Travel with insurance urges Ahern
 The family
of an Irishman who died in hospital in Thailand following an accident
has been unable to bring home his body because of an outstanding hospital
bill of 50,000.
The Thai hospital is refusing to release the body of the man until his
healthcare bill is paid.
He had no travel insurance and his family has so far been unable to come
up with the funds.
The hospital bill is 50,000 and a further 5,000 is needed to repatriate
the body.
It is just one of a number of recent cases of Irish people who have suffered
when something went wrong abroad and they had no travel insurance.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has appealed to everyone taking
a foreign holiday to take out travel insurance.
Mr Ahern said there was a growing worldwide problem of individuals travelling
without insurance cover.
He said: “Most of the problems stem from the dotcom world where
at a touch of a button people can book their holidays and flights online.
“Sadly in a growing number of cases, they do not also click for
travel insurance.”
In September an Irish woman died in Spain and ¤7,000 had to be
paid for undertaker costs and repatriation of her body.
In August another Irish person required medical treatment in Malaysia
which cost several thousand euro.
Mr Ahern said: “There is enough heartache for the families of loved
ones who die or are seriously injured without the added worry of expensive
medical costs.”
|
