Q: Travel insurance won’t pay for treatments for an injury that happened during coverage period?
I got into a slip and fall accident during my travels here in Ottawa Canada, fracturing my ankle and requiring an emergency ankle surgery (I'm from the US). I was taken to the ER in an ambulance, they put me in a cast and provided me with crutches at the hospital and said that because the hospital was at capacity I would have to be put on the emergency waiting list for the operation, and scheduled to have the operation as early as this coming Wednesday here in Canada. So I was sent back to my hotel room that evening of my initial ER visit.
Today was supposed to be my last day in Canada, so my travel insurance expires today as well. I called them and they said that because I’m not currently admitted into the hospital and the treatments will happen after the expiration date, they cannot pay for it. I feel kind of cheated because my injury happened during the coverage period, but due to the hospital being full and at capacity due to Covid, I’m not able to utilize my travel insurance.
A:
A Georgia attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for three weeks. It does look like an unjust outcome for you, since it seems that had it not been for the hospital being filled to capacity, you would have been able to have the surgery performed sooner.
One option is to review the terms of the policy to identify recourses available to you - appeal, arbitration, civil suit, etc. Another option is to consult with an attorney. Depending on what is at stake in terms of the cost of surgery, an experienced attorney might be able to advise about whether it is feasible and cost effective to consider legal action. Good luck
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