Bali tourist told to pay £200,000 after £3 insurance 'mistake'

Apr 29, 2024

Blake Gibbs suffered a traumatic brain injury while on holiday in Bali and claims his insurers won't pay

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A tourist on holiday in the Indonesia island province of Bali has allegedly been ordered to pay around £200,000 after a £3 insurance mistake. Blake Gibbs suffered a traumatic brain injury while on holiday on Lembongan Island, but he claims his insurers are refusing to pay out for his medical bill.

Enjoying a trip with two friends on July 20, Gibbs decided to take a scooter excursion. During the ride, he claims he missed a right turn and hurtled into a cement wall - resulting in a number of skull fractures.

The traveller, who comes from Australia, then slipped into a coma and was reportedly kept alive by his friends manually pumping oxygen for hours until they got to hospital. Gibbs received emergency surgery at Bali's International Medical Centre, where he claims he was given a 20 per cent chance of survival and once stable, he was then flown home in a medical evacuation.

Gibbs says he was loaned money to cover medical expenses by his travel insurance company, Freely by Cover-More, 7NEWS.com.au reports. But now, he claims the company want to be paid back, as Gibbs' insurance did not include motorcycle cover, which would have cost around £3 per day.

Gibbs' mother, Rosslyn Gibbs, said she always took out family travel insurance to cover accidents like this, but now wondered she bothered. "They informed us [four] days ago that his claims were denied," Rosslyn wrote on a GoFundMe page she created to raise money for the medical bills.

The family say they have been told there is a long road ahead and that his recovery will take several months. So far, the GoFundMe has raised $54,707 AUD of a $370,000 (£190,000) target.

Some insurance companies do require you to pay extra if you intend to use motorcycles or scooters abroad. This is because tourists are more commonly involved in these types of accidents abroad than locals and at home.

UK insurance comparison company Compare The Market recommends reading the fine print in your travel insurance policy before heading off. On its website, it states: "If your travel insurance does include hiring a motorcycle abroad, it may only cover bikes, mopeds and scooters with an engine size of under 125cc.

"So if you're looking to ride something more powerful, you may need specialist cover." Freely by Cover-More has been approached for comment.