Brit couple left with £20K hospital bill after moped crash on holiday

A British couple who suffered serious injuries following a moped crash abroad have been left with a £20,000 hospital bill after insurers said they were not covered. Darren Webb, 34, and Danielle Davies, 30, were both taken to hospital after the crash on the first day of their holiday to Marmaris, Turkey, last month.

The couple from Morecambe, Lancashire, claimed their insurance company Admiral will not cover their treatment costs because their policy did not account for crashes involving bikes. Ms Davies said the couple decided to hire the moped as they thought it would be the "easiest way to get about" during their holiday. "The last thing that I remember before the crash was having something to eat in a restaurant, before getting back on the bike," she said as she recalled the day of the accident.

"The next thing I knew, I was waking up in hospital surrounded by doctors. It was the most petrifying thing that's ever happened to me in my life.

"There was also a language barrier and I just remember asking, "where's Darren?" He was in ICU, but I'd had a bang to the head so I didn't really know what was happening.

"I was crying and everything was a blur. It was very scary, I was basically on my own in a foreign country."

Her boyfriend Mr Webb suffered a bleed on the brain, punctured lung and broken arm, foot, ribs and jaw.

He stayed in hospital for 10 days before discharging himself and making his way back home to the UK by coach - a 2,560-mile journey.

"He had to travel for five and a half days on a coach, because he wasn't able to get on a plane without a fit to fly certificate," said Ms Davies.

"The doctors in Turkey wanted him to have the operations there, but that would've added another £15,000 to the bill."

Ms Davies was found to have suffered a puncture lung and muscle damage after being seen by doctors on her return to the UK.

She said she is still in pain and had to leave belongings in Turkey as she was in "no fit state" to bring suitcases back herself following the accident.

The 30-year-old said it is "quite scary" to think about the £20,000 bill, describing it as "a lot of money".

She added: "Before I went on holiday, I was saving for a house. I'd saved enough money for a deposit, but I've had to use it to help Darren get home.

"The experience has put me off going on holiday again - you just don't expect something like this to happen."

An Admiral spokesperson said they understood the couple were injured after riding the moped without the correct licence and training while Mr Webb was under the influence of alcohol.

Ms Davies said blood tests showed he was under the legal limit.

Admiral said the couple's claim had been assessed by using police reports, investigator insights, witness accounts and photos from the scene.

The insurer said Ms Davies was not wearing a helmet, which she confirmed but said this was not provided by the hire company.

"The claim wasn't covered because Mr Webb and Miss Davies knowingly undertook this risky activity whilst Mr Webb was intoxicated, and it was foreseeable that doing so would result in serious injury," the spokesperson added.