Hard-Hearted

Feb 10 2008 Additional Reporting By Jane Barrie

Tragic Mum-Of-Two Joanne Dies In Coma Before Christmas Brother Cancels Holiday But Insurers Won't Pay Up

LORRAINE and Brian Davidson were delighted when they booked a holiday to the Algarve for the week after Christmas.

They paid over the phone after spotting the break on Teletext and included travel insurance in their package.

They weren't worried when their policy documents failed to arrive as travel agent Freedom Direct operated a ticketless service.

Then Brian's 30-year-old sister Joanne, a diabetic, died a week before they were due to jet off. The distraught couple did the only thing they could...cancelled their holiday.

But insurance firm Europ Assistance refused to refund the cost of their holiday, claiming they should have disclosed her condition. Lorraine, 37, of Knightswood, Glasgow, said: "Joanne's death was a total shock. She has left two young children.

"She had been diabetic since childhood. But why the hell would we be expected to tell our insurers about the health of my sister-in-law?

"In any case, we would need to have been telepathic as we didn't have policy documents."

Lorraine and Brian, 36, paid £650 for their week's break but crucially they only received the documents after Joanne died on December 17. Carer Lorraine said: "It was so sudden.

We were devastated. We couldn't have gone on holiday."

Europ Assistance refused their claim saying they had failed to disclose the pre-existing condition of a close relative.

Angry Lorraine called me in last week. She said: "It's not the money, it's the principle. We took out the policy in good faith. If we are not covered for something like this, what is the point in having a policy at all?"

When I got on to Europ Assistance they insisted the claim was being dealt with as a matter of urgency.

They said: "Mrs Davidson is a valued customer and her complaint is being taken seriously."

But I'll not be happy until they do the decent thing and pay up.