A paralysed Silsden teenager can finally look forward to a dream family holiday to America after eventually being able to secure travel insurance for the trip.
Following an appeal for help from Nathan Cubitt’s family published in the Keighley News in August, the 18-year-old’s mother confirmed a company has now come forward to offer a quote.
Sue Cubitt found out the good news on Friday night.
She said: “It’s a huge weight lifted off my shoulders – we’d be trying for months to get this by trawling through a list of companies.
“Nothing fazes Nathan, but I know he’s very, very chuffed. All I wanted to do was make sure he was covered just in case anything happened. At last we’ve got peace of mind and can look forward to going on holiday – nothing should stop us now!”
Earlier this summer, Mrs Cubitt spoke of how she and her sister-in-law were encountering “point-blank refusals” while trying to find travel insurance for Nathan, who broke his neck in a rugby match two years ago.
He uses a motorised wheelchair to get around, and his family recently had a lift installed at their home to enable him to get upstairs.
Nathan and his family have paid out £11,500 from their own savings for 12 of them to go to Florida in November for a holiday that will include a trip to Disney World.
Mrs Cubitt explained her son will be travelling with a nurse, and will have the disability aids he requires provided for him in the Florida villa.
However, despite her assurances, she said the insurance companies she contacted would not offer her a quote.
Many readers got in touch with helpful suggestions after the Keighley News featured the family’s plight, and Keighley’s MP Kris Hopkins wrote to the chairman of the Association of British Insurers asking for an urgent solution to be found.
Mrs Cubitt added the assistance from readers and Mr Hopkins had been very useful and was much appreciated.
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