Bikini beauty breaks nose; insurance company pays claim

Mashrukh Khan: It was supposed to be a relaxing holiday in the sun-drenched streets of Athens. Instead, one unlucky British tourist ended up with a broken nose, a bruised ego, and a story that has been making insurance underwriters laugh for years.

According to multiple travel insurance industry reports, the young British holidaymaker was strolling through the Greek capital when a group of bikini-clad women suddenly appeared in his line of sight. Distracted by the unexpected summer spectacle, he failed to notice the solid bus shelter right in front of him. He walked straight into it, breaking his nose in the process.

Rather than hiding the embarrassing truth, the tourist submitted a refreshingly honest travel insurance claim. He explained that the “unexpected appearance of a group of bikini-clad women” had been the real cause of the accident. In a move that has since become legendary in quirky-claims folklore, the insurers agreed that the distraction was sufficiently legitimate under their accidental injury policy. They paid the full hospital bill without hesitation.

Insurance experts say the payout hinged on the policy’s broad coverage for medical expenses caused by accidents during a trip. There was no exclusion for “distraction by attractive passers-by,” so the company honored the claim. No compensation was offered, however, for the tourist’s dented pride.

For the unnamed Brit, the holiday probably ended with a sore face and a good story to tell back home. For the rest of us, it serves as a timely reminder: when travelling in sunny places, keep one eye on the pavement… no matter how good the view might be.