BOSS VOWS TO FIGHT INSURANCE COMPANY FOR money

A BUILDER who suffered a heart attack in Tenerife has returned home vowing to fight an insurance company that refused to pay for his treatment.

Eddie Ashmore's dream holiday became a nightmare when he suffered a heart attack and was told the hospital bill could not be claimed back from his policy.

After five days in intensive care Eddie was brought back to life but as he lay on his recovery bed girlfriend Annie Beal, 53, broke the news that they would have to pay his medical bill themselves.

Horsham-based insurance company Primary Assistance said they were not liable because Eddie had not declared taking daily blood pressure tablets.

Two weeks of phone calls followed before the insurance company backed down and offering to pay 60 per cent of their costs, now estimated at around £4,000, leaving Eddie and Annie with a hefty share of the bill.

But after legal advice the couple decided to pay up themselves and fight for a full refund once safely back home.

The couple finally arrived back in Brighton late on Friday night, four weeks later than planned.

Speaking about his ordeal from his Braypool Lane home Eddie vowed to get back all of the costs.

He said: "Annie will be fighting for the money on my behalf. Once I have seen my GP we will be contacting the Ombudsman and are determined to get the insurance money."

The 59-year-old boss of Edward Construction spoke for the first time about the moment the heart attack struck.

He said: "I knew I was in trouble. I had a pain across the top of my body and my throat started to close up.

"As soon as Annie returned she called a doctor who rushed us straight to hospital."

When hospital staff realised he had insurance problems they arranged, once he was well enough to leave intensive care, for the rest of his treatment to be funded by the NHS under a European agreement.

As well as the cost of his medical bill Eddie has been away from his building company for more than a month.

And there have been weeks of hard work for Annie's daughter, Natalie Short and her husband Steven, who have been running her business, the Valley Hardware shop in Portslade.

Eddie said: "I feel physically and mentally drained. You are constantly thinking why is this happening to me. It's all been very distressing.

"You almost begin to feel paranoid with the slightest twinge that the heart trouble is coming back again.

"I feel very frustrated and am waiting to see my GP to see how long I will have to be off work. I still feel young and strong but I am having to rest for the time being."

Eddie and Annie have been overwhelmed by the messages of support that flooded in after The Argus highlighted their ordeal.

Their bank manager read the paper and contacted Eddie to offer financial help.

Friends and clients at a pub began fundraising and the couple returned home to a mountain of letters on the doormat, including a note containing £5 from a unknown pensioner.

Eddie said: "The support has been phenomenal."

Primary Assistance were unable to comment.

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