Travel insurance

After two of his children fell ill on an all-inclusive Jet2 trip to Turkey, Blake Chapman decided to abandon the holiday and fly home – but says he was left £10,000 out of pocket

A furious dad says he was left £2,000 out of pocket after a holiday nightmare – despite having paid for travel insurance. Blake Chapman flew out with his 29-year-old partner Abbey Andrews and their three children Keeton, 11, Tobias, 3, and Vienna 1, on August 6. They had paid for 10-day £8,000 all-inclusive Jet2 holiday in the Turkish resort of Alanya.

But the family’s holiday started to go wrong just two days after they landed in Turkey, when Blake and Abbey’s youngest child, Vienna, fell ill with symptoms of severe food poisoning. “It started happening with my one-year-old two days in,” Blake said. “She was completely fine then it got to about 11:15pm and she started projectile vomiting, really bad diarrhoea, temperature.

“Because we were in a different country we panicked. I ran down to reception, they told me that they’d call an ambulance. They got to the hospital, they put an IV drip in Vienna.”

Soon after arriving at the hospital, Blake was presented with a £2,000 bill. “I argued it because I said that we’ve got insurance and I paid for the higher insurance,” he said. “In the end I just paid it.”

But things went from bad to worse when the couple’s three-year-old son Tobias began to show the same symptoms.

Blake said: “The following day around 1.00pm we all got out of the pool just about to get some dinner and it happened to my three-year-old Tobias. We kind of knew what to expect this time. Tobias was being sick in the hospital.”

Faced with the prospect of a second massive bill, Blake refused hospital treatment for Tobias and consulted a pharmacist instead.

Meanwhile, although Blake had been given an explanation for Vienna’s symptoms, he didn’t entirely believe it. He continued: ”We got the doctor’s report and they put it down to dehydration but I’m like a helicopter dad, I took the kids all over the world, we’ve never had a problem.

“When Vienna went to hospital she had a blood test and they said she’s got high white blood cells so that indicated an infection. I don’t believe it is dehydration because I’m not going to sit with a one-year-old in the beaming sun.”

With two of his children seriously unwell, Blake made the decision to abandon the holiday: “My plan was ‘let’s get out of here, let’s fly home’,” he says.

Blake says he tried to get hold of the Jet2 rep without success, so he called the company direct. Despite being told that his insurance claims could potentially take months to process, Blake and Abbey decided to leave the hotel before anyone else fell ill, spending another £950 on flights, arriving back in the UK on August 11.

“It’s put me off all-inclusives,” Blake says. “I would never go to Turkey again in my life from this experience.

He stressed that he wasn’t holding anyone responsible, but was frustrated by the slow process of his insurance claim. ”I’m not blaming the hotel, I’m not blaming the hospital for us being ill but it was how we were left in the dark,” he said.

“It’s very frustrating, very emotional. What I want to do is spread awareness because people think if you go all inclusive with the full travel insurance too then you’ll be OK if anything happens – but we were asked to pay thousands.”

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays said: “We were very sorry to hear that members of the Chapman family became unwell during their holiday. Our in-resort team made attempts to contact the family to offer support, but they had already departed before we were able to speak to them.

“Our teams on the ground work tirelessly to support customers throughout their holidays, and we remain committed to providing help whenever it is needed.”

Some issues can make it harder to find affordable travel insurance

Expert advice has been issued for many Brits planning to go abroad. People with disabilities and long-term medical conditions are being warned to shop around for travel insurance as their health history can send premiums soaring.

Having a medical condition does not mean you cannot get travel insurance – but it can make finding affordable cover considerably harder. Research by Which? highlighted in a new post on X on Wednesday, September 2 found that seven in 10 of its members who had bought travel insurance in the previous two years had declared a medical condition. While most said this had only a minor effect on their ability to find an insurer willing to cover them, many reported that their condition pushed up the price.

One in four said their medical conditions had a major impact on what they paid. The problem can become particularly acute for older travellers.

Data from Compare the Market cited by Which? suggests customers aged over 65 pay roughly double once their medical conditions are taken into account. And simply buying a standard travel policy without declaring a condition could leave holidaymakers dangerously exposed.

