Thomas Cook Group chief executive Peter Fankhauser claimed today that British tourists have become the laughing stock of Europe due to a 500% rise in holiday sickness claims.
Fankhauser, a Swiss national, told the ABTA Travel Matters conference that there was a joke that the British have weak stomachs and the Germans have stronger constitutions.
"Europe is laughing at the Brits, but this is not a good situation," he said. "It is starting to backfire on British holidaymakers and on the industry."
Read more here.
Courtesy of Travelmole
What I don't understand about these scams is why people trying to make a claim weren't/aren't being asked to produce receipts or evidence of having had medical treament, because surely if it was bad enough to warrant a compensation claim it would have been bad enough to warrant getting proper medical treatment and not just swallowing a couple of Immodium? And wouldn't you have asked for such evidence so you could also claim the cost back from your insurer? I ask because the only time I was so ill that it might have spoiled the enjoyment of the holiday it would have been impossible to carry on without getting proper medical treatment. Were TOs or hotels really paying out without asking for evidence more conclusive than just a receipt for an over the counter remedy?
And when it did happen to me, I was so pleased to make a quick recovery after having the antibiotic shots etc that it actually never occurred to me to try and claim compensation from Thomas Cook (the meal on the flight out to Cuba being the most likely culprit) because I simply assumed that it would be hard to prove it given that none of the other people I was flying out with seemed to have been affected. I didn't even claim against my insurance because the cost was barely more than my excess - it just didn't seem to be worth the hassle.
And when it did happen to me, I was so pleased to make a quick recovery after having the antibiotic shots etc that it actually never occurred to me to try and claim compensation from Thomas Cook (the meal on the flight out to Cuba being the most likely culprit) because I simply assumed that it would be hard to prove it given that none of the other people I was flying out with seemed to have been affected. I didn't even claim against my insurance because the cost was barely more than my excess - it just didn't seem to be worth the hassle.
It's disgusting to think they can get away with fraudulent claims, the matter should be reported to the Police and I think their picture/names should be made public to say what scammers they are, I have no time for people like this 
"What I don't understand about these scams is why people trying to make a claim weren't/aren't being asked to produce receipts or evidence of having had medical treament, because surely if it was bad enough to warrant a compensation claim it would have been bad enough to warrant getting proper medical treatment and not just swallowing a couple of Immodium?"
Hi SM.
I totally agree...If you're that ill, you need a doctor.
I'm no lawyer, but from what I've read, it's British law that's at fault.
They've got up to 3 years to claim and the onus is on the TO to prove their claims are false.
It costs money (a lot of money) to fight a claim in a British court, so, it is easier for the TO to accept the claim and pay out, especially if they might be opposite an ambulance chasing lawyer and not Joe Bloggs on his own.
The bill is passed onto the hotelier and depending on the hotel's liability insurance contract, either the hotel ends up with the bill or they pass it onto their insurers.
Now because of this scam, some hoteliers are now having liability insurance policies with exclusion clauses written within and they're not covering claims for sickness.
In contrast, in Spain, it is the claimant who has to prove the case and offences of fraud under the Spanish legal system is punishable with a prison sentence, ranging from 6 months to 3 years, if the amount is more than 400 euros.
Suggestions coming out from the Spanish press include hotels no longer offering discounts as they feel that the TO's haven't done enough to try and stop it.....in other words, passing the buck to get rid of the problem.
There were 10,000 claims received by a single British TO last year, which cost the industry in the Balearic Islands 50 million euros last year.
Another proposal is that *you* sign a condition during the booking process whereby you agree that should any dispute arise, it will be heard in a Spanish court and subject to Spanish law.
* You* being all of us .
The Spanish are very riled up about this, if you put into Google... Britanicos -presentan- denuncias - falsas. ...There's enough to keep you reading for days if you understand Spanish or your tablet /phone automatically translates from Spanish to English.
Sanji x
Hi SM.
I totally agree...If you're that ill, you need a doctor.
I'm no lawyer, but from what I've read, it's British law that's at fault.
They've got up to 3 years to claim and the onus is on the TO to prove their claims are false.
It costs money (a lot of money) to fight a claim in a British court, so, it is easier for the TO to accept the claim and pay out, especially if they might be opposite an ambulance chasing lawyer and not Joe Bloggs on his own.
The bill is passed onto the hotelier and depending on the hotel's liability insurance contract, either the hotel ends up with the bill or they pass it onto their insurers.
Now because of this scam, some hoteliers are now having liability insurance policies with exclusion clauses written within and they're not covering claims for sickness.
In contrast, in Spain, it is the claimant who has to prove the case and offences of fraud under the Spanish legal system is punishable with a prison sentence, ranging from 6 months to 3 years, if the amount is more than 400 euros.
Suggestions coming out from the Spanish press include hotels no longer offering discounts as they feel that the TO's haven't done enough to try and stop it.....in other words, passing the buck to get rid of the problem.
There were 10,000 claims received by a single British TO last year, which cost the industry in the Balearic Islands 50 million euros last year.
Another proposal is that *you* sign a condition during the booking process whereby you agree that should any dispute arise, it will be heard in a Spanish court and subject to Spanish law.
* You* being all of us .
