Travel Insurance Horror Stories
And how to avoid having GoFundMe page with your name on it.
Dr Cliff Kapano Gets Lucky
In 2018, the Hawaiian scientist/surfer Dr. Cliff Kapono was mixing coral reef mapping with getting barrelled in the remote Western Pacific. After the wave of his trip, on the next wave he hit the reef, lacerated his head, burst his eardrum, and hit his spine. “I got X-rays and a CT scan, and they told me I’d broken my neck in three places, but I had no spinal cord damage.” The initial medivac and other expenses came to $20,000. “I had just purchased a year-long travel health insurance package from the Diver’s Alert Network, which for just $35 covered it all,” he said. “My only advice is always purchase travel insurance before a surf trip. If you can afford a surf trip, you can afford the insurance. Oh, and if you get the best wave of your trip, maybe go in.”
Keoki Saguibo’s Debt Write Off
In another, “just one more” case, Hawaiian photographer Keoki Saguibo told his friends he would catch one last wave at pumping Nias after an epic session. That wave sent him into the coral reef, where after unbearable pain, he lost his vision, then his consciousness. He was lucky that experienced lifeguards were on hand to save his life, but he had to be airlifted from the island to Singapore for emergency medical treatment. The flight alone cost $27,000, and the medical bills were a multiple of that. “I now always get travel insurance with every trip,” said Saguibo. “It’s one of the key elements to have as a traveling surfer that you don’t pack in your luggage. If I didn’t have travel insurance, I would still be in debt trying to pay it off.”
Tom Lowe Bad Wipeout Worse Cover
In 2023, UK charger Tom Lowe wiped out surfing macking Teahupo’o. He hit the reef and suffered internal bleeding, a fractured scapula, and six broken ribs. The trained lifeguard somehow paddled to shore and walked up the beach to get assistance. An ambulance took him to a local doctor, where he was airlifted to the hospital to have surgery and a blood transfusion. The medical bill was close to $40,000, and he had to stay for at least two weeks in Tahiti, which was expensive. “I had the worst insurance ever, which is something I’ll never do again,” Lowe said afterwards. He hadn’t read the fine print, and his policy didn’t cover the travel adventure component. “I was so lucky Greg Long set up a GoFundMe page, and through everyone’s generosity, I could just about pay the bills. But with proper travel insurance, I wouldn’t have needed anyone’s help. That’s the lesson. That, and making the drop.”
Good Cover / Read The Fine Print
In another lesson in reading the fine print, Australian ripper Ehrin “Ezza” Coupe was surfing small Uluwatu when a headbutt to the reef caused severe injuries to his nose and forehead. Serious enough to be deemed life-threatening, Coupe was at least covered for what was called a “staggering” mountain of medical bills. Until his wife read the terms of their policy. While he had comprehensive, top-level cover travel insurance for 12 months, they hadn’t realised that each ‘trip’ must be a maximum of 60 days only. Coupe had been in Bali longer than two months and wasn’t covered. Again, friends rallied to his aid and paid the bills through crowdfunding, but it’s a solution that no one ever wants to go through.
Sam Houriagn and Bali Technicalities
Bali might be the insurance horror story hot spot. And not all surf trip injuries occur in the surf. Last year Australian free dive champion Sam Hourigan was the victim of a hit-and-run accident on the Padang-Padang bridge whilst riding a scooter. He was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, and doctors removed his spleen in a life-saving procedure. Whilst in intensive care and facing a medical bill of over $40,000, his travel insurance denied his claim due to a technicality. Most travel insurance policies require you to have a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to your normal driver’s license. The IDP should have a motorcycle endorsement if you plan to ride scooters. Houriagn survived, but may never free dive again.
Want to Avoid A GoFundMe Page?
Waterways has partnered with Global Rescue to offer travelers the industry’s most complete travel insurance, specifically designed for adventure travelers. The insurance covers financial reimbursement for trip interruptions and medical coverage. The Global Rescue then adds integrated medical, security, travel risk, and crisis response services, including travel and medical advisory and emergency evacuation. The 24/7 advisers will deal with everything from a lost passport to medical guidance from our in-house experts to managing your rescue and medical evacuation, should the worst occur. Don’t be a travel insurance horror story