Insurers usually require travellers to disclose their medical history, with specialist medical screening companies assessing the risks involved. The resulting risk assessment can affect whether an insurer will provide cover and how much it charges.

But different insurers can make different decisions – meaning it pays to shop around rather than accepting the first quote.

Specialist policies to consider

Which? assessed policies from specialist providers and identified several as Best Buys. Saga came out on top, with its Plus annual multi-trip policy scoring 82%.

It provides up to £20 million of medical expenses cover, £20,000 cancellation cover and £10,000 for baggage and valuables. Saga’s Plus single-trip policy scored 81%, while its Standard annual multi-trip policy scored 77%.

Staysure Signature scored 74%, with unlimited medical expenses cover, £15,000 cancellation cover and £5,000 for baggage. AllClear Platinum scored 70%, also offering unlimited medical expenses cover.

Which? also highlighted InsuranceWith’s Platinum policy, which scored 68% and includes £5,000 of gadget cover.

Don’t hide your medical condition

Travellers should be completely open about their health when buying cover. A medical condition may result in a higher premium or an exclusion being added to a policy. An exclusion could mean claims linked to that condition are not covered – potentially leaving someone facing a huge bill if they become ill abroad.

Which? insurance expert Dean Sobers said there is a reason it publishes information about the medical screening companies used by insurers. The organisation found that 80% of the policies it assessed used Verisk for medical screening, while 12% used Protectif.

This can matter because insurers may reach different decisions about whether to cover someone – and what to charge – even when the same screening process is involved. He said: “When searching for quotes, you may have found yourself answering what feels like identical health-related questions over and over even when trying different insurers. You’re not imagining it: medical screening is outsourced by most travel insurers, with the vast majority using just two firms – Verisk and Protectif.

“While the insurer makes the ultimate decision about how much to charge you, the different approaches of the screening companies can lead to a different picture of your risk. Verisk, for example, asks you to state the name of your medical condition, while Protectif begins by asking you which medications you’re taking and works backwards from that.

“No particular screening company is necessarily going to deliver a cheaper quote, but if you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall with one, trying another could be worth it.”

Specialist insurers are specifically designed to deal with travellers who may be rejected, heavily loaded or offered limited cover by mainstream providers. And with the cost of holidays already high, shopping around could make the difference between being properly protected and taking a potentially disastrous gamble by travelling without adequate insurance.

Holidaymakers may be entitled to claim compensation when an airline loses, damages or delays their luggage

Holidaymakers facing the misery of lost, damaged or delayed luggage could be entitled to compensation from their airline – but they need to act quickly.

Passengers arriving at their destination only to discover their suitcase has failed to make the journey with them have legal rights that can help them recover some of the costs. Citizens Advice says travellers have the right to claim compensation from an airline when checked-in luggage is delayed, lost or damaged. But there are important deadlines – and passengers should report a problem as soon as possible.

The consumer advice charity warns that the rules for cabin baggage are different. You can generally only claim for a problem with hand luggage where the airline was at fault.

Don’t leave it too late

Citizens Advice says holidaymakers should report missing or damaged luggage to the airline straight away. At the airport, this will normally involve completing a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the baggage claims area.

Passengers should keep a copy of the PIR, or obtain written confirmation from the airline if they report the problem later. Making a report does not necessarily mean a compensation claim has been made. Passengers will normally still need to submit a separate claim unless the airline agrees to pay certain expenses upfront.

There are strict deadlines

One of the biggest traps is assuming there is plenty of time to make a claim.

Citizens Advice says the usual deadlines are:

• Damaged luggage: claim within seven days of receiving it.
• Missing or damaged contents: claim within seven days of receiving the luggage.
• Delayed or missing luggage: claim within 21 days of the flight.
• Luggage not returned within 21 days: it is officially treated as lost, meaning passengers should make a claim as soon as possible.

A suitcase that eventually turns up after several days does not necessarily mean a passenger has lost their right to compensation. Citizens Advice says it is still possible to claim for delayed luggage if it is returned within the 21-day period.

What can you claim for?

