Diving accident: British backpacker is stuck in a hospital in Thailand unless she raises £60,000 to fly home

[madmen]

 Not only reckless but no common as well, jumping or diving into pools or any other waters without known how deep or what dangers are there is just plain stupid and asking for trouble. I'm convinced common sense is dead and buried and of Course the insurance company won't pay they see it as self-inflicted, which it was, but don't worry good old GFP and peoples hard earnt money will pay for her stupidity.

To harsh. You've probably forgotten the risky things you did when you were young.

Of course now at your age it's easy to apply common sense

[SheungWan]

25 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Diving into a pool is not considered a risky activity! 

It is if there is insufficient water in the pool.

[randy723]

why should farang get travel or accident insurance when the company NEVER pays it claims. This was 100% an accident and they should pay or the insured person should take them to court

[Humpy]

'' https://www.insureandgo.com ''  ..... just looked at this site and cannot find '' complaints '' in their 'Contact us ' section.  Time to inform all travel agents around the World to advise tourists to avoid this company.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, BestB said:

I do not know if her family is aware or which company or is , but she or her family can file a complaint with the ombudsman against insurance company and may well win . They can also take insurance company to court. 

That costs money as well... unless you can find a lawyer that will fight & charge a percentage in a win only situation !

But diving into a hotel type pool & having this type of accident is what insurance is all about...

accidents !!

I would go with the free help services that are available or go with the ombudsman.

[BestB]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

That costs money as well... unless you can find a lawyer that will fight & charge a percentage in a win only situation !

But diving into a hotel type pool & having this type of accident is what insurance is all about...

accidents !!

I would go with the free help services that are available or go with the ombudsman.

Do not need lawyers to start with. Ombudsman is a good start, 100% free and in my case  took less than 10 days for insurance company to change its position and pay out full amount of the medical. From memory close to 500 000 baht.

[shackleton]

Regardless of the Insurance claims she needs the money now

Those who contribute towards the  Go Fund me  are a blessing to some people who require financial help immediately 

Wish her well on her recovery and getting the funding towards her medical costs and repatriation   

 

[racket]

Scum and scamming insurance company.

[Andrew65]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

My interpretetion of the story.

This is not diving as in scuba, this is diving as in having fun in a hotel pool (jumping in head first type diving).

Where it's too shallow to dive? After drinking?

 

Absolutely not condoning the insurance company's actions, but we all know they can be like this, more commonly with motorbike accidents.

 

There are some that would say that travelling by any form of land transport in Thailand could be construed as a reckless act.

[ParadiseLost]

43 minutes ago, geoff65 said:

 Not only reckless but no common as well, jumping or diving into pools or any other waters without known how deep or what dangers are there is just plain stupid and asking for trouble. I'm convinced common sense is dead and buried

One girl dives into water too shallow and it's the death of common sense? If that were true there would be bodies floating in pools everywhere...

 

How about she misjudged her dive and injured herself?

 

That is precisely the kind of scenario travel insurance is for, no?

 

Or is it just to cover lost baggage (up to a max)...

 

Personally I think the assessor must profit from getting the claim refused.

[Burma Bill]

My sympathy to the young lass and resentment to her insurance company. Her ordeal must have been very traumatic. The diving accident occurred in a swimming pool in Pai in Northern Thailand, an area of scenic but mountainous terrain. She was taken to the local hospital but had to be transferred to a better equipped hospital in Chiang Rai. Because she needed further specialist treatment she was then transferred to the Ram hospital in Chiang Mai - one of the most expensive private hospitals in the city. If only she had been "in the know" because the Rajavet hospital is a less expensive alternative. With due respect, her journeys in ambulances must have been extremely uncomfortable, and no doubt painful, because the roads twist, turn and climb over many mountain roads as those of you who live in Lanna know. I hope all goes well for her and that she recovers. 

[Prissana Pescud]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

She was not diving. She was diving into a pool. No reason that should not be covered. She hit her head on the bottom of the pool. 

 

Insurance companies and banks are the modern equivalent of mafia organizations. One must do alot of research before committing to a specific company. Many like BUPA are famous for underpaying or not paying at all. 

True, but weasel insurance companies have an "out" in this case. Nearly all tourist hotels have small signs which state that diving into the pool head first is forbidden.

For the reasons that this young lady suffered. Insurance companies will fight this case for years. And they will probably win. Not on moral grounds, lawyers acting for insurance companies cannot define what "moral" means. They will win because there is a tiny clause the young lady did not follow.

Insurance companies are stock exchange money makers, not welfare philantrophists.

Should the young lady win, soon the pools will be cemented up. 

[KhonkaenExpat]

Why doesn’t the British Embassy help her?

They outsource Visas for Thais, British passport renewals except in emergencies and don’t issue income letters anymore to help British people to obtain visas. So, they have nothing to do, the question is what do they do?

[PJPom]

Can anyone confirm that she dived into a hotel pool?

Photos in the article seem to be of a rock pool at the bottom of a waterfall, jumping in there could be regarded as extremely risky.

[brewsterbudgen]

Why doesn’t the British Embassy help her?
They outsource Visas for Thais, British passport renewals except in emergencies and don’t issue income letters anymore to help British people to obtain visas. So, they have nothing to do, the question is what do they do?

I would imagine they are advising her or her family, but what else would you expect the Embassy to do? Imagine the outcry if tax payers' money was spent on bailing out Brits who have accidents abroad or get themselves into trouble.

