British woman, 20, left for dead in hit and run motorbike crash faces being thrown out of Thai hospital despite horrifying injuries after being hit with £40,000 medical bill

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 8:55 AM, nigelforbes said:

I have read previously that the laws governing emergency care in Thailand are not very different, emergency care treatment must be provided at government hospitals, regardless of nationality or the ability to pay. The requirement may be different at private hospitals, I do not know, they are after all, private businesses, first and foremost.

That's correct and the first 72 hours emergency treatment mandate extends to private hospitals also assuming they have ER facilities.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:06 AM, austhai said:

Insurance companies knock back many claims, can take them to court & if they are wrong will pay.

Overall, insurers pay in the region of 90% of claims.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:14 AM, Zapitapi said:

jeez so many bitter comments.. yeah might be her fault or not.. we dont know from the superb article:) but show some compassion..

Excellent sentiments but when you've been on this forum for a bit...

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:44 AM, 4MyEgo said:

No such policy when it comes to riding bikes, MUST read the fine print

No such thing as "fine print" in UK insurance policies...unless you can post an example of such, of course.

[jerrymahoney]

13 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

On 2/17/2023 at 8:47 AM, Tubulat said:

I mean, they always find a way to avoid paying out.

Yet another poster who knows nothing at all about the successful claims' records of UK insurers.

In USofA we call that 'hyperbole' but in UK, I have now learned, it can just be referred to as "I reckon".

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:51 AM, Skeptic7 said:

The abhorrent fact that they held this poor girl's pain hostage and as a bargaining tool for payment up front is off the charts cruel and inhumane. They wouldn't even give her any pain medication❓❗❓

That has not be shown to be a fact, at this stage.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:57 AM, jimn said:

You cant make a comment blaming the insurance when the blame is unfortunately with the individual.

They can on Thaivisa!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:58 AM, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Whilst I am sure you are correct, if they can wriggle out of paying they will?

Insurance companies like private hospitals in Thailand are there to make a profit?

And if they didn't pay as many claims a Thaivisa posters (wrongly) assert they wouldn't make any profit at all because no one would buy the policies and, consequently, there would not be an insurance industry.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/17/2023 at 10:08 AM, Skeptic7 said:

Should have prefaced my post with, "If true...".

 

That said, have been here long enough (quarter century) to know that there is no limit nor bounds to this country's ignorance, greed, xenophobic loathing, insulting & fleecing when it comes to foreigners. 

"...there is no limit nor bounds to this country's ignorance, greed, xenophobic loathing, insulting & fleecing when it comes to foreigners". 

 

You should have prefaced that comment with "if true" also.

[Liverpool Lou]

23 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

38 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

On 2/17/2023 at 8:47 AM, Tubulat said:

I mean, they always find a way to avoid paying out.

Yet another poster who knows nothing at all about the successful claims' records of UK insurers.

In USofA we call that 'hyperbole' but in UK, I have now learned, it can just be referred to as "I reckon".

What, specifically, in my comment are you saying can only be referred to as "I reckon"?  

[jerrymahoney]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What, specifically, in my comment are you saying can only be referred to as "I reckon"?  

I was referring to the nested comment that they always find a way to avoid paying out.

[Ralf001]

On 2/17/2023 at 5:33 AM, ukrules said:

Normally you would expect the other drivers insurance to pay out third party injuries.

 

However in Thailand it seems to be very normal for the 'other party' to simply do a runner - at which point the liability for treatment seems to transfer from the person who caused the accident to the victim of the accident 

 

This is a major flaw in the way things are done in this dump.

Liability for treatment transfers to gofundme doesn't it ?

?

[Liverpool Lou]

6 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

8 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What, specifically, in my comment are you saying can only be referred to as "I reckon"?  

I was referring to the nested comment that they always find a way to avoid paying out.

Ah, that glaringly incorrect statement.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No such thing as "fine print" in UK insurance policies...unless you can post an example of such, of course.

Don't be ridiculous, a "fine print" or small print for the layman, is what the policy excludes, e.g. the insurer will not cover a motorcycle over 125cc, will not cover a driver of a motor vehicle who is unlicensed in a foreign country and or does not have an IDP, international drivers permit.

 

I take it you don't take out travel insurance when travelling, I do and I always read the small print, fine print, i.e. I read the entire policy to be exact, so that I know what is excluded.

 

Saying no such thing as a fine print in UK insurance policies is as mentioned above, ridiculous.

 

[proton]

5 hours ago, Hummin said:

Then you have to look more closely in to the reasons why most get killed. Most of the accidents could have been avoided with a proper motorbike school training, and licensing.  

 

 

How do you control what the other idiots are doing? This woman had somebody smash into her and drive off, many accidents cannot be avoided by training.

[xylophone]

1 minute ago, proton said:

How do you control what the other idiots are doing? This woman had somebody smash into her and drive off, many accidents cannot be avoided by training.

Quite true, and something similar happened to my ex-girlfriend's sister who was driving carefully along the road on her way into Patong town, when an idiot Frenchman on the other side of the road came round a bend way too fast and lost control of the big bike which went skidding into the poor woman.

 

She had a double fracture of the leg and still cannot walk properly after many years, a broken hip and a couple of broken ribs and was in hospital for quite some time.

 

She was completely in the right and not speeding, and doesn't drink, and no amount of training would have enabled her to avoid this particular accident.

[connda]

I'm not going to count.  I'm just wondering how many AN posters wrote:  "See what happens when you don't have insurance!!!  Ha Ha Ha - Another grift to get money from GoFundMe!!!  Losers!!!"

But?  She had insurance.  Think about that.  - Why don't insurance companies pay out?

