Brits urged to check one section of travel insurance following £27k bill for gran | Chronicle Live

Brits urged to check one section of travel insurance following £27k bill for granOne woman remains stuck in Egypt as her bills grow higher and higherCommentsOlivia Sheed Audience

Writer12:21, 04 Jun 2025Updated 12:23, 04 Jun 2025The holiday turned into a nightmare when the insurance wouldn't help(Image: Taylor Herring) A crowdfunder has recently gone viral for a

grandmother of three stuck in a Sharm El-Sheikh hospital following a bout of pneumonia. Despite taking out travel insurance worth £165 in premium, the cost of the treatment won't be covered

due to a little-known loophole.

Margaret, 65, from Warrington, was on a dream holiday with her husband Dave, three grandchildren, and daughter Kate when pneumonia struck. She was quickly taken to hospital when she became

ill.

‌ The cost of treatment for the pneumonia now exceeds £27,000, which is why the family are crowdfunding for the care. The insurance have only stated after media coverage that they will cover

the cost of the medical treatment, but are leaving the cost of medical repatriation to the family, which could be in excess of £10,000.

‌ No Limits, the travel insurer specialising in coverage for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, pointed out "discrepancies" following a review of the woman's GP record. A

family member explained: "The travel insurance have reviewed the full GP record and my sister-in-law's mistakenly missed off some conditions, unrelated as far as I can tell as to why she's

in hospital."

Those conditions were atrial fibrillation and fibromyalgia, with her other conditions of COPD, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure listed on the forms. Despite the fact that the complications

from pneumonia are not related to the undisclosed conditions, they are still liable for having forgotten to include them.

This has renewed calls for holidaymakers to check their travel insurance and ensure that all medical conditions and medications are listed. Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert site laid out

some guidance for travel insurance earlier this month, ahead of the summer holiday rush.

Article continues below If your condition is something you've discussed with a medical professional, it's likely it will need to be included. In addition, if your health has changed since

you took out insurance, ensure the records are as up-to-date as possible. The site state "It's important to carefully read the questions asked by the insurer – they may want to know of

medical conditions or visits for medical assistance within the last three, four or five years, and some insurers may even want to know your medical history even further back, as you’re

usually considered to be more likely to make a claim."

They offer some examples of easily forgotten medical conditions that will still need to be included on travel insurance information:

EpilepsyFibromyalgiaHeart conditions (including high blood pressure or cholesterol)AsthmaDiabetesMental health conditions (including depression, eating disorders, and

anxiety)ArthritisGoutCrohn's diseaseArticle continues below It is also worth knowing that you'll also need to share details of:

Treated broken limbsAny surgeryAny ongoing treatment (including if you’re waiting for an operation or investigation)Any condition where you’re awaiting test results It may sound like a

daunting task but it will help you to find the right policy for you. If you do not share this information with the insurer, it is very likely to partially or even fully invalidate your

policy and any cover.