A British mum has vowed never to go abroad again after breaking her back in a quad bike crash, with her insurance refusing to cover the £28,000 medical bills. Diane Steadman was on a two-week holiday in Skiathos, Greece, in September with her partner Mick Raftery, using a quad bike to visit different beaches.
On the final day of their £2,200 trip, September 11, as they were returning the vehicle to the rental company, the 61-year-old claims a car crashed into them from behind. The collision threw them from the road. While Mick escaped with cuts and bruising, Diane sustained two fractured vertebrae in her spine and believed she was "going to die".
Insurance gap leaves couple with huge costs
Given the severity of her injuries, Diane and Mick assumed their travel insurance would provide cover. However, they discovered it did not, leaving Diane, a carer and mum-of-two, unable to meet the £40,000 cost of surgery. She was forced to secure a £28,000 loan to fund an air ambulance journey back home on September 30.
Mick stated: "Check your insurance before you rent a quad bike. We were mistaken in thinking insurance covered quad bikes too."
Recalling the accident and its aftermath
Recalling the initial accident, which saw her transported first by ambulance then by helicopter to mainland Greece, Diane remembered: "All I remember is waking up on the road. He [the car driver] wasn't watching the road and didn't have time to slow down. I was in and out of consciousness. I didn't have the energy to speak to anybody when I woke up. I tried to be strong, but I'm so frightened, I feel like I'm going to die."
While she remains in limbo awaiting surgery to repair her back, Diane has firmly stated she has no plans to venture overseas again. She said: "It's just been one thing after another, I will not be going abroad again, no way. Mick has been brave and tried to put a smile on my face. I'm scared of the operation, everyone is telling me it's going to be okay."
Warning to travellers and fundraising effort
Alongside urging travellers to thoroughly examine their travel insurance arrangements before departing, Mick has set up a GoFundMe page to assist with the financial burden following the crash. During busy holiday periods, particularly throughout the summer months, British holidaymakers are regularly reminded by insurers to ensure adequate cover against unforeseen circumstances.
