British Mother Faces £28,000 Medical Bill After Quad Bike Accident in Greece Due to Incorrect Travel Insurance

A British mother is facing a £28,000 medical bill after breaking her back in a quad bike accident in Greece, only to discover her travel insurance did not cover such activities. Diane Steadman was on holiday in Skiathos, Greece, in September when a car collided with the quad bike she was riding with her partner, Mick Raftery.

The incident occurred on September 11, the final day of their two-week trip. Steadman, 61, claims the car crashed into them from behind, causing the quad bike to spin and ejecting both her and Raftery. While Raftery sustained minor injuries, Steadman landed with enough force to break two vertebrae.

She was taken to an emergency medical center by ambulance and later transferred to the Greek mainland for pain management. Steadman had believed her travel insurance would cover the incident, but her provider informed her that quad bike activities were excluded from her policy.

Unable to afford a £40,000 operation, Steadman borrowed £28,000 to arrange an air ambulance to fly back to the UK on September 30. She is now awaiting surgery in a hospital bed.

Diane pictured in a hospital bed in the UK, where she awaits surgery on her back

Steadman described the fear and shock of the accident, recalling waking up on the road and the difficulty she had speaking due to her injuries. She expressed profound fear about the upcoming operation and stated she would not travel abroad again.

Raftery is now urging other holidaymakers to thoroughly check the terms and conditions of their travel insurance policies before engaging in activities like quad biking. "Check your insurance before you rent a quadbike. We were mistaken in thinking insurance covered quadbikes too," he advised.

Diane and Mick believed their holiday insurance covered quadbikes, but only realised once they tried to claim that they weren't

This incident follows a report of another British father who incurred a £30,000 medical bill during a holiday in Spain after failing to disclose a pre-existing illness on his insurance.

A GoFundMe page has been established to assist Steadman and Raftery with their accumulated medical and travel expenses.

British Mother Faces £28,000 Medical Bill After Quad Bike Accident in Greece Due to Incorrect Travel Insurance

Diane Steadman sustained a broken back in a collision and discovered her insurance policy did not cover quad bike activities, leading to significant out-of-pocket expenses.

Sources