### Grandmother Faces £27,000 Medical Bill After Travel Insurance Blunder Turns Egyptian Holiday Into Ordeal
A family’s long-anticipated trip to Egypt spiralled into an expensive nightmare after a critical error in their travel insurance paperwork left a Cheshire grandmother facing a medical bill of over £27,000. Margaret Houghton, aged 65 and a resident of Warrington, fell seriously ill during what was meant to be a relaxing two-week getaway, only to be hospitalised halfway across the world—with her family left scrambling to cover the costs.
What began as a sun-soaked retreat with loved ones quickly took a turn for the worse when Margaret was diagnosed with pneumonia in the final week of her stay. She was swiftly admitted to Sharm Peace Hospital in the resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, but the family’s ordeal only intensified upon learning that their travel insurance, despite a £165 premium, would not fully cover the staggering hospital expenses.
The situation became even more critical as Margaret’s recovery faltered. Hospital staff warned she may need to remain under their care for another two weeks, after contracting an additional bacterial infection. Meanwhile, her relatives are battling both emotional and financial distress as they desperately try to gather enough funds to pay for her ongoing medical treatment.
The crux of the problem, according to Margaret’s daughter-in-law, Aileen Houghton, stems from a well-intentioned but critical oversight during the insurance application process. The travel insurance policy, supplied by No Limits—a company specialising in coverage for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions—was purchased in good faith. However, a subsequent review of Margaret’s GP records revealed a string of undeclared health issues.
“My sister-in-law completed the insurance forms to the best of her knowledge,” Aileen shared. “She’s certainly not dishonest—it was an honest mistake. The insurance company found some of Margaret’s conditions were missing, but as far as I can tell, they’re not directly linked to why she’s in hospital now.” These omitted conditions included complex ailments such as atrial fibrillation, esophageal dysmotility, fibromyalgia, depression, and others—none of which had been listed. Only more evident diagnoses such as type 2 diabetes, COPD, high cholesterol, and heart failure had been disclosed.
No Limits Insurance subsequently decided to bear only 67% of the medical costs, citing that the actual premium, had all conditions been declared, should have been £245 instead of £165. This left the family obliged to pay the 32% difference—an amount mounting into the thousands.
Crisis upon crisis has since compounded the situation. With Margaret’s ongoing treatment, medical bills have quickly exceeded £27,000, and although the family has managed to crowdsource over £3,000 through a GoFundMe campaign, a significant shortfall remains. Margaret’s husband, Dave, and daughter Kate, both of whom have been making daily two-hour commutes to the hospital, are now at risk of fines after missing their visa renewal deadlines—adding further distress to the family’s predicament.
Aileen described the emotional toll: “We’re honestly at breaking point. Margaret is struggling to recover because she’s so anxious about how all this will be paid for. None of us have the kind of money needed to cover these bills, and if we use every penny of our savings, one redundancy could cost us our home.”
The family has repeatedly appealed to the insurer, with no positive response so far. With mounting costs and Margaret’s condition still requiring further care, the Houghton family’s dream holiday has become a cautionary tale about the real-life consequences of insurance oversights.
No Limits Travel Insurance has so far not provided public comment on the case. In the interim, friends, relatives, and members of the public continue to donate via the family’s online fundraising page, hoping to ease their financial burden as Margaret focuses on her recovery.
This incident highlights the critical importance of full disclosure when applying for travel insurance, especially when there are complex or multiple health concerns. Even an innocent oversight, as demonstrated here, can result in life-changing financial and emotional hardship. As global travel resumes in earnest, Margaret’s experience serves as a timely reminder for all to double check that every relevant detail is properly declared before embarking on a trip abroad.