Diabetic grandad wins travel insurance battle after toe infection cut holiday short

An Aberdeenshire grandad with diabetes has successfully fought for a travel insurance refund following a toe infection that escalated while on holiday, potentially leading to deadly sepsis.

After the Sunday Mail intervened, Robert Warden, who had to fork out £899 for an emergency flight back from Thailand, was initially told by AXA Travel Insurance that his condition did not justify cutting his trip short.

However, shortly after the newspaper contacted his insurer, Robert received confirmation that his claim was accepted and he would be fully reimbursed. Expressing his relief, Robert commented: "I'm incredibly grateful to the Sunday Mail for their help in resolving this claim. Common sense prevailed in the end, as well as the prospect of bad publicity."

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"I'm a type 1 diabetic, I couldn't wait around to see if sepsis was going to set in."

The 59-year-old Torphins resident, who has managed type 1 diabetes for over three decades, was enjoying a three-week break in late February when he noticed a worrying infection on his toe just two days in.

After Thai pharmacists gave him antibiotics and a doctor warned of the risk of sepsis, Robert didn't hesitate to book a 22-hour flight to Glasgow, followed by a trip to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he spent three days in March, reports the Daily Record.

AXA initially declined to cover the flight costs for Robert after he sustained an injury, stating that it wasn't severe enough to warrant flying home and pointing out that he hadn't contacted them before his departure.

Robert had invested £153.30 in travel insurance with AXA for a three-week holiday, during which he intended to catch up with friends and explore various locations across Thailand.

When he developed an infection, Robert sought help from a pharmacy in Chiang Mai and later from a medical centre in Pattaya. He provided AXA with images of his injury, a discharge letter from an NHS hospital, and pictures of the medication he was prescribed.

Dissatisfied with how his claim was handled, Robert has filed a complaint against AXA. In response, AXA stated: "We have reviewed Mr Warden's claim and, due to the nature of his circumstances, we will be covering the costs he incurred. We have been in touch with Mr Warden to confirm this."