Exploring Thailand

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

Don't forget that The Nation are very often wreckless with facts. A total of 80k with O-A,retirement O and extensions based on retirement could be correct. Then I also think that the minister doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.

Yes. It's very sloppy reporting. As you say, who are they including in "seeking long stay"? He's the Deputy Minister of Health so probably does have a very detailed knowledge of the different types of visa.

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure but I think said non immigrant visas. It don't think there are 80k people on a OA visa in the the country.

Not sure where that number came from. I don't think immigration could supply such a number.

6 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

I'll stand to be corrected Joe, but I think it was in a recent statement made by the deputy Public Health Minister.

This article mentioned 80,000 people "seeking long stay".

9 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Keep thinking!

If you cancelled your policy you would effectively be in an overstay position.

Of course. I'm not suggesting that anyone do it, or that it would be legal.  They intend that you have insurance, not just that you buy it. I'm just pointing out that for those that way inclined, it looks like a loophole. I'm sure if anyone did it and got caught they would be in very hot water.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Sounds more like probably to me after immigration reads your post. Also aren't these insurance deals typically pay the entire year in advance?

Bear in mind that the insurance companies would have to report all cancellations, because they don't know whether the policy was use for an O-A or not. If Immigration have good computer systems, the checking should be straight-forward. I think most, or at least some, of the policies allow you to cancel within a certain period without penalty, providing you have claimed.

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Perhaps as a means of preventing someone on an O-A entry pursuing an extension immediately after entering the kingdom, and cancelling their insurance? Even if that is possible. Other than that I don't see why it is there.

I think the idea of cancelling your insurance is a viable loophole for anyone that way inclined. Get your insurance. Apply for the O-A, during which process your passport will be annotated to confirm that you have insurance, enter the kingdom, cancel your insurance. Your passport, which is what the IOs check, will still show that you have insurance.  The authorities could require all insurance companies to notify them whenever one of their policies is cancelled, but that sound doubtful to me.

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

I'd like to know which company offers 13mil at 50% , the Thai company's are offering basic complient at 22k....really only 11k premium for 13mil?

I asked Saltire the same question. He is with Health Care International

On 10/13/2019 at 1:44 PM, Saltire said:

Thanks for the info, I will check the link.

 

I am with Health Care International (HCI) I can't recommend or otherwise as I have luckily never had to claim. Been with them 5 years and at 65 soon, better staying with them than changing in my opinion. Not sure if they would honour it, but they say if there is no claim based on my pre-existing conditions in the first 3 years of cover, they put a moritorium in place and would 'consider' covering them.

7 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Absolutely 100% not. Are you a tour guide? ???? 

OK. No worries. If you're not, you're not.  I'm not trying to be confrontational, just curious.  I'm not a tour guide, btw, nor am I ever likely be one ????

5 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

I won't comment any further until there is a concrete link I can post. That would be pointless and start another argument. Suffice to say though, I am not the only one pointing to this route. I caught a cold before with this O-A visa and particularly with the E visa news. It actually happened rather later than I said it would. I am not aware of anything changing with the way Thailand Elite operates at this time.

Are you in some way associated with Thailand Elite?

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

No policies listed in the longstay.tgia website

 

Only companies listed.

 

You can get any policy that any of those companies will issue you that meets the 400/40 requirement.

 

I just wanted to check that you are aware that Pacific Cross offers more policies than those that you see when you follow the link from longstay.tgia. If you go to the menu you will find other policies which appear to meet the 400/40 requirement, though the 40 part is a little muddy.

2 hours ago, watgate said:

Sheryl- When I click on your link it says"This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. Please install an app or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Apps Settings page".  I have no idea what they are referring to. I don't have Word so can that possibly be the reason why I can't open up your link? Any info would be appreciated.

Here is an online copy  http://bit.ly/2pgEbCM

6 hours ago, Maestro said:

I am not confused, but astonished. He exposes himself as another lawyer who does not know to interpret a Police Order correctly, a lawyer who mistakenly believes that an application for a permissions to stay and an application for an extension of permission to stay are the same. Sadly, he does not allow comments on his video and therefore nobody can set him right.

