ABTA warns Brits not to fall prey to holiday sickness insurance scam
Foreign Office updates advice on Spain following explosion in dodgy tummy claims
ABTA, the travel association has urged Brits to be careful of an insurance scam in Spain.
Cowboy firms operating on the costas are encouraging holidaymakers to making falsified claims about holiday sickness in order to win payouts from tour operators or hotels.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated their travel advice for Spain this week following reports of claims management companies touting their services to holidaymakers either in destinations or when they are back in the UK.
Under the heading ‘Holiday Sickness Insurance’, the FCO says: “There have been reports of a rise in claims companies targeting holidaymakers at resorts in Spain inviting them to make false insurance claims regarding holiday sickness. Making a fraudulent insurance claim is illegal and a criminal offence in Spain and can incur penalties such as heavy fines and imprisonment.”
ABTA said its members have reported a dramatic increase in the number of gastric illness claims being made by holidaymakers abroad.
“Many of these claims are supported by very little evidence and do not match up with recorded sickness levels in holiday resorts. We believe this is being driven by the aggressive marketing practices of some claims management companies, touting their services to UK holidaymakers either in destinations or when they are back in the UK.”
No-win-no-fee firms have won big payouts for holiday illness claims around the world. Stephen Robson, 52, was awarded a five-figure settlement from holiday firm Tui,having succesfully claimed an illness contracted at the Dreams Resort in the Dominican Republic in 2012 left him with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
That claim was handled by Irwin Mitchell, who represented nine other people who suffered illness problems at the Dreams Resort in October 2012.
“If customers genuinely fall ill on holiday,” say ABTA, “it is very important they seek medical attention as soon as possible as well as informing their tour operator in resort
“On return to the UK, if customers are still not satisfied, and their tour operator is an ABTA Member, they can pursue their complaint through ABTA’s dispute resolution process.”
