Woman faces mammoth bill after horror accident in Indonesia

While on her way to dinner, the unthinkable happened to Amanda Blair. And now, a small oversight has meant she could be slapped with tens of thousands in bills.

A real estate agent is facing mammoth bills while she lays in an ICU bed with serious head and lung injuries, after a scooter ride in Indonesia went horribly wrong.

Despite taking out insurance for her travels, Christchurch real estate agent Amanda Blair will likely be left tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket all because of one small mistake.

Ms Blair was on the island of Lombok and on her way to dinner when she was thrown from her scooter. The impact broke ribs, punctured her lung and resulted in severe lacerations to the right side of her body.

According to the New Zealand Herald, Ms Blair required emergency surgery at Siloam Hospital in Mataram, where the hospital bill is now nearing $20,000.

Cameron Mitchell is by his partner Amanda Blair's side as she recovers from a scooter accident.

While Ms Blair had taken out travel insurance, her partner Cameron Mitchell made the gut-wrenching discovery that their policy only covered scooter hires with engines of 50cc and under. The moped Ms Blair was on, was 125cc.

Speaking to the Herald, Ms Blair’s sister Ashleigh Sergent said the real estate agent was “thrown from the scooter” and is now “a mess” in intensive care.

“She has a breathing pump connected to her lungs to keep her alive,” Ms Sergent said.

“Cam is a real mess, he’s under a lot of stress.

“It’s a struggle with the language barrier to know exactly what is happening,” she said.

“Even when she is eventually out of hospital we don’t know when she will be able to fly or if she will be able to go on a normal flight.”

Amanda Blair is well-known in Christchurch as the owner of Ray White Marshlands.

It is understood at the time of hiring the scooters, Ms Blair and Mr Mitchell were unaware that their bike exceeded what was covered by their travel insurance.

According to 1Cover in Australia, if you only hold a current Australian Drivers licence, the insurer will offer cover for medical expenses related to mopeds and scooters with an engine size no greater than 50cc. This coverage only takes effect if the riders Australian Driver’s licence is accepted in the country you are riding in.

The insurer stipulates that cover “will not be provided to you if you are a passenger on a moped, scooter or motorcycle with the person in control not having a valid motorcycle licence valid for the country you are travelling in.”

“It is compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike or scooter in many countries including Bali, Cambodia and Thailand,” the insurer says.

There are strict guidelines when taking out insurance if you intend to ride a scoote or moped.

It is understood that anything above 50cc requires the rider to hold a valid motorcycle licence to be insured.

Mr Mitchell wishes that Indonesia banned any vehicle over 50cc for tourists, so this nightmare doesn’t happen to any other visitor.

Last year, an Australian man was slapped with more than $370,000 in medical fees after he fell off a motorcycle while on a holiday with friends in Bali.

30-year-old Blake Gibb, from Adelaide, was holidaying with two friends in Indonesia’s Lombongan Island when the horror incident unfolded.

Mr Gibb had been riding a scooter when he overshot a turn and slammed into a cement wall.

The accident resulted in some horrific injuries, including emergency lifesaving surgeries.

But because he didn’t add the $7 motorcycle coverage policy when selecting his travel insurance, his family had to foot the bill to the tune of almost $400,000.

Family and friends of Ms Blair have created a GiveALittle page (similar to GoFundMe) to raise funds to cover her growing medical bills.

With a target of $25,000, the fundraising has almost reached half way, with supporters telling the real estate agent to “hang in there” and “praying for a speedy recovery”.