January 2, 2009

Claims Examiner

RE: D236654

In response to your letter dated December 18, 2008 you mention

that our claim was not covered because of any serious Injury or any unforeseen serious Sickness…”

We stated the truth about our problem about not being able to take the Yellow Fever shot due to recommendations from our doctor. You also state in your coverage PAYMENT for medically imposed restrictions, as certified by a Legally Qualified Physician, which prevents an insured’s participation in the Covered Trip. So we are in fact covered. Our doctor stated these reasons why at our age he would not give us the shot to protect us. Does you company advocate us to go into a Yellow Fever area unprotected? Is your company discriminating against us because of our age ? I am 69 and my husband is 78.I certainly hope I do not have to prove the possibility of your age discrimination as well.

You mention unforeseen serous Sickness as cause for payment. So you will be informed according to our doctor visit, here are number of valid reasons for not taking the shot in our age bracket. They are serious adverse and severe complications to the Yellow Fever Vaccine; such as developing severe yellow fever like illness, fever, multi-system organ failure, neurological disease, anaphylactic shock, hemorrhagic internal bleeding and possible death associated with the vaccination. For each year past 65 the dangers increase. If you do not see, Yellow Fever like symptoms (which are horrific) fever, multi-system organ failure, neurological disease, anaphylactic shock and possible death as unforeseen illnesses then I am surprised.

I am a travel writer and have been many, many places on this beautiful earth, but would never think of going unprotected into an area of great health danger.

I have never been to court, but feel that this is a wonderful, heartfelt opportunity for me to make a point using your company. You have stated that you will not pay because of an AGE related issue as well as a health issue. You advocate by your statement that you wanted us to take the shot. You do not see our reason for trip cancellation as unforeseen health issues related to our case, or did you not know how dangerous these UNFORSEEN health issues could be to our lives?

Please send a copy of Evidence of Coverage booklet. I need to pour over it for more data to fight this case. I need to have all of your legal statements. I am going to follow this all the way. I do not have court experience, but I think it will be enlightening and the outcome with age discrimination and Travelex’s desire to not recognize unforeseen serious sickness for what it truly is will be interesting to many people now and in the future.