A Welshman traveling the world has been left facing a medical bill worth thousands after he fractured his skull in a horror motorbike crash. Adam Davies, 28, from Pembrokeshire was badly injured after the collision on the island of Ko Tao in Thailand but a tiny detail in his travel insurance meant he was left without cover.
Now, his sister Jess Adams has urged other backpackers to double check their travel insurance documents and to read the small print. Adam is still being treated in a hospital in Koh Samui and his parents have flown out to be with him. Thanks to "overwhelming" support from friends, family, and the local community in their home village of Dinas the family have managed to raise £22,000 which will help cover his soaring expenses following the Boxing Day crash.
Jess, 30, said that while her brother had worldwide travel insurance with Lloyds his policy did not cover medical expenses for any period away after 31 days. As he regained consciousness in a Thai hospital he was told that because he'd been in Thailand for longer than 31 days without a break his insurance was void.
Although he has little memory of the crash itself Jess said he was driving a scooter on the tiny island and must have lost control as he came around a bend. Adam was left with fractures to his skull, bleeding on the brain, a punctured lung, broken ribs, a broken clavicle, a broken scapula, and a fractured ankle. He can't fly home for another three weeks at least and his parents Graham and Alison have flown out to be with him.
Jess has managed to raise £20,000 for her brother through an online fundraising page but she is urging other travellers to be more cautious. "He had an insurance policy which enabled him to travel worldwide – that's how it was sold," she said. "But it would only insure him for one country for 31 consecutive days."
The siblings are very close and travelled around Asia together three years ago. But Adam has the "travel bug" and works all summer to fund his adventures around the world through the winter. He'd been in Thailand for 38 days when he crashed. So far the family have been charged around £12,000 to cover his hospital stay. They estimate it to be costing around £700 per day and expect him to remain in hospital for a further 10 days or so.
Any monies not used for Adam's hospital treatment will be returned to the generous community which has left the whole family stunned. "It was just crazy," said Jess after she reached her target in just 24 hours. "We were just overwhelmed by the support from people all over the world and especially our community. It's such a small place but they just came together and helped out. It was phenomenal. We just think: 'How could we ever pay them back?'."
The family aren't blaming the insurance company for not paying out but do hope they can encourage more people to read the small print. A Lloyds Bank spokesman said: "We would always encourage customers looking to travel abroad for an extended period of time to check the terms and conditions of their insurance, whether that's been provided through their bank account or purchased separately. Most providers, including Lloyds Bank, will make it clear what is covered under your policy when you first take it out and send annual reminders to make sure it remains suitable for you."
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