Travel insurance warning from Atlas Direct

26th August, 2008

Travel insurance should be checked by policyholders before embarking on potentially hazardous activities overseas, a UK travel insurance provider has warned.

Atlas Direct, which provides a range of specialist and standard travel insurance cover, issued its warning in the wake of a teenager suffering serious injuries after falling off a moped while on holiday in Crete.

Mancunian Charlotte Robinson had been drinking at the time of the crash, which has prompted Atlas Direct to refuse to payout since this violates the terms of her travel insurance. As a result, her family is now facing a bill of up to £20,000 to transport her home, BBC Online reports.

A spokesman for Atlas Direct Travel's underwriters said: "The policy of insurance has strict terms and conditions which need to be adhered to for the policy to be valid. Under the general exclusions applying to all sections of the policy, it states "no section of this policy shall apply in respect of ...your drug addiction or solvent abuse, excessive alcohol intake, or you being under the influence of alcohol or drug(s)".

"The information in our possession indicates that the serious injuries were sustained as a result of the above exclusions and Ms Robinson's claim has consequently been declined."

Ms Robinson's family have countered the claim of the UK travel insurance provider on the grounds that she was not driving at time of the crash and therefore should still be covered by her travel insurance.

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