Uninsured Brit in Phuket moped accident has left her parents with £35,000 credit card debts

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Uninsured Brit in Phuket moped accident has left her parents with £35,000 credit card debts
STAFF WRITER



PHUKET: -- 24-year old Natasha Hutchinson was enjoying a 6 month holiday backpacking around Thailand when she was caught up in a horrific moped accident in Phuket at the end of December, leaving her with serious leg injuries.

Forgetting to take out travel insurance prior to her trip, her medical bills and associated costs have seen her parents take on £35,000 (฿1.8 million) worth of credit card debt in order to meet her bills and get her back to the UK, reports the Daily Mail.

Natasha, an accountancy graduate from Maesteg, Wales, was left with a broken femur, a smashed kneecap, septicaemia and extensive blood and skin loss after the moped she was riding on the back of was hit by a truck driver.

While Thai doctors signed Natasha off as fit to fly back to the UK last week, she has been warned that she may not walk again for another 9 months and she is currently in a wheelchair as her injuries heal.

“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare,” described her mother, Michelle Lucas.

“Natasha’s completely devastated. She set out for the adventure of a lifetime, and ended up nearly losing her leg thousands of miles from home. It’s so dangerous – Brits go to Thailand and think nothing of jumping on mopeds and doing things they’d never do at home.”

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/uninsured-brit-in-phuket-moped-accident-has-left-her-parents-with-35000-credit-card-debts/


-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-02-10

[Pib]

Too bad she had the accident....hope she fully recovers and soon. But she "didn't forget" to get insurance....she just didn't want to pay for insurance. Too many young people always feel indestructible/think it will not happen to me.

[canopus1969]

It’s so dangerous – Brits go to Thailand and think nothing of jumping on mopeds and doing things they’d never do at home.”

So why are they so stupid (not just Brits but also other nationalities) ?

[DavisH]

So what hospital was she sent to to rack up a 1.8M debt...even if it includes the flight back, it's very expensive. Private hospital?

[evadgib]

Parents of gap year students should wise up and purchase insurance for their offspring as a pre preemptive strike.

(An annual policy inc motorbikes & adventure sports being much cheaper than graphically highlighted in this example!)

Edited February 10, 2016 by evadgib

[LivinginKata]

So what hospital was she sent to to rack up a 1.8M debt...even if it includes the flight back, it's very expensive. Private hospital?

For sure all farangs go immediately to a private hospital - and yes it's very expensive. Friend on mine racked up more than 200,000 baht for 3 days in ICU at Phuket International Hospital.

[Old Croc]

So what hospital was she sent to to rack up a 1.8M debt...even if it includes the flight back, it's very expensive. Private hospital?

Accident happened late December, going home now.

Approx. 40 days in hospital with surgeries, would add up.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Old Croc

[seedy]

off topic post removed

[condo bought]

The problem is the tourists... not Thailand.

Insurance? No.

Experience of riding? No

Protective gear? No.

Riding in an unsafe manner? Yes.

It's clear to see who is at fault.

[ezzra]

" Forgetting to take out travel insurance prior to her trip '..... No, not forgetting, wanting to save

a $100 or thinking that, nothing will happened TO ME... what an expensive trip it turned out

to be.. would anyone learn anything from it? I doubt it very much.....

[rws85]

Shouldn't the truck driver that hit her be liable?

Oh sorry I forgot, this is Thailand.

[arithai12]

Dear Mrs Mother of Ms Natasha, I hope you'll never read this forum.

[jalansanitwong]

Was the Thai or farang at fault ? Dont Thais have insurance ?( stupid question)

Farang has to pay here in Thailand thats why every tourist must have insurance.

If a farang injured a Thai all hell would break loose. Passport seized. Pay now even though most medical care is free for Thais.!

If youre not insured youre far better off in a public hospital expecially here in Bangkok.

I had an operation plus medical care over 5 days.....20,000 baht.

Private hospitals in Thailand will fleece you blind.

There is no way her injuries -being serious as they are- would cost 1.8m baht.

In Bangkok maybe 100-200,000 baht. Thais free.

[richard_smith237]

If the motorbike she was riding pillion on was 'hit by a truck' might it be the Truck Drivers fault? Shouldn't the Trucks insurance pay for all medical bills?

[richard_smith237]

The problem is the tourists... not Thailand.

Insurance? No.

Experience of riding? No

Protective gear? No.

Riding in an unsafe manner? Yes.

It's clear to see who is at fault.

It's not quite as black & white as that... Of course everyone should have insurance... However, someone having no protective gear or little experience doesn't place them at fault.

How do you know she was on the back of a bike being ridden in an unsafe manner?

[lonewolf99]

It is not just the young that think they have superhuman skills. There are thousands of old foreigners here chugging around on motorbikes and I might add have developed local ways.... no helmet, taking mad chances at U turns. Not stopping and looking at a junction just drive out, not checking over the shoulder on both sides before making a move left or right...the list goes on... and the death toll rises.

Heard yesterday of a foreigner hitting a pot hole at night. 2 broken wrists, a fractured skull and a bill for 350,000 baht.....10,000 U.S.

My global insurance for health and accidents is 440 pounds a year. Not 10,000 dollars or 35,000 pounds as in the case of this young girl.

[PoorSucker]

Why do they call it a moped?

Was it under 50cc?

This is what a normal travel insurance covers, be aware when renting a bike.

[Sheryl]

Too bad she had the accident....hope she fully recovers and soon. But she "didn't forget" to get insurance....she just didn't want to pay for insurance. Too many young people always feel indestructible/think it will not happen to me.

