Motorbike insurance in Samui

I had a Facebook message from a friend yesterday about his proposed trip here in a few months time. He said he’d just watch a BBC (TV station in the UK) documentary about motorbike insurance in Samui.

My immediate reaction was to laugh at him, instead I just wrote back, ‘motorbike insurance and Thailand don’t go together.’ When anyone hires a motorbike here, like the little twist-and-go or the semi automatic with no clutch, it is very unlikely to be insured against theft damage or anything else for that matter.

It will in many cases have the Thai compulsory insurance which comes with the tax each year and will be a bright sticker on the bike. However, if the bike was to be stolen while you are hiring it, it will be your responsibility to pay for the cost of a new one to the owners. There is no way out of this, you won’t be able to leave the country.

How unfair, true, but alas this is Thailand and it is hard to gain fully comprehensive insurance for something that can be wheeled away or picked up and chucked on the back of a truck so easily.

What did annoy me about this show was, so I’m told, the undercover reporters asked tourists why they weren’t wearing helmets! My god, Koh Samui must have one of the highest death rates for motorcyclists in the world for the size. It doesn’t look cool, but your head looks a lot better in one piece inside a helmet that splattered all over the floor!

If you hire a motorbike, ask for a chain and lock, a helmet for each person and make sure you park it in a safe place. And for the sake of your family, don’t drink and drive!