has come home with the girls, and hopefull, we'll get M home by the end of the week - we'll have to cough up & argue with the insurance company later!

Margot

Dear me Margot, what a pickle! Trying not to laugh at visions of DIL strapped flat out on roof rack to get home. Sorry cant help seeing a funny side although I know she must be in SO much pain and very worried. Have you tried the embassy? they MAY be able to help.  

GMTV have come up trumps with cases like this before now or your local news station!

Anythings worth a try!  It's amazing how a bit of publicity turns the insurance companies way of thinking!!

Margot - any news? Has she managed to get home yet?

Latest news:

Mandy was put in a cast yesterday, and Al has flown out from Stansted to Dinard, at 12 noon, picking up a hire car at the airport, driving to St Malo, getting Mandy - hopefully into car - and driving back to Dinard.  They will then fly back to Luton at 6.p.m. this evening.   Brother in Law will meet them at Luton airport (after having dropped Al at Stansted) with the Aussie Posse Wagon - and Mandy will be able to stretch out in there!   Tomrrow she will see the Doctor over here & we'll see where it goes from there!   I think it is going to cost in all around GBP2,000, but we'll argue with the Insurance Company once we get her home - Al's firm has come up trumps & given him a loan to help!

In the meantime, when I spoke this morning, at 8.45, 6 year old was refusing to get dressed for school, so was told she would have to go in jim-jams - 15 yr old had a hospital appt and neighbour was taking her.   Think I shall be mopping a few brows, etc etc etc for a few days :D

Margot

Well Im very glad to hear that at least some progress is being made. I was going to say that if they need anything at Luton give me a shout as I live close by - then I remembered that I am incapacitated and cannot drive for a few days :(  Still if there is anythign that I can do without driving!

Anyway Im sure that it will be fine and that going to school in your PJs is 'character forming' :D

Not such good news, now I am home from an ex-office "do" :(.

Al got out to Dinard, ok, hired car, drove to the hospital, collected Mandy, drove back to the airport, went through everything ..... and then the pilot refused to take her on board :(

They offered to sign every indemnity under the sun, but the pilot still wouldn't let her on (Ryanair).    Al has had to come back, because of the girls, Mandy is back in hospital - and we've got to get her back by some other means - so more news tomorrow.

Margot

Oh what a situation :(

I would get in touch with the insurance ombudsman and get them to do something about it. Also try and get a second opinion from another doctor. The more medical back up you can get to say it is a new condition then the more likely the insurance company will have to back down. Also get in touch with the british embassy as I am sure they will help :)

Hope things improve and she gets back safe and sound :)

Lucy
xx

Oh bum. :( That's awkward. :(

Bummer! Sadly the pilot is within his rights to refuse anyone that he thinks may increase evacuation time :( Strangley the cheap airlines apply this much more strictly than others.

Looks like time to go through all of that small print again with a fine tooth comb. Our local radio station has a consumer program between 10 and 1 that is very helpful. PM or e mail  me if you need their number.

I could be wrong :) but I think spinal problems can be adversely affected by the aircraft pressurisation so the pilot may have been doing her a big favour and overland repatriation may be the best option even if it seems much more tedious.

The French doctor recommended flying as the best option for her - and Dinard/Luton would have been by far the quickest flight.   :(

Margot

Any joy yet Margot? We are still thinking of you.

Well, as I type this, HOPEFULLY, Mandy will be flat on her back, on an airbed, in the Aussie Posse Wagon, being driven by Al back from St Malo to Calais - a 4 hr journey :( - and then through the Eurotunnel, back through Kent & through the Dartford tunnel, and then back to our local hospital!  

I must admit that the NHS is turning up trumps - they've even got a bed waiting for her when she gets back - which is a real relief.

I seem to have spent the last week, emailing, telephoning, checking websites, etc etc etc - plus doing the real "hands-on" step-granny bit - which hasn't exactly been the easist bit :(   Trying to remember that the girls are worried sick by Mum, and making allowances without allowing myself to be trampled on is not easy!

I'll let you know how things progress - hopefully, I'll get a call soon!

Margot

Weve still got fingers and paws crossed :) Keep us posted

Margot

I'm glad that this finally seems to be coming to an end :) I hope that your D-I-L does not suffer any long term problems because of the terrible time she has had :( I hope that you (or son) is referring this to the Insurance Ombudsman/Watchdog/you (his) MP etc etc as I find this terrible :(

Insurance really annoys me - hubby lost a lot of money last year when someone wrote his beloved old Volvo off and he was paid out a pittance by the insurance company :( A friend of mine's daughter (just graduated this year) has had two cars written off in just over a year (neither her fault) and she has lost a lot of money each time :(

Hope D-I-L's back will get sorted once she gets back to Good Old Blighty :D

Daisy

Any news ?

Lucy
xx

They are at Calais, ready to get on the Eurotunnel - so they're nearly home!

Are they back yet????
Lea

Still waiting for news - I just wish that Al would b****y well phone!!!!

Margot

Just heard - Mandy is now safely tucked up in NHS hospital bed, close to home - phew!!  Al is waiting until the doctor has seen her before going home.

It's been a real nightmare, but hopefully now, things will start getting better.   Insurance company is still being very intractible, but at least I'm annoying the **** out of them - someone had to stay until 7.30.p.m. on Friday, answering an email that I sent.

If we cannot get monetary recompense, then I will ensure that at least they have to expend time and money in responding to points raised by me !

Margot

Good to hear she's back on home soil. That's one worry less!

Great to hear that she is safely home again. You now have plenty of time to fight the insurnace company :D

Hi Margot :D

Good news she is home and can now concentrate on getting better.

Don't give up on the insurance, you tend to find that if you go at them hell for leather they will eventually pay out just to shut you up!! ;) :P

Nat xxx