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Bahoz Ali Bahoz Ali is seen on a bed in a hospital. (Supplied) <\/p>\nIf you purchase travel insurance ahead of a trip outside Canada, there are cases where it can be denied if a company feels you were sick before you left. <\/p>\n
Despite having travel medical insurance, an Ontario man who was hospitalized for over a week while on vacation in Mexico ended up with a $147,502 medical bill.<\/p>\n
In April 2024, Bahoz Ali, of Oshawa, travelled to Mexico with his girlfriend. Before travelling overseas, he purchased the Global Youth All-Inclusive travel policy.<\/p>\n
\u201cMonths before we planned it, it was me and my significant other and we booked the trip. We did pay for travel insurance as per usual,\u201d said Ali.<\/p>\n
A week before they took their flight to Cancun, Ali said he felt like he had the flu and visited a walk-in clinic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went to see a medical physician, and they confirmed it was a run-of-the-mill sickness and I should be perfectly fine to go on the trip,\u201d Ali said.<\/p>\n
Bahoz Ali Bahoz Ali is seen on a bed in a hospital. (Supplied) <\/p>\n
However, two days after Ali got to the resort, he began feeling unwell. He later suffered multiple seizures, requiring urgent care and shortly after, he slipped into a coma.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that point, my brain goes numb, and I don\u2019t remember much of anything afterwards,\u201d Ali told CTV News.<\/p>\n
He received treatment in Mexico for eight days, but it wasn\u2019t clear exactly what his health issue was. It was agreed he would be flown back to Canada by air ambulance.<\/p>\n
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Bahoz Ali The plane that transported Bahoz Ali from Mexico to Canada. (Supplied) <\/p>\n
He received ongoing treatment upon returning to Canada, and all his bills were paid. However, a year later, he was told that his claim had been denied and that he would have to repay $147,502.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no way to expect a typical household to pay over $147,000,\u201d said Ali\u2019s brother, Hano.<\/p>\n
Why the claim was denied<\/p>\n
An investigation into the claim found that Ali had gone into a walk-in clinic before his trip. According to Manulife\u2019s Global Youth All-Inclusive policy, policyholders must be stable for 90 days before leaving.<\/p>\n
When CTV News reached out to Manulife on Ali\u2019s behalf, a spokesperson said in a statement, \u201cManulife can confirm that medical records indicate that prior to travel, Mr. Ali was experiencing symptoms and had sought medical care related to a pre\u2011existing condition. Under the policy, this condition fell within the three-month stability period prior to departure. Since the condition was known at the time of travel based on the prior medical care, this affected how coverage was applied.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis situation underscores the importance of understanding travel insurance coverage, as policies contain specific terms, conditions, and exclusions. Manulife encourages travellers to carefully review their policy and share relevant medical information in advance, including if there are any changes since the time of purchase. Our insurance support teams are also available to answer questions to help policy holders have a clear understanding of their coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Manulife\u2019s decision, the claim does not qualify for coverage and payment in the amount of $147,502 due to Global Excel Management.<\/p>\n
\u2018This is really sad\u2019<\/p>\n
Martin Firestone, president of travel insurance company Travel Secure Inc., told CTV News this is an unfortunate situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is really sad because it is a lot of money,\u201d said Firestone.<\/p>\n
The family has since appealed twice, unsuccessfully.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoctors here say it had nothing to do with the flu or any of the symptoms he represented, but the insurance company is saying we believe there is a connection between the two. That\u2019s the problem,\u201d Firestone said.<\/p>\n
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Ali family Bahoz Ali (centre), his brother (right) and his father speak to CTV News. <\/p>\n
As for Ali\u2019s father, he says he is grateful to his friends and family and how supportive the community has been, but feels everyone should know that even if you have travel health insurance, your bills may not be covered.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll Canadians, when they go to travel, I don\u2019t feel they are safe because when they need them, they may find an excuse not to pay,\u201d said Rahim Ali.<\/p>\n