Over the past year, hundreds of you have asked Whistleblower for help. While we can't investigate each tip, we want to share more of what you tell us. In 2009, we started publishing a few tips each week to stimulate online discussion and create ways for our readers to help each other. Unlike our news stories, we have not verified this information, so we do not include the names of the parties involved. If you have a tip, send it to whistleblower@startribune.com.

A doctor wrote to Whistleblower because he was frustrated by a travel insurance company's refusal to pay a claim. One of his patients was hospitalized after a drug overdose. The patient's sister canceled a trip to take care of her. When the sister made a claim with her travel insurance company, she was denied.

The doctor spoke with the company and found out that a self-inflicted-injury exclusion applied whether it was the insured or a family member who was injured.

"My point is that 1) the insured had no control over the situation, 2) what reasonable person is going to continue a vacation when their sister is critically ill in the hospital?" the doctor wrote.

Does this policy seem fair to you?