A Canberra man who became seriously ill in the Philippines says he has been badly treated by his travel insurers and is concerned that other unwary travellers may get the same treatment.
However, the insurer’s agent says the claim was treated promptly and properly, though there was a problem with payment to the hospital in the Philippines.
Hans Milton, of Aranda, was diagnosed with a brain tumour while in the Philippines earlier this year.
He says:
The insurer did not enable his wife to fly over to be with him, contrary to the advice of a Philippines neurologist and a promise in the policy.
He had a stressful time convincing the insurer’s agent of the seriousness of his condition and organising payment guarantees from the company so he could enter hospital in Manila and pay the hospital and doctors so he could fly to Australia with appropriate medical back-up. He had to use his own money which was later reimbursed.
The insurer’s agent used unqualified people to make medical assessments which they did incorrectly, asserting he could fly home unaccompanied immediately.
He had not been given any back-up from the insurers about payment for the doctor to accompany him home or for his special transport needs in light of his condition _ in bed connected to drips and unable to walk. He had to give a personal guarantee for the costs, adding to his stress.
He was given a run-around back in Australia being passed from the original insurer, to the under-writer, to agent that dealt with him.
Mr Milton said last week that the insurers and their agents had not lived up to the claims they made for themselves in the advertising brochure and policy details about prompt assistance to people overseas in distress.
Mr Milton sought compensation from Flight Centres Travel Insurance, the name on the brochure and policy, who referred him to their under-writer Cover-More Insurance Services who in turn referred him to Access 24 Services Corporation Ltd which dealt with Mr Milton while he was in the Philippines.
The Canberra Times was referred along the same route.
Tim Keough of Access 24 said Access had arranged for the first available flight home for Mr Milton upon getting advice from Mr Milton’s Philippines doctors who had advised Mr Milton had been fit to travel home unescorted “”and so it seemed pointless at that stage to fly Mrs Milton to the Philippines when she would have had to fly home again almost immediately”.
Mr Milton indicated he would not be flying home immediately “”as we had arranged”.
“”We are unclear as to why Mr Milton wished to remain in the Philippines as the standard of health care in Australia is regarded as being superior,” Mr Keough said. However, subsequently his doctor had supported a delay pending further tests.
“”It was our sincere belief that Mr Milton’s interests were best served by boarding the earliest flight home,” he said.
Mr Milton says he had to stay in the Philippines until the tests ensured he was fit to travel.
As to the guaranteeing payment to the hospital, Mr Keough said the hospital would not take a guarantee, nor corporate credit card nor telegraphic transfer. It would only take Mr Milton’s credit card.
That was beyond Access’s control.