A British couple were left stunned after being told they owed more than $200,000 in medical bills when their baby was born prematurely during a trip to the United States — despite having travel insurance.
Musicians Ferris & Sylvester, made up of Issy Ferris and Archie Sylvester, had been touring in Nashville, Tennessee, when their lives suddenly took an unexpected turn.
Ferris, who was 33 weeks pregnant at the time, had been given the all clear by her GP and midwife to travel. The couple, who live in Frome, Somerset, said they had made “100% sure” that her pregnancy and any potential complications would be covered by their travel insurance before leaving the UK.
But just two days into their Nashville stay, Ferris developed severe pre-eclampsia — a life-threatening condition that can lead to organ failure.
“In my case, severe pre-eclampsia can lead to organ failure so it was a really serious situation,” she said.
Doctors informed the couple that their baby would need to be delivered immediately — seven weeks before the due date.
“The consultant came in and said, look this is really serious — you’re not going anywhere. Your baby is going to be born in America,” Sylvester recalled.
Their son, Lucky, was delivered safely but spent nearly three weeks in intensive care.
Amid the emotional whirlwind, Sylvester proposed to Ferris and the couple married in a Nashville park while their newborn was still in hospital.
But after eventually returning home to Somerset, their relief quickly turned to anxiety.
Medical bills began arriving in the post — and the total soon climbed to more than $200,000.
The couple said their insurer, Zurich Insurance Group, initially refused to cover the full costs. They were reportedly told that while Ferris’ pregnancy-related care was covered, their baby’s expenses were not because his name was not listed on the policy.
“Essentially what they said is that we would have been covered had the baby not survived,” Sylvester explained. “But the fact was that the baby survived. We weren’t going to be covered for that.”
The couple said they would never have travelled if they believed they weren’t fully insured.
It took nine months of correspondence and legal assistance before the insurer reversed its decision and agreed to cover the family’s medical bills and related US expenses.
“It was such a relief,” Sylvester said. “But it didn’t mean that it didn’t happen. It seemed irresponsible they were pushing so hard on something that seemed so black and white to us.”
Ferris added that despite the ordeal, they still believe they had chosen a reputable insurance provider and had followed professional medical advice before travelling.
In a statement, Zurich said it was deeply sorry for the stress caused to the family.
The company explained that while Ferris’ claim was fully covered, questions were initially raised around the baby’s costs because the original policy did not clearly address births after 32 weeks of pregnancy. It said the wording has now been strengthened and clarified to prevent similar situations for other families travelling abroad late in pregnancy.
Consumer group Which? also commented that such cases are not unusual, warning that many travellers assume they are fully covered until they face unexpected disputes during difficult situations.
Now back performing as Ferris & Sylvester, the couple are working with pregnancy charity Tommy’s to raise awareness about pre-eclampsia and premature birth, hoping their experience will help other families better understand both medical risks and travel insurance policies.
