Leeds man survives serious accident: raises £6k for Yorkshire Air Ambulance and highlights holiday insurance loopholes

Mark Jepson was holidaying in Zante, earlier this year, where he rented a scooter to explore the island and visit tourist attractions.

Even with more than four decades of riding experience since getting his motorbike licence in 1983, Mark faced an unforeseen accident while navigating a bend at 20mph. The incident, which Mark called “surreal”, threw the couple into the road, resulting in life-threatening injuries for Mark.

Mark said: “We were driving away from this monastery and after about half a kilometre we were going round this sweeping bend and because I’m used to riding bikes, I’m always looking for potholes and hazards.

“I didn’t see anything but suddenly the front end tucked, and we were off in a matter of milliseconds. It was surreal.”

Mark suffered from broken ribs, a fractured scapula, and a punctured lung, leading to subcutaneous emphysema. Fortunately, Carol only suffered from minor injuries, in comparison.

In a twist of fate, the couple was found by two American holiday-makers who happened to both work in healthcare and the pair managed to get the injured couple to a local hospital.

This is where things took a turn for Mark, doctors at the Greek hospital recommended that the couple approach their insurance company to arrange medical repatriation back to the UK.

However, the couple were shocked to learn that their insurance was void, following a clause on page 81 of their insurance policy, explaining they were only insured to ride a 125cc bike, unlike the 200cc bike they had hired during their trip. Subsequently, their appeal was declined.

Despite Mark's medical expenses being covered by his GHIC card, the couple then faced huge costs for Carol including her accommodation, food, travel to and from the hospital, as well as their return flights to the UK.

Mark would also need help from an ICU nurse to make a safe journey home. Subsequently, the turned to crowdfunding, through GoFundMe, to help with the growing expenses.

Through the GoFundMe, £22,455 was raised and when they returned to the UK in August and decided to donate the remaining £6,500 to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Mark explained her was “overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity” of everyone who supported them.

“Yorkshire Air Ambulance plays a crucial role in saving lives, and we wanted to express our gratitude by donating the remaining funds from the campaign,” he said, “It's our way of giving back and helping others who might find themselves in similar circumstances. We are thankful for the support we received and glad to contribute to such a vital cause."

In November, the couple visited the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Nostell Air Base in Wakefield to present the crew with a cheque for the funds they had donated, thanking them for their work across the region.

Critical Care HEMS Paramedic, Stewart Ashburner-Mcmanus, who was pleased to meet the couple at the Air Support Unit said: "It has been a pleasure to meet Mark and Carol and learn more about their story, I am pleased to hear that Mark has made a full recovery as it sounds like he was in some serious trouble at the time of the accident.”

Following the incident, Mark and Carol are now trying to raise awareness of loopholes that may be in holiday insurance policies, emphasising the importance of thoroughly reviewing insurance documents to ensure adequate coverage while travelling.

As part of their mission, they are scheduled to appear on the upcoming series of BBC’s Rip Off Britain, January 2024, with the goal to prevent others from encountering similar circumstances to theirs by promoting awareness and understanding of insurance policies.