The compensation available from an airline is generally limited. For delayed luggage, this can include the cost of essential items needed while waiting for the suitcase, such as toiletries and underwear.

Passengers may also be able to claim some of the cost of repairing or replacing luggage and its contents if they are lost or damaged. If a traveller has to collect delayed luggage themselves, says they may also be able to recover reasonable transport costs.

But holidaymakers should not assume they will receive the full replacement value of everything inside a suitcase. Airlines will often ask for receipts and proof of purchase, while Citizens Advice warns that they will not normally pay ‘new for old’ replacement costs.

There can also be restrictions around valuable, fragile or perishable items packed in checked luggage. Total compensation is generally limited to around £1,000 and is often considerably less.

Passengers cannot normally claim for stress or inconvenience caused by the luggage problem, or for knock-on problems such as missing a connection.

Keep every scrap of evidence

Anyone making a claim should keep hold of their paperwork.

Citizens Advice says airlines will usually expect passengers to provide documents such as:

• their boarding pass;
• luggage tags showing the identification number;
• the PIR or written confirmation that the problem was reported;
• receipts for emergency purchases made because of delayed luggage;
• proof of purchase for lost or damaged belongings;
• photographs showing damage; and
• estimates for the cost of repairs where relevant.

Travellers should keep copies of their claim and the original documents.

How to make the claim

Passengers should check with their airline to find out how it wants compensation claims submitted. If there is no specific claim form, Citizens Advice says travellers may need to write to the airline’s customer service department.

The charity advises making clear that the claim is being made under the Montreal Convention. The claim should include details of the flight, including the date, flight number, departure point and destination.

Travellers should explain what happened, set out the amount being claimed and provide a detailed list of the luggage or contents that were lost or damaged. Any essential items bought because of the delay should also be listed, with copies of supporting receipts and other evidence.

What if several airlines were involved?

Passengers travelling on connecting flights operated by different airlines may be able to claim against any of them. However, Citizens Advice says most airlines expect the claim to be made against the last airline boarded.

An airline cannot simply refuse to deal with a claim because another carrier was involved. If a passenger gets nowhere they can seek advice from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

What if the airline rejects your claim?

Holidaymakers who are unhappy with an airline’s response can take the matter further. Citizens Advice recommends first trying to resolve the complaint through the appropriate process.

The CAA can take up complaints against airlines or airports in certain circumstances, although its role depends on whether the airline or airport belongs to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. As a last resort, passengers can consider taking a case to the small claims court.

A luggage claim can generally be taken to court within two years of the flight, although court action can be costly and time-consuming.

Check your insurance too

There is another option that could prove easier and more generous. Citizens Advice says that if luggage is covered by travel insurance or a home contents policy, making an insurance claim may be preferable.

This is because insurance can potentially provide more money and may be easier to claim through than pursuing the airline.

Passengers needing further help can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or use its online service.

The charity also advises checking the specific rules applying to the airline, as individual procedures and deadlines can vary. More information here.

Travel expert Simon Calder has advice for those heading abroad

Students celebrating their A-level results are being urged to think carefully about safety before setting off on gap years and adventures abroad.

Travel expert Simon Calder has issued a stark warning to young people preparing to head overseas – telling them that risk management should be at the heart of their plans. Calder, speaking on The Travel Expert podcast with Telegraph journalist Greg Dickinson, said he wanted students to return home “in one piece with nothing but happy memories”.

His advice comes as thousands of young people consider gap years, holidays or trips abroad before starting university. Calder, who took a gap year himself, said there was plenty to gain from seeing the world – but warned that students and their parents should not overlook the potential dangers.

His top three concerns are: drugs and drink, accidents in water and road safety. Calder said: “If you are going to go on a gap year, the main thing to do is risk management.”

He added: “I am absolutely concerned to try to make sure that everybody comes back in one piece with nothing but happy memories.”

Drugs, drink and the risk of spiking

Calder’s first warning was about alcohol and recreational drugs. He acknowledged that many people drink and some take recreational drugs, but urged travellers to understand the risks – including the possibility of their drink being spiked.

He also specifically warned students about methanol poisoning, which has tragically killed travellers overseas. His message was not simply to avoid excessive drinking or drugs, but to understand the potentially serious consequences of what can happen abroad.

