DUBAI // The family of British grandmother Ann Taylor, who died while holidaying in Dubai, owes hundreds of thousands of dirhams after an insurance company refused to cover the full cost of her hospital treatment.
Her granddaughter’s husband, Anthony Firth, 25, who works as a sales manager in Dubai, said his family owes about Dh250,000 in medical expenses, which they are appealing for help in paying.
Mrs Taylor and her husband Ron were visiting the UAE for the festive season and to celebrate her 70th birthday when she was taken ill.
She was admitted to Rashid Hospital in Dubai, where, after five weeks, doctors gave her permission to fly to the UK.
Mr Firth said when he contacted her insurer about Mrs Taylor’s release, he was told she was too unwell to travel and she must stay in Dubai.
He claimed the insurance company assured him her care was covered, so she was transferred to the American Hospital Dubai for further treatment.
After six weeks in the hospital, she died on March 6.
Mr Firth said that the family began to make arrangements for Mrs Taylor’s repatriation.
A dispute arose when the hospital refused to release the body until payment of about Dh500,000 for treatment was made.
However, the insurance company, the UK-based Travel Insurance Facilities Group, said it would only cover half of the amount, said Mr Firth.
After the family made a partial payment to the hospital, Mrs Taylor’s body was sent back to the UK on Wednesday after 13 days. A date has not yet been set for her funeral.
Mr Firth said the hospital is claiming it is still owed Dh215,000 in medical costs.
To help pay off the rest of the debt, the family has set up a fund-raising page on the website www.gofundme.com, which has raised about Dh8,000 in donations.
A spokesman for Travel Insurance Facilities said: “In this case, the experience at point of sale was very different from the expectations of the insurer and concerns were raised on the liabilities surrounding the claim.
“However, due to the sad circumstances, we have taken the unusual decision of paying 50 per cent of the hospital costs as a gesture of goodwill.”
The American Hospital Dubai said it was “inappropriate to reply on this particular case”.
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
