Michelle Knox and her mother Bonnie Knox-Cardi are bracing themselves for a very sad Christmas -- their first without father and husband Andy Cardi.

Life was much better last November. The family was celebrating in Mexico, because parents Bonnie and Andy had finally gotten married after 26 years as a couple. Three months later, after what Bonnie calls their "travel nightmare," Cardi was dead.

"I lost a father who will never walk me down the aisle," said Cardi's daughter Michelle, choking back tears. "My mother doesn't have her husband anymore."

They were having a great time in Puerto Vallarta, when Cardi went for a swim and suddenly collapsed. He was healthy and fit -- even so, he'd had a heart attack.

His wife was worried for his life, but relieved that at least she had purchased travel insurance. The Mexican hospital demanded cash payment up front. Knox-Cardi was floored when she called the insurance company -- and was told they would not provide coverage until they checked Cardi's medical history -- even though he'd had no previous heart trouble.

"You're on your own basically," Knox-Cardi said. "Thank God I had the limits on the credit card to put the money on, that they were asking me (for). I was negotiating with them. It was like a barter. We were bartering back and forth they wanted $20,000 US. They said, I'll take $10,000 US. It's like going to a flea market and you are playing with somebody's life here and the insurance company is not helping you at all. All they had to do is send a letter saying we were insured. And they would not do that."

Knox-Cardi and her daughter were also worried about the quality of Mexican health care. What they really wanted was for Andy to be airlifted by ambulance to the U.S. or Canada. They couldn't get the insurance company to cover that either.

"All we wanted to do was get back to Montreal. Get us out of here," said Knox.

The whole experience, they say, was not as advertised. The insurance brochure had promised "direct payment to hospitals" and "air ambulance transportation." After several days without coverage, Knox-Cardi felt they had no choice but to take her husband home on their previously booked return flight. During that flight, Cardi took a turn for the worse.

"You're thinking he's going to die before we make it home. He's not going to make it home," said Knox-Cardi.

An ambulance met the flight when it landed in Montreal. Cardi was taken to hospital, where he never recovered. It turned out, according to doctors in Montreal, that he had developed a lung infection in Mexico -- a complication from his heart attack that Mexican doctors didn't diagnose.

"It was the lungs. If we had got him out of there right away they could have diagnosed him in Montreal. They could have gotten him the proper treatment," said Knox.

"He should have pulled through this," added his wife. "He should have pulled through this this is what's sad."

The insurance administrator, World Travel Protection Canada Inc, eventually sent Knox-Cardi a letter, telling her medical background checks are "standard practice for the administration of all emergency travel insurance policies."

Knox-Cardi said she wishes her broker had told her that when she bought the travel insurance. Instead, she said she was asked a few questions about Cardi's medical history and that was that.

"(Now) I don't trust as easily," said Knox-Cardi. "I have my whole life ahead of me and he was supposed to be there and he's not there now."

CTV News asked World Travel Protection Canada for an interview to explain what happened in this case. They refused and told us to talk to Manulife, the underwriter. Manulife also declined our request for an interview.

"It ruined our lives and for them it didn't affect them," said Knox, wiping away tears.

The Consumer's Association of Canada told CTV News it has heard 219 similar complaints from Canadians about travel insurance, just in the last 14 months.

"When you run into a problem you are not going to get any help from the insurance companies," Bruce Cran said, "until they have verified that you haven't had a pre-existing condition or whatever else they want to do."

Cran has a warning for other Canadians planning to travel this winter: Make sure you have the money to pay for medical treatment, if and when the insurance company doesn't. Andy Cardi's wife and daughter also hope no other family experiences the nightmare they've lived through.

"This year (at Christmas) he's just not here. Luckily, we have family and friends around us, but its going to be hard."

Viewer mail on this week's Whistleblower:

I am an Emergency Physician in Toronto who has been bringing Canadians home for more than 15 years due to the insurance industries failure to aid Canadians when sick or injured abroad.
This fall I decided to bring a much needed service to Canadians that enables them to come back to Canada by air ambulance from anywhere in the world hospital to hospital, no questions asked. Unlike travel insurance with rules, rules and more rules, and regulations which often exclude those with preexisting medical problems, I wanted to offer Canadians something of value with no preexisting limitations. The service is provided by Medevaq (click on "Access Air" right upper corner) partnered with an air ambulance provider.
I thought this may be of interest to you.
Sincerely, Edward M.I. Wasser, MD, DAAPM

I am sick of Insurance Companies that will do everything in there power to avoid paying a claim, I mean that they have whole departments just for this and much deeper pockets to fight these claims in court. When you pay money to them for coverage and then, when you need their help they are not there to support you, or you are told that it's up to you to prove that you "qualify" is just plain wrong you didn't have to prove anything except your ability to pay the premium when you took the policy out.

