Health insurance for 7-month old baby

[LloydH]

Hi all!

 

I am looking for the best value health insurance for my 7-month old son. 

 

Up until now we have just paid bills as and when required, but insurance is now required. 

 

He has no pre-existing conditions albeit that he is starting to move about and will no doubt get the odd bump. 

 

My fear is if he were to be exposed to anything there is no inoculation for.

 

I am looking for outpatient and hospitalisation cover.

 

Depending on the monthly premiums, I would also consider including my wife and myself in a plan too, but this is low season at the back end of a tough 12 months, so we might have to wait for now.  I have checked online and the prices seem quite high and so thought I would canvas for anyone who has had success with any insurance company which turned out to be cheap and good and could possibly give a recommendation.

 

[Sheryl]

No policy worth having can be classified as cheap.

 

Is your wife Thai? If so, she is covered under the national health scheme as is your child, though only at the government hospital which covers where you live (if she is listed in house registration elsewhere should change to be listed near where you live). This provides care both inpatient and outpatient for free (or at some hospitals for just a flat 30 baht), including medications, so then only you would need to insure.

 

If she is not Thai then of course all 3 of you need a policy.

 

Outpatient care in Thailand is not very expensive (and dirt cheap at government hospitals) so I usually recommend people only get inpatient cover, especially since the extra cost of outpatient cover usually more or less equals the maximum outpatient coverage you get so pointless.  The policies that insurance agents will suggest to you and that often pop up first on an insurance co website will often be the full inpatient and outpatient package and cost twice what an inpatient only policy would cost you.  So make sure what you are pricing is just an inpatient policy. Only some insurers offer family plans for Thailand and these might not come in an inpatient only version in which case you would likely be much better off with separate individual policies each, so price that option as well as family plans.

 

In addition, most internationally issued expat policies will offer deductible options that substantially reduce premiums. AFAIK none of the Thai-based insurers do that for inpatient only policies.

 

Among the Thai-based insurers arguable the best is MSH.  annual premiums, by age group, in baht in 2016 were as follows:

1 -17 years     16,843
18 - 24 years  24,643
25 -29 years   28,602
30 -34 years  32,325
35 -39 years 36,521
40 -44 years  41,249
45 - 49 years 46,863
with steep increase for the older age groups and anyway I do not recommend a Thai-issued policy for people over 50 because they can and will up premiums on an individual basis if you later develop a chronic health condition that changes your "risk profile" and with people over 50 the odds are that will happen sooner or later.

[mommysboy]

I looked in to it when my daughter was born.  But nobody would insure.  I can't remember if the threshold was 6 months old, or a year.  If you do find yourself in a sticky situation, do not be shy of using a good government hospital, which should limit how much you need to pay.

[Sheryl]

P.S. Be sure to get him the Dengue vaccine once he turns 2,  it is available in Thailand but not part of the standard vaccination schedule yet.

 

Although the manufacturer registered it for use in ages 9 and up, more recent research has shown it to be safe and effective in 2 - 9 year olds .(Efficacy is not 100% at any age  but it reduces the risk of getting dengue by about 2/3 and those who do get it will likely have a milder case).

[mommysboy]

7 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

P.S. Be sure to get him the Dengue vaccine once he turns 2,  it is available in Thailand but not part of the standard vaccination schedule yet.

 

Although the manufacturer registered it for use in ages 9 and up, more recent research has shown it to be safe and effective in 2 - 9 year olds .(Efficacy is not 100% at any age  but it reduces the risk of getting dengue by about 2/3 and those who do get it will likely have a milder case).

 

We made sure our baby had all the program of shots.  I'd read about supposed dangers but wasn't convinced.  I think this is the single most beneficial thing anyone can do.