I have been meaning for ages to share my experience of having to make an insurance claim after having an accident while on holiday. In Sept 17 myself and 2 friends were coming to Calis for a 2 week holiday, having already booked flights we couldn't get the full 2 weeks in the Oykun as they were full for the middle weekend. We decided that we would have a bit of an adventure and have a mini break to Hisaronu. Off we trotted with our weekend bags leaving our things at the Oykun for our return. On our first night after a meal and a few drinks I fell on the slippery pavement, initially just thinking I'd maybe bruised my side but when attempting to get up it was apparent it was much more. An ambulance was called and then I realized that I may not be covered as I had a drink but luckily only 2. Once in the ambulance the first thing they did was take my blood - I assume to check the alcohol levels?? They took me to The Devlet hospital in Calis, went into what I believe was an A & E type place but packed!! I got left on a trolley in agony for about 3 hours and was then taken to xray - wheeled into a room and was virtually thrown onto the metal table for the xrays, nothing gentle in their handling of me! It was horrific and then they turned and pulled me while taking loads of xrays - no pain relief had been given up to this point. I was then taken to a room that had 3 beds in, there was an elderly Turkish lady and 2 empty beds. Again I was kind of thrown onto the bed and left, this was about 2 am. The Turkish lady's daughter, I think, was with her and she kept coming and stroking my hand and head and giving me water. No one came into that room until about 6.30 in the morning - I was still in my clothes from the night before which were sodden as I couldn't get out of bed to go to the toilet. The Interpretor (I use this word loosely) came eventually and asked for my documents which my friends were to bring shortly. Told they couldn't give me any pain relief until the documents had been seen. They came late morning and eventually a doctor came with the interpretor and stated he would operate on Thursday - 4 days away! When I queried the timescale he got quite abrupt and said there were a lot of sick people waiting for operations but they would give me something for the pain which I eventually got about 11 pm on Sunday night, 24 hours after falling. My friends, my husband and daughter at home were dealing with the insurance company and we discovered that I should be at the Esnaf. The daughter of the Turkish lady had kept saying to me 'Esanf, Esnaf' and her mother had been moved during that day. After lots and lots of telephone calls back and forth we were advised that an ambulance would come collect me later on that day and take me to the Esnaf. The interpretor (tourist assistant) brought a form for me about 1 pm to sign which stated I had asked to leave that hospital despite being offered surgery. I signed but wrote next to it that I was leaving that hospital due to the length time for the op and the total lack of care. I was still in sodden clothes in a wet bed!! She tore it up and got another form but I did the same, again on the third form when she eventually gave up. Also in the room and had come in early hours Sunday was a Scottish lady who had broken her wrist in a fall on the way to going home. Her and her husband were there along with all their cases. She had initially gone to Esnaf, had xrays, pain relief etc but was then told that the hospital would not accept the cover she had as the hospital had too many problems with that insurance company over the years so would not treat her any further. They had to pay for the treatment she'd had up to that point. She came to Devlet and was told they would operate on Friday. SO not all insurance companies will be accepted at the Esnaf and this could possibly apply to other places. My insurance was AXA. I was taken to Esnaf and had an operation the next morning (Tuesday). The hospital was exceptionally clean and the op seemed to go well. What I did discover is that the medical staff seem to just do the medical stuff and the 'fluffy care' stuff is expected to be done by family and friends which is probably their culture. I left hospital and returned to my 'little haven' The Oykun. The family and staff were amazing in their care and kindness. My husband flew over on the day I had the op so we settled into the Oykun until it was deemed ok for me to fly home. Managed to get out and about in a wheelchair while waiting for a date to go home. Eventually given fit to fly around the same time that Monarch went bust so finding a flight proved almost impossible. A flight was eventually booked the following week and was told 4 seats had been booked, 3 for me and 1 for my husband. Day came to finally be going home, wheeled to the plane and then discovered that all 4 seats were in separate parts of the plane! When the cabin crew realized that it was apparent that I couldn't sit in a single seat she ordered us to be offloaded! She turned her back and onto the plane she went! Well that's when I finally 'lost it', crying and shaking uncontrollably sat in a wheelchair at the plane door. A younger lady on the crew saw, asked what was wrong, went came back and said she would see what they could do but we would have to wait for the plane to fully load and rely on people agreeing to move to accommodate me. It was a long, painful and very embarrassing wait but we eventually got on and got home. Unfortunately I didn't recover well and got a severe infection, origin unknown and eventually had to have the hip redone and its' never been right and I still struggle with pain and limp and unable to walk too far. So this was my experience with an Insurance Company - the good part was there was no quibbling over the costs of the medical treatment, several debates over expenses but they were absolute rubbish at ensuring our return flight was fit for purpose!! Suppose the moral is to look carefully at any insurance cover you buy and be careful walking on the slippery pavements of Hisaronu. Sheila
