All insurance policies are contracts.  Policies have two main sections: 1) Perils-what is covered 2) Exclusions-what is not covered.  Guess which part is bigger?  Yes, the Exclusions. 

4 minutes ago, wombat said:

The winds blow a thin covering of sand over smooth tar and your wheels dissapear from underneath you ....it has to be the deadliest place on the planet for motorbikes

Samui certainly used to be the deadliest place when looking at motorcycle deaths per capita.

From world atlas dot com

Thailand also has the highest motorbike accident deaths in the world with an average of 5,000 motorcyclist deaths recorded annually.

Population of Samui is approx 60,000 people (pre Covid).

There are four private hospitals, with a fifth one about to open, as well as a government hospital.

7 hours ago, VinnieK said:

License? Lol

She probably never rode a scooter, let alone have a license.

She was the passenger! 

26 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

As has been mentioned on here before, I don't think travel insurance covers us for motorcycle accidents, even if we do have a licence. Would probably be the same for things like water-skiing or diving etc, unless specified on the policy.

Good point Andrew! Motoring (or riding a motorcycle) is an entirely separate activity from travel. It isn't even a hazardous activity associated with holidays such as you mentioned. 

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I wonder what insurance she thought she had... Also, on what grounds the insurance refused cover. 

I met too many people who told me they don't need this and that insurance because it is ALL covered by their credit card. 555 Maybe they should read the fine print from time to time.

One more thought on what is covered and what is not covered.  For example when I rent a car in my home country(USA) and I use my credit card I have some insurance coverage.  When I rent a vehicle outside of the US with my credit card I get absolutely no insurance coverage.  

 

Most insurance policies exclude coverage when the policyholder engages in dangerous os hazardous activities.  Some of the activities are specifically defined in the police(like hang gliding, bungee cord jumping, skydiving but I have never seen riding on a scooter or moped mentioned).  

7 hours ago, roo860 said:

Open face helmet I would guess, full face for me, regardless of weather or distance to travel, but that's my choice. On many occasions seen foreigners with chin straps that lose won't help in an accident. 

My helmet is not full face but it’s supposed to be bullet proof Mr Roo I think you saw it the green one.

People really dont understand the dangers of Thai roads at all. You dont need to be going fast, you can even be wearing a helmet.  The odds of getting hit on a bike or otherwise having an accident here are very high.

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I wonder what insurance she thought she had... Also, on what grounds the insurance refused cover. 

 

i.e. Did the insurance refuse cover because she was on a motorcycle (passenger with a helmet) ?

e.g. does the insurance have a full on exclusion for any motorcycle riding full stop ???

Although the article doesn't say, it's likely the rider (driver) would have been her boyfriend. How many people in UK hold motorcycle riding licences?

6 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

One more thought on what is covered and what is not covered.  For example when I rent a car in my home country(USA) and I use my credit card I have some insurance coverage.  When I rent a vehicle outside of the US with my credit card I get absolutely no insurance coverage.  

 

Most insurance policies exclude coverage when the policyholder engages in dangerous os hazardous activities.  Some of the activities are specifically defined in the police(like hang gliding, bungee cord jumping, skydiving but I have never seen riding on a scooter or moped mentioned).  

Could that be because it would come under the heading 'Motor Insurance?' 

8 hours ago, steve187 said:

same old same old, riding a m/cycle in Thailand without having the correct licence and or insurance to do so. she thought she was covered by her credit card.

You think pillion riders need a driving licence?

8 hours ago, VinnieK said:

License? Lol

She probably never rode a scooter, let alone have a license.

She was a passenger

8 hours ago, VinnieK said:

License? Lol

She probably never rode a scooter, let alone have a license.

As a passenger, why should she?

37 minutes ago, wombat said:

The winds blow a thin covering of sand over smooth tar and your wheels dissapear from underneath you ....it has to be the deadliest place on the planet for motorbikes

Yep ... driver (bf), inexperience, and knowing when to use or not use, the front brake.  Too fast for conditions on an unfamiliar road, at a guess.  Or worse, an emergency, and either wipe out or more serious crash.   Not a whole lot of details.

 

Hope she get the medical attention needed, no matter who pays.

 

Main facial bones if any curious.  Pretty much nasal, cheeks & jaw:

And another one bites the dust,   I'm pretty sure she has relatives who own property,  sell and pay her bill???   Simple really.    

7 hours ago, steve187 said:

sorry should i have posted being on a m/cycle.

the post was generic to all the posts that appear on here about being on a m/cycle with either no insurance, or not being covered by the insurance they do hold, or not having a licence,

No, your original post was absolutely specific, not "generic", you referred to "she".

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

As a passenger, why should she?

Interesting point. If a pillion passenger was fully insured in their own right but, unbeknown to them, the rider (driver) was unlicenced would their (the pillion passengers) insurance refuse to pay out? 

