British man David Poole, 64, is racking up thousands of dollars in medical bills in Turkey after falling during an afternoon walk.

He and wife Diane, 58, of Warwickshire, in central England, were holidaying in the Mediterranean resort town of Marmaris, The Sun reported.

It is not known why he fell or what caused the bleed on his brain, but his insurer, Rock Insurance, has refused to pay his medical bills because doctors found alcohol in his blood.

He was a little over the drink-driving limit. His son Stuart, 33, thinks he’d only had one or two beers and blasted Rock Insurance’s decision.

“It shows a lack of compassion or common sense,” Stuart said.

“We want people to be aware how wishy-washy travel firms are over their alcohol policies.”

The family is planning to appeal to the insurer. If they lose, they face paying for Mr Poole’s treatment.

Experts are warning having just one drink invalidates your policy if you have an accident.

But that’s not the only way you can be caught out by travel insurance. Here are some

of the pitfalls you should try to avoid for your next trip abroad.

DON’T DELAY

One in five people risks the entire cost of their holiday by leaving their travel cover to the last minute, according to insurer Allianz Assistance.

The most common reason for cancelling is death, serious accident or injury. Other reasons include burglary and redundancy.

Get a policy straight after booking in case of any disaster before you go away.

But beware — the cover on offer from your travel operator might not have enough protection.

DON’T AUTOMATICALLY GET THE CHEAPEST

Intense competition means policies cost less than ever, but the very cheapest have a raft of loopholes and their overall limits will not cover much.

Spend a little bit more for the firm’s premier policy and you get the recommended protection.

BE HONEST

If you have ever ­suffered from depression or had cancer, asthma or high blood pressure, you need to declare it.

You risk not getting a payout if you keep quiet.

Other illnesses are unlikely to need declaring if you have not had them recently. If in doubt, check with your insurer.

Earlier this year, tourist Maxine Howell, from the UK, caught pneumonia and bronchiolitis while celebrating her 50th birthday in Cancun, Mexico.

Her insurer Axa refused to pay her bills because she had not disclosed a past inhaler prescription. Her family say although she had been prescribed one, she never used it.

GADGETS NOT INCLUDED

Many travel insurance policies will not include gadget cover, so look at add-on extensions to the policy or check if your home insurance covers them. Alternatively, take out a separate gadget policy. Also check the excess you would have to pay.

BE AWARE OF ACTIVITIES

Swimming with dolphins, pony riding, volleyball, cycling, scuba diving and zip-lining are not always covered.

Last year, British backpacker Sophie Wilson, 24, broke her neck diving into a pool in Thailand. She was refused cover by her insurer InsureandGo due to “reckless behaviour”.

She failed to see a “no ­diving” sign at the bar’s pool, as it was late at night.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission