Pub landlord paralysed on Benidorm trip after glass of wine wakes to £60k bill (2025)

Robert Atkinson, affectionately known as 'Benidorm Bob', is now reportedly being 'held hostage' at the Spanish hospital after requiring urgent medical attention

A British citizen, Robert Atkinson, 67, who required urgent medical attention in Benidorm has been left with a staggering £60,000 bill after his insurer declined to cover his medical expenses due to the presence of a small amount of alcohol in his system.

Following emergency spinal surgery Atkinson, affectionately known as "Benidorm Bob", is now reportedly being "held hostage" at the Spanish hospital as a result of the unresolved financial dispute.

During a trip with his wife, Carol, 64, Atkinson suffered a collapse while dining out and subsequently lost mobility from the waist down the next morning. Medical professionals diagnosed that his vertebra had collapsed because of a minor tumour weakening his spine, rendering him unable to walk.

After undergoing emergency surgery on April 6, the couple received news that their travel insurer, Zurich, would not be covering the medical costs, citing the detection of alcohol in Atkinson's blood.

A further complication arose when Atkinson was unknowingly transported to a private hospital in a private ambulance not covered by their insurance policy, reports the Mirror .

Atkinson's stepdaughter Amanda Liddle expressed concerns that Zurich Insurance had "washed their hands" of the situation and refused to cover the costs, stating: "The insurance company has washed its hands of it now because he had been at a private hospital."

The family of a British tourist, Robert, who suffered severe spinal injuries while on holiday in Benidorm, are embroiled in a dispute with their insurance company over the refusal to cover medical expenses.

Relatives claim that although Robert had alcohol in his system, it was not excessive as he had simply shared a bottle of wine during a meal before their flight back home the following day. They argue that this shouldn't have impacted his medical treatment.

"They also said he had alcohol in his system but they were on holiday in Benidorm. It is not as if he was excessively drunk. They had been out for a meal before their flight home the next day and had shared a bottle of wine. It's not like that would affect his spine. The insurance company has really got them held hostage, as does the hospital."

Currently, Robert remains in intensive care unable to walk, with soaring medical costs as they await clearance for him to fly home. Zurich Insurance has refused to pay, asserting that he was treated at a private facility, took unspecified medication, and had traces of alcohol in his bloodstream, hence invalidating the coverage.

To manage the mounting bills and repatriate him, the family has started a GoFundMe campaign.

Ms Liddle conveyed her frustration about the events leading to their predicament: "What has made matters worse is that when the hotel rang for an ambulance they automatically called a private service that took Robert to a private hospital.

“The insurance won't cover operations in a private hospital but no one was aware of this and unfortunately due to the severity of the injury, he had to go through with the operation then and there."