7 hours ago, steve187 said:

i would think it was not a very good helmet

Do non-fullface helmets, as most are, protect the face when a person is heading face down to the tarmac at scooter speed?    Do "good" helmet that are not fullface protect the face, then?

5 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

one can only feel pity for her while wondering how stupid one can be by traveling without insurance!

The article says she had a travel insurance, but just not covering a specific case.

7 hours ago, PJ71 said:

8 hours ago, roo860 said:

And wore a helmet

do the 20baht specials really count as a helmet tho?

Helmets can be bought for B20, now?  

7 hours ago, VinnieK said:

I believe foreign embassies should alter their warnings list..

#1 Don't ride on a motorbike on Thai roads (driver or pillion) under any circumstances 

Considering that 99% of visitors do not have motorbike accident problems, why should that Embassies get involved with directions such as that?

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i reckon no helmet is more likely which might be why any health insurance she had was invalid.

I reckon you should read the OP links.

Over the years i have been in Samui,so many times i've seen young people manly girls on a rental bike with no control legs trying to scoot the thing along wobbling all over the place . This is tragic to happen to a lovely looking girl . The rental people do not give a toss to previous experience licence insurance . They only want the money. they should be made responsible    to make sure the riders can handle a bike before renting out to them. Most insurance companies do cover motorbike accidents anyway. hope she can get the funds and get well soon. even if she was pillion you need some experience to ride, lean the wrong way on a small bike and there you have it     

6 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Who was driving, and what insurance was there.  Was driver, he/she/it responsible and a qualified, licensed driver.  Friend or hired driver ?

Her boyfriend.   I'm wondering why no one, so far, has apportioned any blame to him as the rider, rather than blaming Thailand and it's road safety record?

A few points.

 

1. She was wearing a helmet, although no doubt a useless flimsy one.

2. Her boyfriend was driving the bike.

3. She had no insurance, her credit card didn't cover travel insurance, so no matter how she paints it, she had no insurance. It should be top of the list!!

4. The best thing they can do is get her patched up to go home and get treatment over there.. No need for 50K worth of reconstructive surgery in Thailand. Go home, parents, boyfriend and relatives can help you.

5. As for taking a sabbatical ' from her career, Many are doing this in social care as they are well aware they can walk in to another job on their return as there is a critical shortage. My son, ex wife and my sister are all in this field of work.

6. As far as I can see, she did not take out separate travel insurance which is simply crazy. She claims the hospital said her insurance was ' invalid ' if she had been insured the term would have been ' not covered ' which leads me to believe she didn't have any. I will stand corrected if it turns out to be different. I feel she is covering up the fact of no insurance and relying on a credit card.

7.The photo displayed on the forum is obviously an old one from family or her personal archives, as she definitely won't be looking like that at the moment.

 

 

It's sad and she's a pretty girl but when do they learn to research the do's and don't's and wise up when they are going far afield?

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

I have investigated fatal and very serious traffic collisions but I have never seen anyone who "broke nearly every bone in her face"?

She was also quoted as saying that there was "blood coming from every orifice".  Albeit, severely injured, she's, clearly, a woman with a propensity for exaggeration.

4 hours ago, smedly said:

patch her up so she is able to fly, she doesn't need everthing done here in Thailand

The broken back may be an issue for travelling.

5 minutes ago, PEE TEE said:

Over the years i have been in Samui,so many times i've seen young people manly girls on a rental bike with no control legs trying to scoot the thing along wobbling all over the place . This is tragic to happen to a lovely looking girl . The rental people do not give a toss to previous experience licence insurance . They only want the money. they should be made responsible    to make sure the riders can handle a bike before renting out to them. Most insurance companies do cover motorbike accidents anyway. hope she can get the funds and get well soon. even if she was pillion you need some experience to ride, lean the wrong way on a small bike and there you have it     

Some don't even know how to start or stop a scooter. They may almost invariably be automatic (such as Honda Click) but still lethal if you don't know the basics. Such renters will have no idea about 70/30% braking or which way to shift their weight when going up/down steep hills. 

21 minutes ago, SymS said:

The article says she had a travel insurance, but just not covering a specific case.

I think this has got muddled up or poor reporting. I have re read the report and she is claiming to have some form of insurance but told her insurance was invalid. If insured, the term would be ' not covered ' Insurance is usually invalid if you haven't paid the premium.

 

Later in the story she states she thought she was covered under her Amex credit card but then found out it wasn't thew right card for such travel insurance cover.

 

There is no insurance company mentioned declining to pay out which leads me to believe she had no travel insurance.

 

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, sateuk said:

Absolutely she should of been aware her insurance was no good, But also the police should go to the hire shop and close them down and they should be forced to pay a percentage of her fees , as they know what will happen if tourists have accidents and don't have licences, close any shop down immediately and fine them if they rent a bike out to a non licensed rider

She wasn't the rider, and how do you know that the rider doesn't have a licence?