Insurance is the ultimate scam that is backed by the "pubic-private partnerships" between governments and corporations as the expense of the public.

Government:  "Everyone needs insurance."
Insurance: "But we're not going to pay out."

[xylophone]

9 minutes ago, connda said:

Why don't insurance companies pay out

In the main because the insured person has not adhered to the "clauses and conditions/exclusions" included in the policy, most of the time because they have not read it fully.

 

It really is that simple.

[Ralf001]

11 minutes ago, connda said:

But?  She had insurance.  Think about that.  - Why don't insurance companies pay out?
 

She had insurance up until the point of voiding that policy by climbing aboard the scoot and ride it way.

[Umlungu]

I wonder if the cave rescue team - led by foreign experts - of the Thai boy footballers a few years ago also first asked for payment, a deposit or a credit card when they discovered and swam up tothe stranded boys a few kilometers inside the cave system. This is in response to a comment here - and I had exactly the same experience - where a hospital asked for payment first before even administering some pain relief treatment. This is just disgusting behaviour by a medical institution toward injured or pain-stricken persons approaching them for help. 

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, proton said:

How do you control what the other idiots are doing? This woman had somebody smash into her and drive off, many accidents cannot be avoided by training.

Hard to explainif you are not a motorcycle rider your self, but give it a try.

 

It is how you see room for your self by position, make your self big and visual, and learn to read the traffic. Never box your self in between wericles especially big trucks, and use your mirrors active not only every now and then.

 

You would be surprised how predictable thai traffic really is after a few days out doing active riding, and not passive like most inexperienced riders do. 

 

Most who is riding motorbikes should never been out there in first place, and unfortunate many truck snd cars to, but it is what it is and we just have to deal with, or sell the bikes ????

[peter zwart]

On 2/17/2023 at 2:54 AM, webfact said:

Ruby Spry, 20, was riding a motorbike when a bike travelling in the opposite direction ploughed into her before driving off.

Another nice piece of responsiveness. What cowardly dogs live here?
 

[geisha]

On 2/17/2023 at 8:14 AM, billd766 said:

IMHO the travel insurers should put in large text on the first page, that if you indulge in motorcycling, hang gliding etc, or other dangerous sports, that an extra and more expensive insurance will be required. Without the extra cover you are NOT insured if you take part in those activities.

This definitely should be done , clearly and in vue. Why are they putting it in fine print anyway ? Make proper insurance an obligation for all tourists for the time period spent away. There have been the 2 girls lately, and one more a month back , plus 2 hit and runs on Thepprasit/ Thapraya in around 10 days, and another on 2 nd road in center .it’s not always the tourists fault, but everyone should be warned . 

[still kicking]

10 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

I was referring to the nested comment that they always find a way to avoid paying out.

He sells insurance 

[still kicking]

Now I am not British but my travel insurance does no cover riding a motor bike even take out premium cover

What are some common travel insurance exclusions?

Travel insurance policies will not cover you for everything that happens to you while you’re on a trip, and in some cases, you’ll need to take out specific kinds of cover above and beyond standard travel insurance in order to be covered.

Some common travel insurance exclusions are:

• Costs or cancellations that arise from a pandemic or an epidemic (such as COVID-19)
• Skiing or other snow activities (typically, you’ll need snow cover for that)
• Dangerous activities (‘hazardous pursuits’) such as such as scuba diving or bungee jumping (some insurers may cover this automatically, but it’s possible you may need to pay extra or buy a separate adventure travel policy)
• High-value belongings (unless you tell your insurer about them)
• Risky or irresponsible behaviour on your part, including behaviour while under the influence of alcohol
• Pre-existing medical conditions that you didn’t tell your insurer about when applying for insurance
• Intentional illegal behaviour, or breaking local laws and regulations more generally
• Lost items where you left your belongings unattended
• Driving a motorbike overseas (you may be able to obtain cover in some cases if you have a motorbike licence and are driving a low-power vehicle – check with your insurer)
• Acts of war
• Driving a motorbike overseas (you may be able to obtain cover in some cases if you have a motorbike licence and are driving a low-power vehicle – check with your insurer)

[JensenZ]

On 2/17/2023 at 6:29 AM, BananaStrong said:

 sorry, no symphony from me and motorbike accidents with farang.

 

I ride motorcycles in Thailand. if I have an accident and need a symphony, I can find a good one on YouTube.

[jerrymahoney]

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

He sells insurance 

No -- but he sells sea shells by the seashore.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

There you go again with that "small print" myth.

Yawn...

[jerrymahoney]

This is from the UK.GOV report Safety & Security in Thailand -- ROAD TRAVEL:

 

Motorcycles or scooters for hire in beach resorts are often unregistered and can’t be used legally on a public road. Before you hire a vehicle, make sure you’re covered by your travel insurance and check the small print of the lease agreement. Don’t hand over your passport as a guarantee against returning a motorcycle or scooter.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security

 

Note: It says to check the small print on your vehicle lease agreement. It doesn't say to check the small print on your travel insurance.

 

 

[Ralf001]

10 hours ago, Umlungu said:

I wonder if the cave rescue team - led by foreign experts - of the Thai boy footballers a few years ago also first asked for payment, a deposit or a credit card when they discovered and swam up tothe stranded boys a few kilometers inside the cave system. This is in response to a comment here - and I had exactly the same experience - where a hospital asked for payment first before even administering some pain relief treatment. This is just disgusting behaviour by a medical institution toward injured or pain-stricken persons approaching them for help. 

 Pattaya private hospital I recently stayed in ICU for a few days.

Bout 5 mins after being place on a gurney in ER I  had an admin lady come round asking for a 50k deposit.

This is before any diagnostic work was done.