Aussie Suffers 'Severe Surfing Accident' in Bali, Faces $25k (AUD) Bill Due to Travel Insurance Snafu

About a week ago, Australian Ehrin Coupe was surfing Uluwatu in Bali when he suffered a “severe surfing accident, resulting in injuries to his nose and forehead.”

But what followed was the real tragedy.

Due to a miscalculation in his travel insurance policy, in which he and his wife Sarah overlooked, the costs of the medical services – an emergency surgery in Bali ($19,091 AUD) and a medical evacuation to Australia ($6079 AUD) – are still looming.

“As of Monday, Ehrin is back in Australia and is under the care of a plastic surgeon in Brisbane,” reads a GoFundMe account set to help with the bills.

“This Wednesday he is having his bandages removed and redressed where the surgeon will be able to assess the full extent of his injuries and potential path forward for recovery.

“The costs of his rehabilitation are unknown at this stage and as Ehrin is unable to work, we are seeking to raise additional funds on top of his medical expenses to support his recovery.”

At the time of publication, the GoFundMe has raised $20,551 AUD of its $30,000 goal.

As an update, Sarah revealed how she accidently missed the details of their travel insurance policy, which led to such a hefty bill.

“As some of you are aware, Ezz had a horrific surf injury this morning in Uluwatuu,” she wrote.

“Yes, we have comprehensive, top-level cover travel insurance for 12 months. However, I failed [to read] the fine print that each ‘trip’ must be maximum 60 days only. I believed we were covered for 12 months.”

Despite the snafu, it looks like friends, family, and the surf community are rallying for Coupe’s recovery. To support, check out the GoFundMe page here.

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