Does a good travel insurance cover damage to property?

[tee1eel]

Hi, a tourist crashed his bike into my garden fence, he took out about 6 meters of chain link and broke 2 concrete posts. He was going at speed at 3am. He has a good insurance (apparently), but would damage to property be covered? I feel awful asking about a fence when the poor guy is in hospital, but just wondered if anyone would have any advice....

 

[xylophone]

From my recollection of insurance policies in the days when I was in banking, the cover should be for personal injury, for third party injury and for property damage, so I think you are pretty well covered.......unless of course he has got a totally useless and cheap policy which covers him for next to stuff all!

 

I wouldn't worry about asking for his insurance if he is in hospital, because you have a right to do that, so go to it!

[bkk6060]

A lot of these policies will cover nothing when negligence is involved. Good luck, but I bet his insurance won't pay.

[Liverpool Lou]

30 minutes ago, tee1eel said:

He was going at speed at 3am ...

would damage to property be covered?

Normally, yes, but that could be what voids his policy/claim if it is confirmed as excess speed.

Edited January 17 by Liverpool Lou

[soi3eddie]

Travel insurance would not normally cover third party claims for damage caused by the policy holder riding/driving a motor vehicle. A claim against the rider/driver's motor policy would apply.

 

Edited January 17 by soi3eddie

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

When you wrote "bike", did you mean bicycle or did you mean motorbike?
Based upon the description of the damages, I assume you mean motorbike.
 

The primary source of third party liability cover for damage to your property would be the insurance covering the motorbike, not the tourist's travel insurance. If the motorbike is only covered by the government-mandated Por Ror Bor scheme, there is no third party liability cover for damage to your property.
 

But It is quite possible that the motorbike is covered for third party liability under a voluntary policy, so the tourist or owner of the motorbike needs to provide you with details of any insurance that may cover the motorbike and the owner should notify the insurance company of the incident.

 

Travel insurance policies often don't provide third party liability cover for damages arising out of the use of motor vehicles by the policyholder. Still, you should also ask the tourist for details of his travel insurance, but it may not provide thitd party liability cover.

[scubascuba3]

Travel insurance may not cover motorbikes anyway. If motorbike is rented most likely cheapest govt insurance so no cover there.

 

Ask rider to pay costs of the fence. If you had home insurance you'd be covered

[tee1eel]

Thanks for all replies. Apparently he got a really good insurance policy. But I just had word from the guy who owns the bike that was rented and trashed, that the poor lad has passed away! Omg, so,so sad .  Now the police are saying that the case is closed, in Thailand if the person dies, that's it. You have to pay for the repairs yourself. 

[xylophone]

Double post!

Edited January 17 by xylophone

[Celsius]

11 minutes ago, tee1eel said:

Thanks for all replies. Apparently he got a really good insurance policy. But I just had word from the guy who owns the bike that was rented and trashed, that the poor lad has passed away! Omg, so,so sad .  Now the police are saying that the case is closed, in Thailand if the person dies, that's it. You have to pay for the repairs yourself. 

 

Could have been you or a member of your family instead of concrete posts that he destroyed.

 

I wouldn't get all teared up personally.... 

[scubascuba3]

15 minutes ago, tee1eel said:

Thanks for all replies. Apparently he got a really good insurance policy. But I just had word from the guy who owns the bike that was rented and trashed, that the poor lad has passed away! Omg, so,so sad .  Now the police are saying that the case is closed, in Thailand if the person dies, that's it. You have to pay for the repairs yourself. 

The police are wrong in that but for fences it's not worth pursuing further, police aren't interested in helping it seems

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

3 hours ago, tee1eel said:

Thanks for all replies. Apparently he got a really good insurance policy. But I just had word from the guy who owns the bike that was rented and trashed, that the poor lad has passed away! Omg, so,so sad .  Now the police are saying that the case is closed, in Thailand if the person dies, that's it. You have to pay for the repairs yourself. 

 

This isn't correct.

 

Insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver. If the vehicle was insured for voluntary third party liability cover, that insurance should respond unless other exclusions apply. This would be true even if the driver passed away as a result of the accident. 

 

But that said, it may not be worth pursuing the issue. It's only a couple of fence posts and some chainlink fence.