Adelaide family forced to pay $370,000 after insurance company denies Indonesian scooter accident claim

An Adelaide mother whose son had a scooter accident in Indonesia says she will have to pay more than $370,000 in medical bills because travel insurance will not cover the costs.

Rosslyn Gibb, from Seaford Rise, said her son, Blake Gibb, 29, was on holidays on Lembongan Island, south-east of Bali, when he crashed into a wall during a scooter ride while travelling back to his accommodation after dinner on July 19. 

“He seems to have hit the wall on the other side of the road … and cracked all of his skull, opened his brain to the elements and his two friends were just behind him and had to deal with all the consequences of that,” Ms Gibb told ABC Radio Adelaide.

Mr Gibb took out travel insurance the night before he left for Indonesia but he was not covered for scooter riding, according to Ms Gibb, which would have incurred an additional $7 a day fee.

“He obviously didn’t take enough notice of the policy either,” she said.

“[He] signed up for it thinking $3 million in medical insurance is good and that was it.

“They don’t cover scooter riding unless you pay in advance each day a special fee.

“I don’t think he was planning on riding a scooter, it was only because they were on an island where the only transport was scooters.”

After a “horrible” boat ride from the island to a Bali hospital and subsequent medevac flight back to Adelaide on July 23, Ms Gibb will have to pay costs to insurer Freely — which is a subsidiary of Cover-More — because she was a guarantor.

“I needed my son home,” she said.

“We’ll just get him home and deal with the consequences later.

“I’ve resigned myself to the fact because … they’ve sent me the page of the insurance that says, that’s what you have to pay.” 

Mr Gibb is currently at the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and underwent surgery on Monday, according to Ms Gibb.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page — that has so far raised $35,000 — to cover the medical costs that the insurance company will not cover.

“It’s a blessing, just the thought, even though it won’t ever cover it, it’s just the thought that people are so kind,” Ms Gibb said.

‘If you’re unsure, check’, CHOICE says

In a statement, Freely told the ABC that while it could not comment on individual cases, customers had the option of adding motorcycle cover when they first purchased travel insurance through its website.

“When travellers to Bali are purchasing our policy, they are presented with information specifically asking if they would like to add motorcycle/moped cover,” the statement said.

“We stress to anyone travelling overseas who is thinking about getting on a bike as a rider or passenger to consider adding motorbike cover to their travel insurance policy.”

CHOICE travel expert Jodi Bird told the ABC that it was essential people understood their travel insurance policy before they departed.

Mr Bird said activities such as hiring a car, going on a cruise, skiing, scuba diving, bungee jumping, horse riding, hot air ballooning and kayaking were “common inclusions” and required customers to pay an extra fee.

“If you’re unsure, check with your insurer,” Mr Bird said.

“If your insurer is responsive and helpful with any questions in advance, then there’s a better chance they’ll be helpful if the time comes to claim.”