An Australian couple has slammed their insurer after their dream holiday to Bali turned into a nightmare and they were forced to shell out $8,000 in medical bills.
Kayla Heagney, 29, and her partner Nicola Fox, 30, flew with their two-year-old son from Newcastle, on the New South Wales central coast, to the Indonesian hotspot last week.
The family had been planning the trip for some time and the overseas holiday was a 30th birthday present for Mrs Fox.
After her arrival, Ms Heagney began to feel severe pain and decided to be examined at a hospital, where she was immediately placed in intensive care.
Doctors told him he had acute pancreatitis, which is a medical condition that occurs when the pancreas becomes inflamed.
Kayla Heagney (pictured) was admitted to intensive care at a Bali hospital while on holiday with her partner after she was told she had acute pancreatitis.
Ms Heagney was told that if she did not receive treatment she could die, but that it would cost $1,500 a night plus additional medical costs to keep her in hospital.
Heagney, who has been to Bali more than half a dozen times, initially thought it was just a little stomach ache.
“It all happened so fast, it was so scary not knowing what the outcome was going to be,” she said. A current issue.
Ms Fox contacted her travel insurer, Budget Direct, to check if her medical expenses would be covered.
“The insurance company said they would take a minimum of 24 hours to do their investigations to make sure what Kayla was experiencing was not pre-existing,” he said.
Mrs Fox contacted her doctor who recommended they fly back to Australia.
The terrified mother claimed Budget Direct warned they would not cover her partner if she was discharged from hospital against medical advice.
“I felt this was the only chance I had to get home and get treatment, which meant going against what the travel insurance told us,” Ms Heagny said.
Fox was forced to turn to her father for help financing the cost of her airfare after the couple racked up thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
“I called Mom and Dad and at that point I was crying inconsolably,” she said.
‘I just said we need help getting home. We can’t afford it because we spent all the money in the hospital and couldn’t afford to go home.’
The couple then took the next available flight home after Ms Heagney was discharged.
Budget Direct investigated the couple’s claim and they were reimbursed for their medical costs.
The couple (pictured) were told by their travel insurer that they would not be covered if Ms Heagney was discharged from hospital against medical advice.
Ms Heagney (pictured right) is now recovering at home after Ms Fox (pictured left) was forced to turn to her father to help cover the cost of your air tickets.
The couple said they were not satisfied with the service provided by their insurer.
“I looked at all the product information, saw they had a 24-hour phone line… so I thought I had done everything right,” Ms Fox said.
“But the reception I got didn’t feel like a safety net at all.”
Fox issued a warning to travelers to make sure they check they are covered when they go on vacation.
‘I think it’s really about making sure you’re as strict with the insurance. I thought that buying comprehensive coverage was enough,” he said yahoo.
“We were lucky to have a little money to fall back on, but that money ran out quickly to get the right coverage.”
A Budget Direct spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the claim was paid within 48 hours of receiving the couple’s request.
“Our travel insurance is backed by a highly trained and specialized medical support team, including doctors with several years of experience in aviation medicine and repatriation,” he said.
“Australian travelers are generally aware that flying is not without risk, especially on long-haul flights, as there may not be adequate medical expertise on board should something go wrong.”
