A mother has spoken out after she was forced to pay £1,500 for her son's emergency treatment when a hospital in Turkey refused to accept her Asda travel insurance. Rhiannon Dunn, 32, from Cheltenham, had taken out a £40 Superior policy with the supermarket before her holiday to Antalya at the start of September.
Her seven-year-old son Carlson split his head open while backflipping into a pool on the first day of the trip, leaving a 1.5cm gash that required four stitches and an X-ray. The family rushed him to Konakli Medical Centre, where staff demanded immediate payment of £1,532.27 before treatment could continue.
Ms Dunn, a full-time carer, said she was 'panicking and crying' as she borrowed money from a friend to settle the bill. 'I told the hospital we had travel insurance from Asda. It was a premium policy with unlimited access, but they wouldn't accept it,' she said. 'You buy travel insurance for a reason.'
After being contacted by journalists, Asda confirmed it has now reimbursed Ms Dunn in full and expressed surprise that the medical centre had rejected its policy. A spokesperson said the company was 'disappointed' by the hospital's refusal.
Konakli Medical Centre admitted that not all insurers are accepted for direct billing and apologised for any distress caused. 'Treatment is prioritised and never delayed over insurance matters,' a spokesperson said, though they confirmed patients must pay upfront if no agreement is in place.
Ms Dunn is now urging other families to check whether their travel insurance is accepted at local hospitals near their holiday accommodation. 'I want to raise awareness so others don't find themselves in the same position,' she said.
