Families receive £100k bill and face travel insurance caution

A family is cautioning travelers to double-check their insurance policies after experiencing a costly mishap. Katya Katalinic, an 18-year-old from Midhurst, West Sussex, suffered a brain haemorrhage while in South Africa in February. She had extended her stay in Africa after a Christmas family holiday in Kenya. The family's insurer, Axa, deemed the policy invalid due to incorrect information provided by the family. When Miss Katalinic woke up in the hospital, she had no recollection of anything and likened her condition to that of a newborn baby. Her mother had ensured that the family had comprehensive insurance coverage for their trip to Kenya, which took place in 2022. However, when Miss Katalinic decided to participate in a yachting stewarding course in South Africa and her parents returned to the UK, her father took out another insurance policy for her. When she fell ill, her parents rushed to Cape Town to be with her and provided the policy details to the hospital manager. To their dismay, Axa responded that they were not liable and the family would have to bear the £100,000 medical bill. Axa argued that the policy was not valid because Miss Katalinic's trip to South Africa had started from Kenya, not from the UK. Miss Katalinic now wants to warn others about the importance of ensuring that their insurance is in order. Axa later stated that the policy was canceled and the premium was refunded to Miss Katalinic. The incident highlights concerns about insurance products and their lack of clarity, with a significant percentage of claims being denied.