Travel insurance warning as NI man loses leg after Thailand motorbike accident

[rooster59]

Travel insurance warning as NI man loses leg after Thailand motorbike accident

By Sarah Scott

 

Mike Johnston in hospital in Thailand

 

Mike Johnston, 30, was teaching in Thailand when he was involved in the accident earlier this month and had to have his left leg amputated

 

A Co Antrim man is recovering in hospital in Thailand after doctors were forced to amputate his leg following a motorbike accident.

 

Mike Johnston, 30, was teaching in Chumphon, in southern Thailand, when he was involved in the accident earlier this month.

His parents Michael Johnston and Jillian Clements flew out to be at their son's side but due to his insurance policy lapsing, the family have had to pay tens of thousands for his medical care.

 

Full story: https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/travel-insurance-warning-ni-man-15873271

 

Belfast Live: 2019-02-23

 

 

RELATED: Health insurance from Thaivisa Health Protect

 

[darksidedog]

Tragic. However, while we expect tourists visiting for a short period to gamble with buying insurance or not, those who live here should know better. I hope he makes as full a recovery as possible in the circumstances and any living here without some medical insurance heed the message.

[AGareth2]

should have health insurance through his teaching contract

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

should have health insurance through his teaching contract

Yes IF the school was above board.

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

should have health insurance through his teaching contract

To be honest 'should have' is a telling expression.

[z42]

Travel insurance very rarely covers bike crash injuries, and insurance companies in many cases need social media pressure to actually force a pay out.

 

Wish the injured man as speedy a recovery as possible

[overherebc]

11 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Tragic. However, while we expect tourists visiting for a short period to gamble with buying insurance or not, those who live here should know better. I hope he makes as full a recovery as possible in the circumstances and any living here without some medical insurance heed the message.

Unfortunately the belief in 'it only happens to other people' is a hard one to dispel.

[leeneeds]

He had previously worked in Thailand and China 

so one would think, he being an educator 

would fully know the risks,

 

  it won't happen to me mentality 

the information is out there , you just got to 

listen!

 

[BritManToo]

28 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Tragic. However, while we expect tourists visiting for a short period to gamble with buying insurance or not, those who live here should know better. I hope he makes as full a recovery as possible in the circumstances and any living here without some medical insurance heed the message.

He was a teacher, surely his employers were legally required to cover him under the SS scheme?

If they didn't cover him, he could just sue them for the medical costs.

[Letseng]

3 minutes ago, overherebc said:

To be honest 'should have' is a telling expression.

 

3 minutes ago, z42 said:

Travel insurance very rarely covers bike crash injuries, and insurance companies in many cases need social media pressure to actually force a pay out.

 

Wish the injured man as speedy a recovery as possible

And most travel policies are for 45 or 90 days only. If he is here to teach than travel insurance won't do it. 

Regardless, he has my sympathy. Get well soon.

 

[overherebc]

Unfortunately this is

'No country for safe biking.'

Don't care if you've ridden safely for the past 30 years or not, in fact I believe if you've never come off in your early years of biking the more likely it is to have a bad one here. 

Early on I managed a few 'down the road on my wee pink bum' happenings and they are the best experiences to have to learn what biking is about.

I bought a big bike here

( 1100cc ) after 30 years of UK and EU riding and hung up the helmet after about 2 years here. It was just too scary.

[fruitman]

32 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

while we expect tourists visiting for a short period to gamble with buying insurance or not,

Speak for yourself mate....for me they are idiots.

[fisherd3]

It will be impossible to formulate any private insurance plan in Thailand that anyone can afford when e.g Bangkok Hospital Rayong charges 34,000 thb for first Rabies shot of a course.

[stevenl]

29 minutes ago, z42 said:

Travel insurance very rarely covers bike crash injuries, and insurance companies in many cases need social media pressure to actually force a pay out.

 

Wish the injured man as speedy a recovery as possible

Meet the requirements and it will cover. But no license e.g., and yes, it will not cover.

[stevenl]

14 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Unfortunately this is

'No country for safe biking.'

Don't care if you've ridden safely for the past 30 years or not, in fact I believe if you've never come off in your early years of biking the more likely it is to have a bad one here. 

Early on I managed a few 'down the road on my wee pink bum' happenings and they are the best experiences to have to learn what biking is about.

I bought a big bike here

( 1100cc ) after 30 years of UK and EU riding and hung up the helmet after about 2 years here. It was just too scary.

Same here, except that I imported my bike here.

 

Simply too dangerous, I knew if I continued riding a big bike here I would kill myself.

[simon43]

If they didn't cover him, he could just sue them for the medical costs.

 

Yep, that's bound to work..... ????.

 

 

I read about this guy several weeks ago on one of the Facebook teaching forums.  His employing agency (which I won't name here) did put out a call for O- blood, since he had lost a lot of this rare (in Thailand) blood type.  At first he was in a hospital in Chumpon, but then moved up to BKK to a hospital with better facilities in an effort to save his leg, which unfortunately seems to have been in vain.  (But he is still alive and no reason not to have a good future if he is strong in body and mind).

 

As to the insurance, I don't know the full facts about this.  Some teaching agencies offer very basic medical insurance, which certainly wouldn't cover the costs of any 'serious' surgery.  Other insurance policies exclude costs from motorbike accidents, riding without a helmet, riding drunk etc.

 

I have no idea whether any of the above applied in this case.  But the 'bottom line' is clear ==>

 

GET ADEQUATE (5 million baht) MEDICAL INSURANCE!!!!!!

 

If you ride a motorbike, make sure that your policy covers this....

 

and finally:

 

DON'T BE A DICK AND THINK IT WON'T HAPPEN TO YOU!!