And students should never allow alcohol or drugs to lead them into taking unnecessary risks. Calder warned against doing things such as hiring a scooter or going for a midnight swim after consuming drink or drugs.

Take care around water

Calder’s second major warning was about accidents in water. Young travellers heading to beaches, islands and other holiday destinations are urged to understand the dangers posed by strong currents.

One particular hazard is a rip current – a powerful current of water moving away from the shore which can quickly carry swimmers out to sea. Calder said travellers should “make absolutely sure that you know how to identify a rip tide” and understand what to do if caught in one.

The important message is not to panic or try to fight directly against the current.

Road safety

Calder stressed there was one danger that sat “absolutely top of my risk list” , which is road safety. He warned that road risks can increase sharply once travellers leave Britain.

“As soon as you leave the UK, risks start to multiply on the roads,” he said. His advice was to consider how you are going to travel around a country before setting off.

He suggested that, where appropriate, using trains or flying in countries with high road accident rates could reduce the risks faced by young travellers. Calder’s warning is particularly relevant to gap-year students who may be tempted to hire scooters or motorcycles as a cheap and convenient way of getting around.

Thailand warning

The discussion also turned to Thailand, a hugely popular destination for young British travellers. Dickinson warned that students should not assume the country is a place where drug use is tolerated simply because of its reputation for parties and nightlife.

He specifically highlighted the famous Full Moon parties – but stressed that Thailand has strict drug laws. Travellers can face serious consequences for possessing or taking illegal drugs. Dickinson said: “They’re extremely strict on drugs, so you basically need to not get involved with that whatsoever.”

Jet2 has issued a serious alert to holidaymakers

Jet2 has issued a warning to holidaymakers who have booked a certain type of hotel room, amid a very busy summer for international travel.

The operator took to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday morning (August 18) to share some important safety guidance with those who will be staying in a hotel room with a balcony. Jet2 said: “Booked a hotel with a balcony? Follow the safety advice, avoid risky behaviour and keep an eye on friends who might be unsteady.

“Hotels can fine or evict you for unsafe behaviour – and your insurance might not cover balcony incidents. One slip can change everything.”

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reminds travellers that Brits have been seriously injured, or killed, after falling from hotel balconies while abroad. Many falls involve alcohol and people are urged not to try to jump from balcony to balcony, or to climb up to get into their room from the balcony.

Holidaymakers should also never jump from a balcony into a swimming pool. FCDO guidance for Spain adds that hotels and other establishments “will evict you if you behave dangerously on balconies”. You could also get a fine.

The FCDO advises Brits heading abroad not to take any unnecessary risks around balconies or other elevated areas, especially while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. “If you are staying in a room with a balcony, follow the safety advice at the hotel or apartment, and watch out for friends who may be at risk.”

In certain areas, you could face a fine or be thrown out of your hotel if you are found to be acting irresponsibly around balconies. Your travel insurance provider may not pay out for incidents that occur on a balcony or if you were under the influence of drink or drugs when the incident took place.

They fear replacement flights today may also be grounded

A couple have been trapped in Italy for a week after a volcanic eruption saw their flights cancelled. Barbara Krmelj, 35, and partner Roy Barone, 46, went to Sicily to spend a week’s holiday with his parents. They were due to fly back to their home in Hackney, east London, on August 11 – but when Mount Etna became active that day, their flights were cancelled as a red warning level was issued.

The couple have had to take an extra week’s leave from their jobs and find alternative sitters for their two cats back at home as they remain “trapped” in the seaside town of Marina di Modica. They have alternative flights provided by the airline for August 17 but anticipate having to pay around £700 to rebook with a different airline if those are cancelled too, which they feel is likely.

They remain in a small holiday home owned by Roy’s family but say they “feel like a weight on his parents” to overstay. They checked but said the only hotel available would have cost over £2,000 for five nights because of high demand as it coincides with Ferragosto, a holiday period across Italy which sees people flock to the region.

