Firms quote £3,500 for mum’s travel insurance

Terminally ill woman’s delight at gift of a dream holiday has been ruined by demands for her cover

A terminally ill mum-of-five was left speechless after friends and family raised £5,000 for a final holiday – only for insurance firms to demand £3,500.

Karen Miller has been diagnosed with incurable lung cancer and on Monday she was overwhelmed to receive the money to fund a dream trip to Europe.

But the 48-year-old is devastated after numerous insurance companies flatly refused to give her cover.

The only firm prepared to quote demanded £3,500 – making the holiday itself unaffordable.

Karen, from Dunfermline, received her diagnosis in March last year after suffering back pain and losing weight.

The Asda baker believed the pain was due to lifting heavy bags of flour at work but doctors found a tumour covering the entire side of her lung. The tumour is too close to her heart for surgery and doctors are trying to extend her life “for as long as possible”.

Karen is to book a 14-day luxury trip in April to the continent, taking in Belgium, Germany, Austria and Poland.

Speaking yesterday, she said: “It’s terrible, they just don’t seem to want to know. The deadline to book the holiday is today so I’m going to be frantically trying to sort something.

“I’ve lost count how many have said ‘no’ and my friend who works at the travel agent has been trying online too.

“It’s so unfair, it’s like being punished for being ill.

“There were a couple of companies who did quote £3,000 and £3,500 so I’m wishing now I’d just gone with them, it’s just so expensive.

“The travel company has already given us an extra week so I don’t think they’ll be able to hold on to the trip much longer.

“I’ve always wanted to go round Europe, especially to Poland to visit the concentration camps at Auschwitz.

“Our other dream is Legoland because I’m a big bairn really and love all that so we were planning on going there before the trip on the 17th April because we leave from London.

“It just means everything, I will be able to make memories and if I don’t go now when will I?”

Karen broke the heart-breaking news of her diagnosis to her husband Billy and five children, Declan, 14, Cairan, 19, Samantha, 25, Claire, 28 and Michelle, 30, as soon as she found out last year.

Her daughter Claire has already raised £1,000 in sponsorship money by taking part in a bungee jump.

Karen said: “The kids were completely shocked. I told them right from the start. It’s not easy for any of my family but they’re trying to put on their happy faces.

“My parents wish they could take it away from me.

“When I found out the cancer was terminal there were a few things I wanted to do but the main thing was the trip. There were silly wee things that I’d not done before like riding a horse and things like that but seeing Europe was the dream.”

Karen received a call from friends at the Asda branch in St Leonards telling her to come into the shop for a surprise.

It was there she received a surprise cheque from her colleagues after they had been secretly fundraising to give Karen her dream trip.

A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: “There is a market for people who are seriously ill including people who have terminal illnesses. We would suggest going to a local broker in the area who may well be able to offer the lady concerned insurance based on circumstances such as where she is travelling to and what type of cancer she has.

“The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) also offer a find a broker service and could put the lady concerned in touch with brokers in the area who may be able to help.”

It’s terrible, they just don’t seem to want to know. The deadline to book the holiday is today so I’m going to be frantically trying to sort something. KAREN MILLER

Picture: Wullie Marr. Karen is raring to go on her dream trip.