Reading fireman’s post again, it’s not clear whether his injuries and subsequent extended stay in hospital were caused through a serious accident on his motorcycle at all. For all anyone knows, he was run over strolling across the road or maybe he accidentally fell down the stairs? Similarly, it’s very far from clear as to whether and how his motorcycle was damaged, if at all.
Many ‘repatriation’ (a term most usually applied to human bodies, not vehicles which are most often ‘recovered’) policies limit the cost of ‘recovery’ to a percentage of the vehicle’s value. In short and by way of simple example only, do not expect an insurer to spend £2000 recovering a £1000 vehicle across Europe. Similarly, read the policy. A crash - or for that matter, a theft - is not a mechanical breakdown, though some insurers will try to help out where and if they can.
A personal accident travel policy (subject to terms) will often (but not always) respond to personal injuries - up to and including death - the insured person suffers as a result of an accident on a motorcycle. They do not, as a rule, extend to include the mechanical breakdown of, or damage to, a vehicle, for which you need a European breakdown cover AND a fully comprehensive motor policy.
We regularly hear stories on this site where bods risk not having travel insurance, foolish in the extreme. We also read about bods expecting their mechanical breakdown insurance (or their conventional motor policy) to cover every eventuality and, not least, we also read about bods unwilling (or blankly refusing) to claim under their motor policy “as it will cost me money at next renewal, mate” and trying to ram claims through another insurance policy - where the event is not insured - and then complaining that it’s not paid.
In short:
1. Read and understand what insurance you have bought
2. For decent insurance abroad, you need as a minimum:
a. A suitable fully comprehensive Motor policy
b. A suitable personal accident Travel policy
c. A suitable mechanical breakdown and recovery policy
With those three, read and fully understood - ensuring that they meet YOUR needs (as opposed to some bloke who says on UKGSer that his was well cheap as it were free from his bank but I’ve never claimed, mate) - and you should be reasonably OK. In other words, do some work BEFORE the event, as sure as hell you’ll be doing plenty afterwards, sometimes miles from home and in a hospital bed. Then claim under the correct policy, that is why you bought the policies and paid the premiums in the first place.