Travel insurance warning after Welshman's motorbike crash

[Enoon]

12 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Was he licensed to operate a motorbike in his home country? If not then no insurance will cover his injuries. His Travel insurance also, from the main article, only covered him for 30 days. One wonders why his policy was not longer as most policies cover you for as short as 31 days up to 3 months or even longer. Rental companies also need to ensure folks have a proper license or IDP that shows they can operate a motorbike. I did not see on the article if he was licensed or not.

 

God speed and healing to the young man.

His insurance came as part of a package in a current bank account deal (monthly fee gets you x% interest plus various other perks.......automatic "free" travel insurance being one of them).

 

However their characteristic is that they only usually cover for a relatively short period.........extended stays require an extra premium, as does cover for older customers.

 

These are two of the conditions for the Nationwide Flexplus Account Worldwide Travel Insurance:

• Anyone aged 70 or over.
  If any person to be insured is aged 70 or over, you must buy an age upgrade to cover them. This costs £65 per year including Insurance Premium Tax (IPT). You’ll need to purchase it every year. You only need one extension per account.
• Trips for longer than 31 days.
  You'll need to buy a trip extension upgrade.

I don't use it.

 

"Adam's sister Jess Davies, 30, said while her brother had worldwide travel insurance, the policy would not pay out for medical expenses as he had been away from the UK for more than 31 days."

 

His was from Lloyds Bank

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Enoon

[IslandLover]

11 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Fractured skull, came round a bend, lost control, straight into a power pole. IMO No helmet, No M/C license/experience. What Island was he on ?

Koh Tao, according to the article on the BBC's website.

[PingRoundTheWorld]

13 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Every one of my expat friend has been laid up at some time and some Thais to with motorbike accident  injuries it seems is just a matter of time here.

For expats who ride motorbike, yes, it's just a matter of time.

In the islands it's ridiculous - every night you can see foreigners driving bikes drunk, too fast, and of course most of them don't have a license or insurance. I remember riding with a friend one time, and it was the last time I get on a bike with a foreigner - just a 5 minute ride but it scared the <deleted> out of me - driving fast, taking corners too sharp, and apparently drunk (I didn't realize he was drunk until he started taking those corners). It's really just a matter of when, not if.

[Venom]

15 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Rental companies also need to ensure folks have a proper license or IDP that shows they can operate a motorbike. I did not see on the article if he was licensed or not.

Rental companies also need to provide insurance in the cost of the rental. In Mexico for example it's inclusive. It's not rocket science.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Venom

[Blumpie]

Related but unrelated to the story, we have a person from the UK here who got triple sick - flu, covid, and something else.  He's in rough shape.  This buffoon chose to not get any medical insurance whatsoever and people are freaking out because its 7k per day in the hospital.  Do I contribute to gofundme pages like this?  Oh hell no.

 

When I get insurance in Thailand it specifically states what I can and cannot ride when it comes to motorcycles.  Easy peasy.  And it also states that if I am doing anything illegal my insurance is null and void.  Easy peasy.  

 

[Gknrd]

Anyone else sick and tired of all this insurance BS beside me. 

They want to shut down tourism again enforce it. If they want to make the government and insurance companies a few bucks enforce it. 

Who cares. Just hop on. a plane and head to greener pastures.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Gknrd

[Straight8]

16 hours ago, Salerno said:

No, it was partly to compensate hospitals, not a get out of jail free card for those without proper insurance or the means to pay for treatment.

and the other part is to fill their slimy pockets up.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Venom said:

Rental companies also need to provide insurance in the cost of the rental. In Mexico for example it's inclusive. It's not rocket science.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do not believe they have any supplementary insurance, as in a renter's insurance and all they carry is compulsory CTPL, which is very limited. They only bother with that as it is needed for the tax disk. I have only come across one rental outfit that offered comprehensive insurance that the renter was required to pay for. 

[crouchpeter]

19 hours ago, damo1967 said:

That is not 'uncommon' for those imbecils that do not have proper insurance and can not pay the hospital.  He was lucky he got any treatment.

How empathetic! <deleted> insurance companies will do anything they can to avoid paying out. And what's an "imbecil"?

[kimamey]

20 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Fractured skull, came round a bend, lost control, straight into a power pole. IMO No helmet, No M/C license/experience. What Island was he on ?

I don't think it made that clear but it would be interesting to know more. 

He could have sustained head injuries even with a helmet if there was enough speed plus there's the quality of the helmet too take into account. Why did he hit the pole? Was he going to fast and did he hit a pothole? Roads near Bangkok and down towards Pattaya always seem very good compared to what we have to put up with in many areas of Isaan. I'm not keen on driving on some of them with my Honda Jazz. Good knows what it's like on a bike.

[Venom]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I do not believe they have any supplementary insurance, as in a renter's insurance and all they carry is compulsory CTPL, which is very limited. They only bother with that as it is needed for the tax disk. I have only come across one rental outfit that offered comprehensive insurance that the renter was required to pay for. 

Well if it's going to be required and not an option than it should be included in the rental fee. It's as dead nuts simple as that. 

[it is what it is]

1 hour ago, crouchpeter said:

How empathetic! <deleted> insurance companies will do anything they can to avoid paying out. And what's an "imbecil"?

 

simply not true. i've had two large payouts from insurance companies (in excess of 50k) in the past, both times the insurance company/loss adjuster were helpful and professional, payout was efficient, prompt and in full.