These companies get away with this because there is no accountability, this would be a opportunity for you to expose these people, I mean name, names. Provide a service for the thousands of boomers who are reaching retirement. Those who look forward to being able to travel with the piece of mind in knowing that they do not have to worry about going through the nightmare this poor woman has gone through.
John Newman
Hamilton, Ontario

We also have dealt with a issue of similar situation,trying to claim life insurance for my father. My father passed away of a heart attack suddenly (he did have high blood pressure which was stated on the insurance form that they approved) however the insurance company responded saying my father had a pre-existing condition. My father never had a pre-existing heart condition as per his physician. What is the purpose of purchasing life or and other forms of insurance if these companies will not pay out the amount that was purchased. Becoming a first time father shortly, I am reluctant to purchase any form of outside insurance due to the issues that my wife will more than likely have to deal with. My heart goes out to the other families that have been put through the torment I've dealt with. Not only is it difficult dealing with the loss, but you also have to deal with the paperwork as well.
Corey Rigler

The travel insurance industry should be very tightly regulated and all details spelled out in plain English. What is advertised and what you may get is very questionable. The sellers do not give you the details. I bought airline travel insurance for cancelled travel and was advised that I could cancel on my way to the airport with a legitimate. Not so, when it came time to claim, I had to be a very special occupation i.e. a fireman , a doctor etc. to claim.
Bruce Jones

I am a 60 year old woman that bought travel insurance. My policy was to cover me from Nov/06 to April 07. On Nov.26 I woke up in pain and passing blood in my urine. I called the insurance company for permission to go to the closest emergency room in Cary North Carolina. I was given a urine test and as they could not see bacteria they thought that I might have a kidney stone. They did a CT scan and found something on my left kidney and on my liver.They told me to follow up with the urologist a few days later. I again called the insurance company and was told to see the urologist but they did not feel that they should pay for the ct scan as I did not call for prior approval. I explained that I was overwelmed with all the blood in my urine and felt the hospital knew what had to be done. I have not spoken to the same person twice at the insurance company and was told that they would not pay for a second follow up with the urologist who sent all the forms to them to try and get an MRI approved to see what the problem may be. I am still in a lot of pain and am hoping to get through Christmas and fly back home to Ottawa Canada.
Canadians, many of them Snowbirds like myself, buy this travel insurance thinking that they will be taken care of if they get sick while in the U.S.. Buyer beware -- this is not the case and these insurance companies can cost you your life by their lack of compation and response. The government should be all over these companies. If it is this bad to get taken care of in the U.S. I can only imagine what other countries like Mexico and the Dominica Republic must be for Canadians on vacation that get sick there.
Tim Charlino

Millions of travellers are waiting to hear a reasonable explanation for this, or the announcement of an investigation into the matter. It's unacceptable.
Michael Bennett

Re: Your story on Andy Cardi......if he had been in the USA, under their laws he would have had to have been treated at no cost in their emergency ward until he was stabilized. This is different to the situation in Mexico obviously, but it is like comparing apples and oranges between the two countries and their medical care and the travel insurance. The US hospital needs to be paid at some point, but they will never (and can not under their laws) turn anyone away. There are signs posted regarding that in every emergency room.
Laurane Nash, Benalto AB, Canada and Mesa AZ

I wanted to let you know that I was scammed for Travel insurance on a trip to Germany which was cancelled in the fall of 2004.Great story.
T.A. Dawe

After listening to your program last night on travel insurance I felt I needed to send an e-mail on my insurance situation. I am a 45 year old male and suffered a stroke on June 18th 2006 (fathers day). Two days later the symptoms became far worse and I checked into Grand River Hospital. After going through a number of tests they rushed me by Ambulance to Toronto General Hospital and was there for 10 days.
I own two critical insurance policies with two different companies, which neither has paid out the claims. My doctor at Toronto General has stated that I definitely have a critical Illness. I am currently still off work and on short term disability.
Ironically I am a life insurance agent and have been very distressed and don't know where to turn, please help.
Thanking you in advance for your time and consideration on this matter.
Frank Meissner

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