Greece added to list over false sickness claims
Greece has been identified as another destination where there’s been a rise in holidaymakers being encouraged to make false sickness claims.
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn visitors to the country of the legal implications of making fraudulent claims.
"You should only consider pursuing a complaint or claim if you have genuinely suffered from injury or illness," it said.
"If you make a false or fraudulent claim, you may face legal proceedings in the UK or Greece."
It comes less than a week after Turkey and Bulgaria were added to the growing list of countries which have been reporting a rise in claims.
The problem has already been identified in Spain and Portugal.
ABTA has launched a political and consumer campaign in a bid to persuade the Government to crack down on bogus claims.
Its ‘Stop Sickness Scams’ campaign also warns holidaymakers of fines and of the risk of overseas hoteliers suing them for making false claims, as in the case of a Greek hotelier who is counter-suing a British couple for £170,000.
For Greece, the Foreign Office has also updated its advice for Greece with regards to quad biking.
"It is considered an extreme sport and carries the risk of serious injury or worse; specific travel insurance to cover quad bike rental is essential to avoid you having to pay the costs of private health care and/or repatriation to the UK."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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