A British holidaymaker has warned others they could be left with thousands of pounds to pay if they don’t take out travel insurance. One family faced medical bills of up to £10,000 after failing to secure cover for their trip.
Debbi Stewart, 53, has urged others to make sure they get travel insurance after her brother Dennis, 58, was left unconscious and fighting for his life in hospital following an accident on holiday. Dennis fell backwards down a flight of stairs while on holiday in Durban, South Africa.
Dennis, who works in security, suffered a fractured skull and lost all memory of the accident and the urgent treatment that followed, the Mirror reported in March. He and his sister forgot to take out travel insurance, which Debbie said would have cost just £20, and the mistake left the family with bills of up to £10,000.
READ MORE: Travel expert warns of holiday mistake that could cost you £25,000
Now Dennis is back home and even back to work, less than four months after his ordeal. This is all thanks to the help of kind-hearted people and co-workers who donated to Dennis’ fundraiser.
Speaking to the Mirror, mum-of-two Debbie said: “We had to rely on total strangers. We’re so humbled by the support. It just goes to show that the world is a good place and strangers can be so kind. We couldn’t have done it without the help of strangers.”
“Work colleagues we hadn’t met before, or had met once or twice, donated a huge amount. Dennis’ colleagues were brilliant – one colleague I’d only spoken to once donated £100, which was a great surprise.
“Dennis will never forget to take out insurance before he goes on holiday again. He actually wants to go back to Durban but I told him no unless he takes out that insurance first. It would have cost him £20 and instead it nearly cost him his life. He said he forgot and I did, I had a very busy week when he booked the trip, I remember that.
“It’s a lesson he learned the hard way, but now he’s realised the importance of insurance. He could have died, but now he knows how important it is. He also realises that he’s not invincible. This has brought him back to reality in some ways, and he appreciates a lot more things now.
“Regardless of where you go, or whether you know the area or not, my message is that you should always take out travel insurance, even before you book a holiday. You need to be prepared. If you can’t afford insurance, which usually costs around £20, then you shouldn’t go on holiday. Don’t leave the country until you have it, because it nearly cost my brother his life.”
Debbie’s stark warning comes as the school summer holidays approach and many families prepare to enjoy holidays abroad. Her message echoes that of Thelma Francis, a grandmother from Hullbridge, Essex, who last year told the Mirror that travel insurance is crucial, after Ryanair initially refused to refund her or reschedule her flight to Murcia, Spain, following her heart attack.
Dennis’ situation was more dire, as after being told by doctors in South Africa that the scheduled flight to London Heathrow would “probably kill him”, he estimated the costs of private medical care, accommodation and other expenses would amount to £10,000. Following support from friends, Debbie reluctantly set up a fundraising page to help cover her family’s grim costs.
Debbie, who lives in Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire, said: “It was a terrifying experience to go through. The journey back was an ordeal. It was an hour to Johannesburg, then a ten-and-a-half-hour drive to Heathrow. Dennis felt like he had no life left when we got to Heathrow, but we were told to expect that.
“It really took him a ton. It probably took him about a month to get his stamina back and now, I’d say, he’s at 99.9% of where he was before. He’s back to work, which is great news because we thought he wouldn’t be able to go back to work at all. His job has been very supportive of him, so he’s very lucky to have the option to scale back his duties until he fully regains his stamina to work.
“He was able to regain his strength over time because he was in such good shape before the accident. He still doesn’t remember exactly what happened. He doesn’t remember anything from that night or the first few days in the hospital. So he’s gone almost a week with nothing and I doubt he’ll ever get it back. It frustrates him, but I say to him, ‘Dennis, it could have been much, much worse. ‘ He gets frustrated, but that’s what the brain does. We’re human beings; we break down and he’s still alive.”
Dennis, who lives in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, has been back at work for two weeks and has reduced his duties while he recovers. He continues to have regular medical appointments but the long-term impact of the injuries does not look as grim as feared in March.
A British pensioner who recently travelled to Marmaris, Turkey, without travel insurance fell ill and was eventually placed in an induced coma. The family of Malcolm Stocker, from Weymouth, Dorset, said they were forced to pay a £40,000 “ransom” to free their father from hospital.
His daughter Emma-Jane Stocker, 33, said: “The hospital is holding him and demanding payment. Every day they hold him the bill goes up. It’s like they’re holding him hostage and won’t release him until the first £20,000 is paid. The current bill is £41,000 but we’re not given an itemised bill or any documents. It all seems made up.
“We know he shouldn’t have left and we can’t take responsibility for his decision, but he is our father and we must do everything we can to bring him home.”
For more of today’s top stories, click here.
