Due to the Australian man’s reluctance to tick the box for the USD 7 motorbike protection on his travel insurance, he was forced to pay USD 370,000 after his scooter crashed in Bali. Blake Gibbs, an Adelaide resident, went to Lembongan Island in Bali, Indonesia, with two of his close friends earlier this year. While there, he overshot a corner and collided with a cement wall on his motorbike.
The Australian man was taken to Bali’s International Medical Centre after suffering several skull fractures, where he was placed into a coma and battled for his life. After an emergency surgery and while still in a life-threatening state, Gibbs was transported home from Bali’s International Medical Centre.
The Australian man’s mother, Rosslyn Gibbs, was shocked to discover that her son’s travel insurance did not cover the USD 200,000 medical procedure, which led to a reminder always to read the tiny print on your insurance.
“They told you [to] get insurance, get insurance, so you do and you expect that insurance to actually cover you and it doesn’t,” Rosslyn Gibbs said to local Australian news. “I had to sign that if they said no, I would be responsible for the bills.”
According to the fine print, Gibbs’ travel insurance needed an extra USD 7 plan to cover scooter or motorbike coverage; thus, coverage for any incidents involving one was excluded.
Rosslyn Gibbs stated, “He could have easily paid it as it was only a few dollars for the insurance.”
The family is relying on GoFundMe in a last-ditch effort to gather money to pay the USD 370,000 medical costs for the Australian man. Gibbs continues to receive intensive treatment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and will require several months of rehabilitation before being transferred to another ward in a few weeks. His mother is still optimistic that he will recover completely.
Rosslyn Gibbs said, “He does tiny things every day like he can squeeze your hand or give you the thumbs up.”
Rosslyn Gibbs is stepping out to encourage people to take travel insurance and carefully review it to ensure that it covers all potential risks.
“Please, please check your insurance papers thoroughly before you leave the country,” Rosslyn Gibbs said.
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