There are currently 94 comments on his video. If you want to set him straight, have at it!

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Be very careful with those historical contracts.

Because when those insurances are not often sold anymore than the average age of the insured people in those contracts is going up all the time. And that means the cost for the insurance for that contract goes up. And that means renewing them will likely get a lot more expensive compared to other contracts which have also lots of young people covered. 

Actually, he was just using  the term "historical" in the context of that thread. By "historical" he means the policies they have had available on their website for a long time, as opposed to the ones that are linked to from the www.longstay.tgia.org. The "historical" policies "Standard", "Premiere", "Maxima","Ultima" are much better value than the OA-specific ones, "Platinum1/2/3".

Thanks that's very interesting, and a bit of culture shock coming from the UK. As far as I know, in the UK, the privacy of your medical record is sacrosanct, but then there is usually no need for an insurance company to want to look at, unless you have private insurance.

33 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And be aware that health insurance companies talk to each other. If you wrote in one application form you have a heart problem and you get rejected and then you apply at another company and don't mention your condition that is a bad idea and likely a reason to throw you out.

 

In general about preexisting conditions: Insurance companies ask about your medical history. And in bad cases they might not insure you at all or they exclude preexisting conditions. But if they insure you that does not mean all is fine.

Because if you have some expensive bill, maybe years later, then at that time the health company might start digging if you had anything previously which you maybe didn't mention in the application form. And then, years later, they might tell you that they don't pay for the invoice which you just sent them. And in bad cases they will throw you out completely because you didn't tell them the whole truth. But obviously they keep the money which you paid over the last years.

 

Just curious as to how they dig. Say you have an operation. Assuming that the hospital has records showing that it is a preexisting illness, or is able to deduce that it is, will the hospital report that information to the insurance company?

4 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

You mean that someone (agent, officer?) will print a stamp in your passport lying about the fact that you have a valid insurance ? 

I don't see that happening. To risky for them IMHO.

No idea. I don't know how the agents do what they do. I don't understand how they can get extensions for people who don't have the required funds. Those people end up with a stamp in their passport confirming that they have met the requirements (i.e. they get the extension).

4 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Simple?

And at your first trip outside Thailand, what will you show to the Airport Immigration Officer when you will want to re-enter in Thailand ?... 

You show them the annotation on your passport confirming that you have the required insurance, the same annotation that appears on the passports of people who actually bought the required insurance. No one has to show insurance papers at the point of entry.

17 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Thanks for the info, I will check the link.

 

I am with Health Care International (HCI) I can't recommend or otherwise as I have luckily never had to claim. Been with them 5 years and at 65 soon, better staying with them than changing in my opinion. Not sure if they would honour it, but they say if there is no claim based on my pre-existing conditions in the first 3 years of cover, they put a moritorium in place and would 'consider' covering them.

Thanks. I'll check them out. "Consider" is a typical insurer's word, but at least it's better than "no"!

5 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Thanks for this, I wsa hoping someone would do this ????

 

This confirms that everage premium for these policies, for me is about 90K Baht for very low, inadequate cover. My current UK International policy covers me for 13 million Baht , for half the premium. If this ever gets applied to extensions of stay I will need to ask them to add out patient cover and hope my insurance company will sign the certification form.

Do you mind sharing which UK company you're with?

You might also want to check out this post by a representative of one of the companies in the Spreadsheet (Pacific Cross). He seems to be saying that he will be possible to use their other policies (he refers to them as "historical") which are slightly more expensive than the ones in the spreadsheet, but offer ten-times or more the cover.

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Sheryl, the above posted link isn't working for me, when I try to access it.

 

You have to remove do=edit from the end.  Try this one

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

If I read this correctly only existing policy holders can add 10K to get 40K OPD. Which is still very valuable. Bit it does nto indicate that same can be done with the full range of products. Need to get this clarified.