Sent from my SM-A500F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[BestB]

3 minutes ago, KhonkaenExpat said:

Why doesn’t the British Embassy help her?

They outsource Visas for Thais, British passport renewals except in emergencies and don’t issue income letters anymore to help British people to obtain visas. So, they have nothing to do, the question is what do they do?

How do you propose they help?

[Prissana Pescud]

1 minute ago, KhonkaenExpat said:

Why doesn’t the British Embassy help her?

They outsource Visas for Thais, British passport renewals except in emergencies and don’t issue income letters anymore to help British people to obtain visas. So, they have nothing to do, the question is what do they do?

Are you for real, the Embassy actually helping a national. They are too busy attending high class functions to worry about what they would call trivia.

Most of them used to be lawyers or insurance companies before they got this little swan job in Thailand.

[bkkgriz]

3 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Are there any companies offering travel insurance which includes diving in their regular package?  I have never seen it not listed as an exception that is not covered, its just too dangerous, the fact that it happened in a pool will not make any difference to them, had she not been training to dive it would have done, but with scuba gear on they wont pay, standard practice, so no need to name as its all of them.

Are you for real or being wilfully ignorant? She wasn't scuba diving. She dived into the pool while swimming. Do you work for this insurance company? I've read a lot of stupid comments on this site, but you, sir, are rocketing to the top. Congratulations you win moron of the day.

[HAKAPALITA]

Why do these Entitled  not do like non us Millennial did, Self Reliance. Embassy is not for Go Fund Me projects.

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Typical insurance company, if they can avoid a payout, they will.

The only happy people here are the shareholders, as their dividend will not be reduced by paying out on, what most people would see as, a genuine claim.

Nothing short of scandalous.

 

All the more reason to only use mainstream insurance companies who are honest and ethical and no record of playing games. They do exist, not difficult to find.

 

AXA, Chubb.... and more.

 

And always read everything and ensure the coverage is what you want. It's been mentioned before that many folks take 'travel insurance' without checking and blindly assume it covers everything including all medical scenarios. But often 'travel insurance' means coverage for delayed flights, stolen baggage etc., and no medical cover at all.

 

Carefully check the details before you buy. 

 

[The Theory]

“It seems extremely strange that an insurance company could escape such a claim.”

????????????

 

Insurance companies are all about the same. They look at the case and if it cost them unknown (a lot) they make up an excuse to refuse to pay. 

We have seen this even with well known insurance companies in the US.

Don't you think that since you paid for insurance you will be covered. 

[Derek B]

Maybe she actually only slipped & fell in head first - easily done and probably miss reported.

 

UK Embassy in Thailnd should step in and get her back to the UK so NHS can treat her ASAP. She will have to repay GOV.UK back in due course.

She will also be able to start legal action against her insurance company all the sooner.

A UK national newspaper or TV channel could assist to shame the insurance company into paying out.

 

[Derek B]

8 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

All the more reason to only use mainstream insurance companies who are honest and ethical and no record of playing games. They do exist, not difficult to find.

 

AXA, Chubb.... and more.

 

And always read everything and ensure the coverage is what you want. It's been mentioned before that many folks take 'travel insurance' without checking and blindly assume it covers everything including all medical scenarios. But often 'travel insurance' means coverage for delayed flights, stolen baggage etc., and no medical cover at all.

 

Carefully check the details before you buy. 

 

Exactly.....................look at the general & specific exclusions not just the benefits.

[persimmon]

The familly needs to contact the insurer and tell them that if they don`t pay out they will contact the Insurance Ombudsman and all the news media .This should elicit a positive response.If not,I think theres a good chance the Ombudsman will rule in their favour.

[BarryS]

insureandgo.com   I sent in my complaint for the girl.  complaints@ that web address may help her out.

[murraynz]

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Typical insurance company, if they can avoid a payout, they will.

The only happy people here are the shareholders, as their dividend will not be reduced by paying out on, what most people would see as, a genuine claim.

Nothing short of scandalous.

yes-VERY  typical... thats why i dont waste my money with them---i can always access funds ,if i need for sickness/accident emergency.

i feel so sad for this girl---she did nothing wrong ??

insurances companies have sooo many excuses that they use--not to pay out.

its far worse for over 65's....

 

[mikosan]

4 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Are there any companies offering travel insurance which includes diving in their regular package?  I have never seen it not listed as an exception that is not covered, its just too dangerous, the fact that it happened in a pool will not make any difference to them, had she not been training to dive it would have done, but with scuba gear on they wont pay, standard practice, so no need to name as its all of them.

You are quite right regarding scuba diving, most insurance companies have it as an exclusion.  However, you really need to read the article.  She was not 'scuba' diving, she was diving into a swimming pool, like many others in that same swimming pool and like millions of people do daily.  Hardly reckless given the circumstances as described.  This insurance company needs sorting out.

[Nong Khai Man]

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

My interpretetion of the story.

This is not diving as in scuba, this is diving as in having fun in a hotel pool (jumping in head first type diving).

But I Was always taught to dive leading with my Arms !!

[ratcatcher]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

She broke her neck in pool diving accident...

Sounds like Darvin at work to me.

I don't think Charles "Darvin" (sic) can be blamed for a swimming pool accident, after all,  the young lady is still alive. Fortunately.

[digger70]

So this  lady has insurance and now they won't pay. who Governs the insurance companies .They should be made to include a clause for what isn't covered by ones insurance if not they can make up whatever they want to not pay.even if one takes the insurance to court it will be a shit fight and a payout is not sure and can take years .