West Yorkshire biker's warning to travellers after insurance row

• Video report by Helen Steel

A biker who crashed on a Greek island is urging holidaymakers to check their travel insurance after he had to raise £22,000 to pay for his treatment due to a clause on page 81 of his policy.

Mark Jepson, an experienced motorcyclist from Castleford, was left with life-changing injuries including broken ribs, a fractured scapula and a punctured lung after crashing a hired scooter on Zante last year.

But he was told his insurance would not cover hospital treatment or the cost of flying him home due to a clause buried in the small print.

Mr Jepson, 60, said: "We have had people who've said 'fancy not reading the policy'. Come on, who genuinely reads 93 pages?

"You'd be taking it on the beach for your holiday reading sat on the beach still reading your insurance policy."

Mr Jepson and his wife, Carol, were both travelling on the scooter when it skidded on 27 July. An off-duty paramedic found them and rushed them to hospital.

Mrs Jepson's injuries were minor but she said she was worried her husband would die.

"At that point I thought this is it, we're going to lose him," she said.

"Because he was just saying 'I've never felt so ill.' He was actually struggling to breathe."

Mr Jepson said: "I just thought, this is it isn't it? I'm checking out in the back of a Fiat Panda in Zante."

Doctors advised the couple to approach their insurance company to arrange repatriation to the UK, but were told their policy was void due to a clause on page 81.

The company, Essential Travel, rejected the claim as their insurance only covered bikes with an engine size below 125cc, which did not apply to the 200cc vehicle they had hired.

Instead the couple had to fundraise to cover the expenses of returning to the UK for treatment.

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A GoFundMe page raised £22,455 which left £6,640 spare.

The couple said that they decided to donate the remaining money to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Mrs Jepson said: "We were in tears. People [were] being so generous and kind. From the beginning we said if we get anything over and above we will contribute that to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.'' 

In a statement, Essential Travel said: "The exclusion regarding coverage for motorbikes with engine sizes exceeding 125cc was clearly stated on page 81 of the policy wording.

"While we deeply regret the customer's injuries and empathise with their situation, it is crucial to emphasise that policyholders have a responsibility to thoroughly review their policy documents and understand the coverage limitations before embarking on their journeys."

The company said it believes experienced riders "should be aware of the distinctions between different engine sizes and the licensing requirements associated with them."

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