It is confusing. I think he is talking about people who have a policy which includes OPD but opted to forego it in favour of a discount. But even those policies don't specifically mention 40k. None of their packages have that.  Their outpatient benefits are defined in terms of treatments, not cost. 

So it does sound like they have some kind of bolt-on package that can be purchased for 10k. Hopefully, he will be back after the holidays to explain exactly who can buy it.

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Here's the link to the full post by the Pacific Cross agent or rep explaining about their adding outpatient coverage provision, that their regular policies are going to be accepted for meeting the O-A requirement, and their policy writing rules for different ages...

And I notice the guy who started that thread is saying that the insurance requirement will be extended to all non-Immigrant visas.

1 hour ago, Lovethailandelite said:

There will be an announcement over the coming weeks regarding Health Insurance being a mandatory requirement for ALL Non Immigrant visa extensions.

14 hours ago, villagefarang said:

Chiangrai is more about the mountain life than the nightlife, in my opinion. This is where I was today.

 

Stunning.

21 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Prior post in another thread some time back, PC rep specifically said you could not do this (add 40k OPD to existing plan) and that this was why they had had to create new plans. Maybe this has since changed. Perhaps@PacificCrossInsurance could clarify and provide details (how to do it, premium cist implications).

He says 10,000 for existing clients. Presumably new clients could add it at the time of purchase.

On 10/11/2019 at 12:03 PM, Thaivisa Health Protect said:

For clients that have an existing policy with outpatient removed, PCHI has the option to add 40,000 THB of outpatient back into the plan, subject to underwriting terms, for 10,000 THB additional premium. 

19 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

The problem then is with  Pacific Cross's own website.  On which, no OPD cover is listed for any of the 4 "historic" products. Only for the 3 plans listed as meeting TI requirements.

He says that you can add OPD to any appropriate policy.  I agree that this is all very haphazard, and we shouldn't have to be chasing around to track down this information.

On 10/11/2019 at 10:35 AM, Thaivisa Health Protect said:

I presume you have a Pacific Cross policy.  Actually you can keep your existing policy and add a 40k OPD limit into the plan to meet the OPD visa requirements.  This is true for any plan that exceeds the requirement by an approved company  You are not bound to take the particular Long Stay visa plan which was the case back in May.  That was the exact problem the plans represented bad value versus historic products.  Now any plan that meets or exceeds the 400k/40k minumum can obtain the visa.

Some of the Pacific Cross policies (Maxima, and up, I think), do have Outpatient Benefits built in, but they're not assigned a specific monetary value.

15 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

They list 3 policies on their website as meeting TI requirements. The maximum is 645,500

https://www.pacificcrosshealth.com/en/health-insurance/longstay-visa/

 

I've checked the other companies, of those that list premiums in English the highest I saw was 800K.

 

This is for policies that meet TI requirements i.e. have at least 40K outpatient cover. These same companies may well have hospitalization-only policies that offer higher maximum (almost surely at lower price) but that won't work as TI has inexplicably decided there needs to be outpatient cover.

 

Those are the old policies. According to this post, which appears to be from a representative of Pacific Cross, it is no longer mandatory to use those policies (in which case no one in their right mind would use them!). You can choose any policy which meets the 40/400 rule.

On 10/11/2019 at 12:03 PM, Thaivisa Health Protect said:

Pacific Cross's/Thai Visa Protects historic plans that provided much stronger coverage and value were not approved to obtain the OA or OX visa, this made little sense all round, to both applicants and to the insurer.  Following lobbying by the insurer the historic product suite available is now approved, meaning any plan that meets or exceeds the 400k/40k minimum can obtain the visa.  This is actually a big improvement, as the premiums for the Long Stay plan were skewed do the the age group of applicant.  Therefore one should look at the historic products not the specific Long Stay approved plans.  The Government announcement clearly hasn't addressed this clearly enough, with respect, as the post above shows.