This week, reports of a 34-year-old British woman, who broke her spine while on safari experience in Turkey, hit the headlines as she was told she could be faced with going to prison if she couldn’t pay for her treatment.
The article explained how her travel insurance provider had refused to cover her £2,000 medical bill as she had voided her travel insurance policy by travelling to Turkey against Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) advice. The British Embassy was also unable to help with the arrangements of getting her home, as it would have cost them around £15,000 for a specialist flight for one person.
To add to the mother of one’s already traumatic experience, she was also moved between several hospitals as some facilities were unable to accept patients due to being already full of those affected by Covid-19.
Fortunately for the woman, the safari provider agreed to cover her medical costs, and she has since returned home to the UK via a commercial flight. However, she could have been left in a very difficult situation had she not received financial support and have been left stranded in a foreign country with a medical bill she couldn’t afford.
Because of this very reason, it is crucial that British tourists follow the FCDO’s guidance and do not travel to countries that are not detailed on the travel corridor.
The majority of travel insurance policies will not cover you if you travel against government guidance. Therefore, it is essential that those looking to get away check that the destination they wish to travel to is on the FCDO’s travel corridor list and contact their travel insurance provider if they have any concerns.
For more information on what could happen if you travel against the FCDO’s advice, or what happens if the country you’re in is removed from the travel corridor while abroad, click here.