Sales associate Barbara said: “On the way to the airport to fly back to London we got a message that our flight was cancelled. Eventually we managed to get a flight for the 17th, but the budget we allocated for our holiday is gone now. We have come back to Roy’s parents but the place is small and we feel like a weight on them now. We’ve had to organise for our friends to pop over to our home in London because the cat sitters we booked are done now.

“We’ve been paying for things like food and drinks with credit cards – and if we aren’t able to fly on the 17th we’ll have to book new flights. If we have to book new flights it will have cost us around £1,000 in total. It’s a beautiful city, but the holiday has turned into a frustration now as we want to go back home to our pets now. We can’t enjoy all the beauty around us as we feel trapped on the island.”

Barbara and Roy have been paying elevated prices for taxis to travel around due to high demand due to the Ferragosto festival. They said they have seen a steady flow of ash over the region as well as eruptions in the distance coming from Mount Etna.

The couple did not purchase travel insurance ahead of the trip. Barbara said: “We have had a chat with a few other tourists, people are definitely frustrated. People have been sleeping at the airport – when we went, people were sleeping or sitting in every hallway. There was no space even to sit and organise ourselves when we were trying to rebook flights.

“We were given a hotel for one night when our flights were cancelled, and thank God we have Roy’s parents here. I don’t know what people are doing when they don’t know other people living here.

“When we tried to go and stay at a hotel, there was nothing we could book, the prices had skyrocketed, it was around £2,000 for five days and there were only one or two options.”

The couple are going to the beach each day and trying to make the best of their situation but say they are no longer enjoying the once-relaxing trip. Barbara added: “We’ll have spent over our budget by about £1,000 if we end up having to rebook flights.

“We’ve been using credit cards because you do what you have to do in this situation, but we have to be careful, we don’t have a lot of money left because we didn’t expect this. Ordinarily, the holiday was lovely, and I’d recommend the area to everyone. But now the holiday has turned into a frustration.”

Haylet Waters says her daughter was only ill because it was 30C in the airport and their flight had been delayed

A family was left stranded on a Greek island after Jet2 refused to let them fly home because their six-year-old daughter was sick in the departure lounge. Hayley Waters, 37, was waiting at Rhodes Airport with husband Jason, 40, and kids Addyson, six, and Xander, three, when the youngster vomited at the gate.

She said staff immediately barred the family from boarding their delayed flight to Leeds Bradford Airport shortly after midnight. They were told they could not travel with Jet2 for at least 24 hours and would have to arrange their own accommodation, transport and alternative flights – which cost them around £1,000.

Hayley, a performance analyst from Leeds, West Yorks., said: “While waiting at the gate, my six-year-old daughter was sick once. I cleaned it up immediately. She’d had no illness all holiday – she was simply exhausted after the delay, it was around midnight, and over 30C in the airport.”

The family had been due to catch the 11.15pm flight on July 31, which eventually departed at around 12.05am. They were travelling as part of a larger group of nine when a member of Jet2 staff spotted Addyson being sick.

But Hayley said nobody assessed her daughter or asked whether she had been ill during the holiday before the family was stopped from boarding. She said: “The only explanation given was ‘policy’ because my daughter had been sick.

“Nobody asked whether she had any underlying medical conditions, whether she’d been unwell during the holiday, or how she was feeling. No medical assessment was carried out – the decision was based solely on a member of staff seeing her vomit once.”

The family were forced to book an easyJet flight to Newcastle for the following day to get home. Hayley said: “We have no written explanation for why we were denied boarding, no paperwork, no medical assessment, no duty of care, and we were left stranded abroad with two young children.”

Jet2 said its team in Rhodes had followed procedures and helped the family find somewhere to stay. The airline said staff also advised them to retain their receipts so they could make a claim through their travel insurance.

A Jet2 spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our absolute priority, and our teams have processes in place to help prevent the spread of illness onboard our aircraft. We are sorry to hear that Mrs Waters was unhappy with her experience and we are in contact with her to discuss the matter further.”

However, Hayley has disputed the airline’s claim that it had been in contact with her. The airline said it had promised a response within 14 days, by August 20, and remained on track to provide one.

Hayley said the family have not had acknowledgement that their written complaint has been received – and that they have not been told about the timescales Jet2 are working to.