A RAMSBOTTOM couple has been left more than £1,200 out of pocket after insurers refused to pay out on a holiday after one of them was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Helen McGinlay and her husband Jock were due to fly to Lanzarote in May, but were forced to cancel after he was diagnosed with the disease.

The holiday was intended as a celebration after Mrs McGinlay went into remission following three years of treatment for breast cancer.

But Jock’s legs swelled up and a follow-up X-Ray on May 3 revealed he had prostate cancer.

Mrs McGinlay subsequently cancelled the holiday, but it was several weeks before she informed insurers.

When booking the insurance through a price comparison website, she clicked on InsureandGo which took her through to annualtravelinsurance.com.

The policy they bought from the website is underwritten by MapFre, who told the couple they would not be paying out.

Mrs McGinlay says she was appalled when she found out the decision and wished to dispute it.

The couple, who live in Holcombe Brook, appealed the decision, but received a 'final letter' from MapFre at the end of October stating that, after assessing the claim, they stand by their original decision.

Helen now says that they feel as though they have ‘reached the end of the road’.

Mrs McGinlay said: “It is appalling. We booked this holiday as a celebration. It is where we had our first holiday and we were looking forward to going back because it is a special place for us, and we had not been away for three years because I was ill.

“We booked the holiday on February 28 and when we booked the insurance on April 18 my husband had a bit of a swollen leg and that was the only thing he was under investigation for.

“We would not have booked a holiday if we had any idea that my husband had cancer.

“We don’t need this — it is so stressful with what we are going through healthwise.”

The couple estimate that the cancellation has left them more than £1,200 out of pocket.

Helen said: “Obviously, we are not working so we don’t have a salary coming in and they know that. When cancer hits a household it also hits the financial side of things because you are used to living on two wages.

“I think they think when you are under these circumstances you are just going to think ‘oh forget it’ but I’m not going to leave it.”

A spokesperson for MapFre said: "As with all insurance policies, especially travel insurance, all health conditions must be declared at the point of purchase to ensure the customer has specific and adequate cover for their individual needs.

"The process of buying online makes it explicitly clear that customers must disclose their medical history and any pre-existing conditions they have, but sadly, in this case, Mr McGinlay did not declare his conditions. Therefore the claim was declined as that the policy purchased does not provide cover for any condition and/or symptoms known, prior to the purchase of your insurance policy, unless the condition has been disclosed and accepted by the insurers.

"We cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure all pre-existing medical conditions are declared correctly when taking out an insurance policy to avoid distressing situations when the worst does happen."