 

Not only has this guy lost a leg, he and his family now have to worry about paying the hospital bills... unless their good friend GoFundMe comes to the rescue.

 

My take on this "You should only visit or live in Thailand if you have comprehensive medical insurance (5 million baht), or if you have the equivalent sum in the bank with instant access....."

[stevenl]

23 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

He was a teacher, surely his employers were legally required to cover him under the SS scheme?

If they didn't cover him, he could just sue them for the medical costs.

Aren't international schools exempt from that?

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

As to the insurance, I don't know the full facts about this.  Some teaching agencies offer very basic medical insurance, which certainly wouldn't cover the costs of any 'serious' surgery.  Other insurance policies exclude costs from motorbike accidents, riding without a helmet, riding drunk etc.

Thai employment law is very clear, ALL employees are required to be part of the SS scheme (400bht/month), for unlimited lifetime cover.

[simon43]

Quote

 

Aren't international schools exempt from that?
 

 

 

He isn't employed by an international school, just a teaching agency which has him working at a local school.

 

Update:  Since he wasn't working directly for the school, it's hard to say if his agency employer enrolled him into the SS scheme.  International schools are allowed to opt out of SS ('real' international schools will provide BUPA comprehensive insurance etc).  But this wasn't an international school.

[scubascuba3]

Travel insurance very rarely covers bike crash injuries,

Not correct, read the Policy doc

[watcharacters]

 

When I hear some people say having a motorbike saves so much time in traffic, I can't help but believe that person is one who like to weave in and out of traffic and strives to get to the front of the pack at traffic intersections.

 

A motor bike woudl be good for parking but using it to dash around is foolish.

 

I wish the OP all the best  no matter what.     Very tough break to lose a leg  at any time during life.

[samsensam]

19 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Unfortunately this is

'No country for safe biking.'

Don't care if you've ridden safely for the past 30 years or not, in fact I believe if you've never come off in your early years of biking the more likely it is to have a bad one here. 

Early on I managed a few 'down the road on my wee pink bum' happenings and they are the best experiences to have to learn what biking is about.

I bought a big bike here

( 1100cc ) after 30 years of UK and EU riding and hung up the helmet after about 2 years here. It was just too scary.

 

you might be the best/most experienced rider/driver in the world, the problem is the daft/dangerous things the other road users around you are likely to do.

[scubascuba3]

And most travel policies are for 45 or 90 days only. If he is here to teach than travel insurance won't do it. 

Incorrect, annual insurance is often 45 or 90 days but you can get backpacker insurance which covers much longer durations, mine covers me for 9 months, max is 18 months from memory and yes it covers motorbikes

[simon43]

...the problem is the daft/dangerous things the other road users around you are likely to do.

 

This... one thousand times.

 

I rode a Honda GL1000 in the UK.  I rode an off-road trails bike in Myanmar (because the roads were so bad that no vehicle can drive at more than 20 mph!).

 

I would never ride a motorbike in Thailand.

 

 

[Maitdjai]

If he had a contract as a teacher with a public school, the school is obliged to prepare the correct papers to obtain the correct Visa and work permit. This includes Employment Health insurance! Who pays for it, the Employer or the Employee, is a different agreement. Still, it has to be provided an offered!

If not, where are the "Fingerpointing"-Photo Sessions with "BJ" for rounding up another "illegal working" Foreigner?

Anyone "investigated' this matter?

There are no details in the report, about this matter.

It might have its "special" reasons.

 

So it's quite obsolete, to mention "Tourist-Travel Insurance", in this context! What they cover, what not, how long, and so on.

[BestB]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Tragic. However, while we expect tourists visiting for a short period to gamble with buying insurance or not, those who live here should know better. I hope he makes as full a recovery as possible in the circumstances and any living here without some medical insurance heed the message.

Rather confusing . If he was working than he has social security ie free medical in government hospital .

 

if he was working then it’s not a travel insurance policy as he is not travelling  as a tourist . 

[Cabradelmar]

I don't hear anything about unpaid or unable to pay bills here. He paid. Sorry about his leg.

[adammike]

My travel insurance does not cover me for riding motorcycles,diving ,winter sports,when I booked it with my health insurance company here in the Netherlands (it's compulsory to have health insurance here) there was a list of opt in's and out's I only chose medical/hospital and accident,no luggage or dangerous sports, driving cars and bikes.it cost €2 a day.I did not read the small print so I hope I never need it.Hope he recovers.

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Yes IF the school was above board.

Unfortunately, many school are cheapskates and get away without giving any insurance. Mine has some, but its only for small incidents. Nothing like BUPA. We get fed the old chestnut "you get paid more than enough already". The same applies to provident funds which the Thai teachers get but we don't. Fortunately, my wife is a civil servant so myself and son are also covered under that. There are a LOT of teachers here without cover or with inadequate cover. This should be mandatory - no health insurance, no WP and no extension. 

[DavisH]

10 minutes ago, Maitdjai said:

If he had a contract as a teacher with a public school, the school is obliged to prepare the correct papers to obtain the correct Visa and work permit. This includes Employment Health insurance! Who pays for it, the Employer or the Employee, is a different agreement. Still, it has to be provided an offered!

If not, where are the "Fingerpointing"-Photo Sessions with "BJ" for rounding up another "illegal working" Foreigner?

Anyone "investigated' this matter?

There are no details in the report, about this matter.

It might have its "special" reasons.

 

So it's quite obsolete, to mention "Tourist-Travel Insurance", in this context! What they cover, what not, how long, and so on.

I believe government school teachers are fully covered if they do all the correct paperwork. Not so for private schools.