The Spanish are very riled up about this, if you put into Google... Britanicos -presentan- denuncias - falsas. ...There's enough to keep you reading for days if you understand Spanish or your tablet /phone automatically translates from Spanish to English.
Sanji x
-
Edited by
Sanji
2017-07-03 09:16:16
Typo errors
I cannot understand why these claims are being payed without evidence . I used to work in a Local authority Environmental Health Dept and it was our job to visit anyone who had F.P, . symptoms or other Notifiable disease, this was to establish posible source and to arrange for samples to be tested to confirm the infection and follow up samples which would show the infection had cleared after 3 consecutive negatives. The referals did tend to increase in the holiday period and there used to be regular sources Nile Cruises and Dominican Republic
Anyone on holiday who suspects the re is a problem at the hotel and they are suffering should get a sample tested asap usually if there is a problem in the hotel or ship there will be lots of people with the same systems and the holiday companies rep should be informed and hopefully arange for tests to find the source. In a lot of cases the source may not be the hotel but as with Norovirus it is one of tthe guests who brings it.
Anyone on holiday who suspects the re is a problem at the hotel and they are suffering should get a sample tested asap usually if there is a problem in the hotel or ship there will be lots of people with the same systems and the holiday companies rep should be informed and hopefully arange for tests to find the source. In a lot of cases the source may not be the hotel but as with Norovirus it is one of tthe guests who brings it.
Exactly Nick. I remember when there was outbreaks of various viruses, nearly everyone had to provide a stool sample inorder to identify the correct virus.
Never, ever have I known a case to be taken on simply because someone had to buy immodium.
Never, ever have I known a case to be taken on simply because someone had to buy immodium.
Joint action by the UK travel trade and police, courts and hoteliers in Spain has led to a major a breakthrough in the fight against false sickness claims.
According to TUI UK and Ireland, a major crackdown has led to one law firm dropping more than 1,800 cases against the travel giant.
More information here
Courtesy of Travelmole
According to TUI UK and Ireland, a major crackdown has led to one law firm dropping more than 1,800 cases against the travel giant.
More information here
Courtesy of Travelmole
Outside of the question of false insurance claims, I wonder how many visitors realise the effect All Inclusive has on the local travel industry and the people it employs. I realise it is good for families with children if drinks and various other things are included but the money does not trickle back to the locals if people rarely venture out of their hotel. Then there are those who try to drink the bar dry as they have paid for it. It is the locals who have to break up the ensuing fights?
-
Edited by
Aslemma
2017-07-11 15:30:42
Some do spoil it for others with their "greed" I've seen people fill their plates up, poke it about, then leave it & go back to fill up another plate.
A County Court judge has ordered a couple to pay court costs after they falsely claimed they had been taken ill on a Thomas Cook all-inclusive holiday.
Court rules state claimants are not at risk of paying costs even if they lose the case, unless it can be demonstrated to the court that they had been fundamentally dishonest.
The judge at Liverpool County Court yesterday concluded the couple, who hoped to sue Thomas Cook for £10,000, had indeed been 'fundamentally dishonest' and had not suffered any illness at all.
Read more here
Courtesy of Travelmole
Court rules state claimants are not at risk of paying costs even if they lose the case, unless it can be demonstrated to the court that they had been fundamentally dishonest.
The judge at Liverpool County Court yesterday concluded the couple, who hoped to sue Thomas Cook for £10,000, had indeed been 'fundamentally dishonest' and had not suffered any illness at all.
Read more here
Courtesy of Travelmole
Re the above, the couple waited 3 years to pursue their claim? Didn't mention any illnesses when visiting their doctor shortly after returning home?
They deserved everything they got.
They deserved everything they got.
If you're going to tell a few fibs about being ill , you don't drink 6 pints of lager and then fill in a questionnaire saying things were wonderful to try and win a prize !!
I know Andy 😂😂😂😂
Would you really want to holiday again, with the company who you deem responsible for making your family ill 😂😂
Would you really want to holiday again, with the company who you deem responsible for making your family ill 😂😂
Members of a Liverpool family will attend a Crown Court trial to defend charges they falsely claimed £52,000 from Thomas Cook by filing fake holiday sickness claims.
It is believed to be the first time a holiday sickness claim has been heard in a criminal court.
At a preliminary hearing, Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard Deborah Briton, 53, and her partner Paul Roberts, 43, submitted bogus compensation claims for themselves and their two children for two all-inclusive holidays in Majorca.
Read more here
Courtesy of Travelmole
It is believed to be the first time a holiday sickness claim has been heard in a criminal court.
At a preliminary hearing, Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard Deborah Briton, 53, and her partner Paul Roberts, 43, submitted bogus compensation claims for themselves and their two children for two all-inclusive holidays in Majorca.
Read more here
Courtesy of Travelmole
Blooming idiots. Don't they realise that they will almost certainly lose again, which will considerably increase the Court costs they have to pay? Of course their lawyers are happy to,contimue fighting as it will increase their fees.
I am so glad this is happening. It is the ordinary holidaymaker who loses out when prices go up. £52 000?? I hope they have to pay back every penny.
Another interesting article on the issue of false claims:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jul/31/why-brits-got-the-bug-for-holiday-sickness-scams
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jul/31/why-brits-got-the-bug-for-holiday-sickness-scams
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