Not just the young.

An astonishing number of TV members live here without insurance.

[Fookhaht]

Good price. What company?

[Regyai]

Most UK travel policies cover anything <200cc hired or otherwise, as a pillion as in this case (thankfully written comprehension isnt a prerequisite to travel) the sky's the limit

Yes the truck driver's insurance (if any) is liable - but to say 'for all medical bills' shows a severe misunderstanding of the payout maximas - if she was left quadriplegic she wouldn't receive 1.8M Baht

Edited February 10, 2016 by Regyai

[mihalis]

Too bad she had the accident....hope she fully recovers and soon. But she "didn't forget" to get insurance....she just didn't want to pay for insurance. Too many young people always feel indestructible/think it will not happen to me.

For a measly sum of money for peace of mind, i cant feel sorry for her owing so much money.. Dont like seeing people hurt, but when will they learn, after all they would be covered in their own home...

[Regyai]

after all they would be covered in their own home...

From UK

Yes most assuredly

[thaiduncankk]

Too bad she had the accident....hope she fully recovers and soon. But she "didn't forget" to get insurance....she just didn't want to pay for insurance. Too many young people always feel indestructible/think it will not happen to me.

Not just the young.

An astonishing number of TV members live here without insurance.

Travel insurance for a 2 week jolly is not the same thing as lifelong medical insurance.

[gomangosteen]

FCO and ABTA issue warning to young British travellers

18 June 2014

Recent research issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has identified that over 1 in 3 young travellers do not consider travel insurance to be a necessary part of planning for their trip overseas.

Statistics identified that almost half of 16-24 year olds are willing to take the risk of travelling without insurance and 42% choose to travel without it because they believe travel insurance is too expensive

Edited February 10, 2016 by gomangosteen

[Alwyn]

The problem is the tourists... not Thailand.

Insurance? No.

Experience of riding? No

Protective gear? No.

Riding in an unsafe manner? Yes.

It's clear to see who is at fault.

She was riding on the back of a bike and was hit by a truck - maybe you think the bike reversed into the truck? You know the driver was inexperienced. How? Please, tell us how protective headgear (do you know she wasn't wearing a lid?) would not have protected her legs, would it? Or were you attempting sarcasm?

[spermwhale]

This is news? Who cares? She's alive and at home.

[chrissables]

The problem is the tourists... not Thailand.

Insurance? No.

Experience of riding? No

Protective gear? No.

Riding in an unsafe manner? Yes.

It's clear to see who is at fault.

You are so wrong!

Do you need insurance to be a passenger on a motorbike? How many people jump on a motorbike taxi here in Pattaya without insurance?

Experienced in sitting on the back????

Protective gear? What would you suggest?

Riding in an unsafe manner. What a stupid remark! She was a passenger!

A truck ran into the back of them. How can you turn that into "she is wrong?"

Did you read the article prior to writing your uneducated drivel?

[bark]

It is not just the young that think they have superhuman skills. There are thousands of old foreigners here chugging around on motorbikes and I might add have developed local ways.... no helmet, taking mad chances at U turns. Not stopping and looking at a junction just drive out, not checking over the shoulder on both sides before making a move left or right...the list goes on... and the death toll rises.

Heard yesterday of a foreigner hitting a pot hole at night. 2 broken wrists, a fractured skull and a bill for 350,000 baht.....10,000 U.S.

My global insurance for health and accidents is 440 pounds a year. Not 10,000 dollars or 35,000 pounds as in the case of this young girl.

Can you tell me what company, please ?

[hottrader77]

you cannot get insurance to cover you in uk for more than 60 days when you are outside european union and most will only do 30 days , they always have in small print on the policy that you have to return to uk within a length of time if you get a 1 year policy if you dont return within a certain length of time say 60 days or 30 days then the policy is void , the insurance company love to take a ridiculous amount for the policy and then expect you to come back to uk within 30 days or 60 days then fly back out again which they know you will not do so they dont have to pay you !! but in this case the girl came for 9 months so cannot get insurance in uk for a long stretch like that , which is ridiculous this is because the longer you are out here in thailand the more chance that an accident will happen so the insurance companies in uk dont want to do it but they are ok to scam you out of about 200 pounds for a 1 year policy that does not cover you if your here longer than 60 days at a time AS USUAL ITS RIP OFF BRITAIN WHO DONT GIVE A DAM ABOUT ITS CITIZENS !!! SAME AS THE EMBASSY HERE !!

[happysanook]

Too bad she had the accident....hope she fully recovers and soon. But she "didn't forget" to get insurance....she just didn't want to pay for insurance. Too many young people always feel indestructible/think it will not happen to me.

For a measly sum of money for peace of mind, i cant feel sorry for her owing so much money.. Dont like seeing people hurt, but when will they learn, after all they would be covered in their own home...

Folks, we must be a little more informed.

I used to own several travel agencies.

Travel insurers would pay us 40% commission.

So many times I made claims for people and by far the majority never got a cent.

The excuses that I heard from the insurers were unbelievable.

One reasonable sales rep even expressed to me the as a matter of course the first claim is refused automatically in the hope it will go away.

This exactly. And coming from someone with direct experience.

I've lived in Thai for 9 years without any sort of health insurance. Not because I'm [relatively] young and think i'm indestructible, but because even if something did happen, what are the chances the insurance company will actually cover? Are there any truly reputable/no hassle insurance plans that are reasonably priced?