[Henryford]

A fractured skull? how was that posssible. Surely he was wearing a helmet.

[ozimoron]

11 minutes ago, Henryford said:

A fractured skull? how was that posssible. Surely he was wearing a helmet.

If not then the insurance company was entitled to refuse his claim.

[Orinoco]

45 minutes ago, Henryford said:

A fractured skull? how was that posssible. Surely he was wearing a helmet.

Yes possible, open face crash helmet, face first into electric pole, at speed .  jaw, nose, skull damage,

nasty business.

Not saying this was the case. just possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Orinoco

[robblok]

17 hours ago, SunsetT said:

That sounds very reasonable.

 

 

Sorry to be a pest but some more detail would be greatly appreciated:

 

1) Can you simply purchase this add on when you go for your bike's annual tax renewal? 2) Is the insurance document in English or only Thai? 3) How much are you covered  for? 4) Do you have to have a Thai driving licence to obtain it?  5) Will they pay out regardless of blame please?

 

Cheers

Hi,

 

You should go to the insurance part. I got this insurance through a broker (Expat).

 

The insurance is partly English and Thai.

You need a valid (Thai driverslicense)

If you pay like 3000bt and have a new bike then they pay out if your to blame too. Talking about a small MC not one of those 650cc ones.

[Orinoco]

21 hours ago, robblok said:

If you have your own bike you could have added accident insurance to it. I do so every year.

+ 1. 

[SunsetT]

58 minutes ago, robblok said:

You should go to the insurance part

Not sure what you mean by this.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, SunsetT said:

Not sure what you mean by this.

Before the forum had an insurance sub section. That is where i got the insurance from. Not sure if it still has a sub section about insurance. But basically there are bokers who can sell you an insurance. Just like with cars they include everything. WIll be harder if your bike is older. But you can still then increase the accident part value instead of the repair on your own bike value.

[SunsetT]

13 minutes ago, robblok said:

Before the forum had an insurance sub section. That is where i got the insurance from. Not sure if it still has a sub section about insurance. But basically there are bokers who can sell you an insurance. Just like with cars they include everything. WIll be harder if your bike is older. But you can still then increase the accident part value instead of the repair on your own bike value.

OK I see now.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Venom said:

Well if it's going to be required and not an option than it should be included in the rental fee. It's as dead nuts simple as that. 

This is Thailand... it is only required if you have an accident! The agreement people sign when they rent a bike basically says you are responsible for pretty much everything!

[WHansen]

On 1/7/2023 at 12:54 PM, Don Chance said:

Never ride a motorbike. Period. It's been said a million times.

???

Expect the unexpected everytime you jump on a bike and there are no problems.

Always pass a parked car with enough room for the door to suddenly open, expect the vehicle that's approaching a junction not to stop for you, don't expect a mirror,signal,maneuver etc etc.

The foreigners that get injured most of the time get complacent, think that the Thai roads are safe like their home countries, or have been drinking.

Edited January 8, 2023 by WHansen
typo

[Regyai]

8 hours ago, Henryford said:

A fractured skull? how was that posssible. Surely he was wearing a helmet.

??? very naive 

 

A helmet is no 'hand of God' magic wand and certainly wont stop the fracturing of its contents. The slower the speed and the more spread out the impact the more they protect.

Edited January 8, 2023 by Regyai

[BacchusGPT]

On 1/7/2023 at 4:56 AM, Salerno said:

No, it was partly to compensate hospitals, not a get out of jail free card for those without proper insurance or the means to pay for treatment.

How does it work exactly?

[Lemsta69]

On 1/7/2023 at 1:29 PM, chilli42 said:

There are a lot of posts here from people who have not even bothered to read the linked article.  Seriously, why even bother posting and advancing your opinion if you have not even bothered to read the background article?

The article is from the BBC, I'm not clicking on the link ????

 

Also, from the blurb it would appear that the article is misleading. Insurance policies don't have "fine print" anymore, the terms and conditions are set out in normal sized font. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 1/7/2023 at 5:46 PM, harleyclarkey said:

Four (warped sick) members find this topic funny with a laughing emoji after the main topic.

 

Why? Just let us know what humour you find in a man in serious condition with potential life changing injuries.

Perhaps they're not "Laughing" at his misfortune as much as laughing at the content of some of the inane posts. 

[Liverpool Lou]

11 hours ago, crouchpeter said:

<deleted> insurance companies will do anything they can to avoid paying out.

Of course, they will if there is a reason, they're businesses, not charities, but statistics show that 90%-ish of all insurance claims are accepted and paid out, if they weren't there wouldn't be an insurance industry.

[Liverpool Lou]

26 minutes ago, BacchusGPT said:

On 1/7/2023 at 11:56 AM, Salerno said:

No, it was partly to compensate hospitals, not a get out of jail free card for those without proper insurance or the means to pay for treatment.

How does it work exactly?

It doesn't, it was a proposal that was never implemented.

[Salerno]

23 minutes ago, BacchusGPT said:

How does it work exactly?

Not even sure if it was implemented to be honest.

 

But, the idea was to have a bucket of money out of which hospitals could be compensated for not being paid. It had nothing to do with an individual being insured as so many on here and other forums kept banging on about. It does not negate individuals having the means (whether it be personal finance or by being covered by an insurance policy) to cover any treatment required in the case of falling sick or having an accident within Thailand.

[Rimmer]

A false and misleading post has been removed