Foreign tourists to Thailand should be made to have insurance: poll

[JRUSA]

13 hours ago, baansgr said:

Good luck with that. There is only a handful of countries that require travel insurance. Considering a health insurance for over 50s ranges anywhere about 50k to a lot more for those in their 60s and 70s, I can see many expats having to leave when an annual premium is 130k 

I believe the topic is travel insurance, not expat healthcare being mandatory..

[K950]

I've been coming here since 1973. I'm currently on a retirement visa and I do have a health and life insurance policy in place, that I purchased through Samsung life and Health.

[freebyrd]

18 hours ago, curlylekan said:

1) I always buy travel insurance when traveling, but I disagree that it should be mandatory. (2) So because the government does not enforce safety measures through fines, jails, or suspension of the operation of a business, I will be made to have travel insurance because the government doesn't provide a service that every government should provide - that being enforcement of safety rules and regulations. Also, if this ever comes to fruition, I bet the Chinese won't have to buy the insurance, they already get treated like royalty. The Chinese government is even beginning to print Thailand's money.

 

Creation and enforcement of safety rules and regulations on roads, boats, jet ski's, etc I think would be the best way to reduce any burden on Thai hospitals and any tourist compensation fund. 

 

I guess, as usual with the creation of any emerging country, governmental departments don't work together to find a solution to the problem. I hope things can improve and the Thai people will figure this out, without giving any one race of people, like the Chinese, preference over others.

Ditto, me and my wife will be in Thailand for a few days at Xmas and we both have travel insurance, mainly because I do have a history of strokes and heart problems and it would be irresponsible not to. That said 30 years ago I used to holiday at Xmas for a month with no travel insurance as I was fitter, healthier and despite being a physical training instructor, didn't ride motorbikes, jet skis or anything else that was risky. As Thaiwrath said, how do you enforce it with 20M visitors a year? It's just one more ridiculous Thai 'idea'?.

[micmichd]

17 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

Have you forgotten the two accidents where foreigners had to start a Go Fund Me campaign? If people would spend a few bucks/ Euros to make sure that they are covered if something happens, wouldn't it be a win-win situation for all involved?

 

  Perhaps an insurance that's sold with the ticket? If many people have to buy such an insurance, it can't be too expensive.

Many Europeans (Germans e.g.) have mandatory public health insurances. Those should cover the health costs in Thailand. 

[DavisH]

No problem. pay XXX baht on entry at the airport. The money is returned when one leaves if no claims are made LOL..like that will happen. This will be a huge money spinner, given the number of arrivals per year, and would more than 100X cover any claims made. 

[quadperfect]

18 hours ago, smedly said:

anyone that travels anywhere on "Holiday" without insurance needs their head looked at, but I stress "on holiday" as it is easy to get and has a limited time duration, it is also worth noting if you do have insurance making sure to check what exactly you are covered for or rather "not covered for" because many in recent news stories have had problems when they discovered they were not covered for certain things

Insurance for travel is not easily had or afforded in many countrys like usa to mention 1

[vinegarbase]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

However, the proposals never came to fruition and were widely slammed by tourism operators, particularly the private sector who said the requirement would likely lengthen immigration queues at airports and border crossings as officers would be required to check more paperwork, and could even put some foreigners off visiting Thailand altogether.

These tourism operators are exactly right. All this will do is cause more problems and waiting at airport immigration and more possibilities to be turned away because you don't meet some IO's special "additional" requirements as they determine. This will continue to add to putting off foreigners (non-Chinese) from Thailand as they are already doing a great job these past few years. The Chinese will figure things out in a few years though too. 

 

If they do decided to implement this every Farang in Thailand should be demanding from their embassy and government that their government also implement mandatory travel insurance be required for Thai tourists.

[steve C]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

When going holiday, I am always taking out travel insurance, but when I now live here, I have founds to cover up my expenses in case of accident. Cost of insurance for 20 years, and the cost escalade every year the older I get, I believe it is cheeper to have my founds in the bank for just in case. So yes for holdiday tourists, but if living here and you have the founds, it should not be forced on you. 

Your so called savings will be eaten up in one day in the ICU, then you will be like the other non insured . Please go fund me

 

[Chelseafan]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

2. A lot of tourist who come to Thailand carry a valid insurance.
    But the insurance is void due to their sheer stupidity to go drive a (big) motorbike without a valid driver license or appropriate safety gear as stipulated by the law.
.

Actually its more insidious than that. I can only talk about policies taken out in the UK but if you read the small-print there is a usually an alcohol policy whereby the policy is void if the insurance company thinks you are drunk. This may seem sensible to you but a policy may say something like “Alcohol: a blood alcohol level that exceeds 0.10%...” This is the equivalent of two pints!!

 

Often they don't make any statement of what alcohol levels are deemed excessive

 

 

[Media1]

With a new government and the new changes to immigration lightening western tourists entry requirements and squashing the Chinese destroying the country. All these new polls which have all popped up after the coupsters arrived. This becomes all history lol. 

Let us no the election date please.

[micmichd]

14 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Even if something like this were enforceable which to all intents and purposes it isnt where does it leave those who are unable to take out insurance due to pre existing conditions or to who the cost is so prohibitively high because of those conditions that it effectively becomes unobtainable .. 

Once again: 

Many Westerners have mandatory public health insurances (or NHS), and those do cover pre existing conditions. No reason why this shouldn't be extended to Thailand. Guess it's up to Western countries to make a move and extend their public health coverages worldwide. Would be a win-win situation for all.

Edited August 14, 2018 by micmichd

[stanleycoin]

37 minutes ago, K950 said:

I've been coming here since 1973. I'm currently on a retirement visa and I do have a health and life insurance policy in place, that I purchased through Samsung life and Health.

Be careful of life insurance.

 it could be the death of us in Thailand. 

[sawadee1947]

18 hours ago, curlylekan said:

1) I always buy travel insurance when traveling, but I disagree that it should be mandatory. (2) So because the government does not enforce safety measures through fines, jails, or suspension of the operation of a business, I will be made to have travel insurance because the government doesn't provide a service that every government should provide - that being enforcement of safety rules and regulations. Also, if this ever comes to fruition, I bet the Chinese won't have to buy the insurance, they already get treated like royalty. The Chinese government is even beginning to print Thailand's money.

 

Creation and enforcement of safety rules and regulations on roads, boats, jet ski's, etc I think would be the best way to reduce any burden on Thai hospitals and any tourist compensation fund. 

 

I guess, as usual with the creation of any emerging country, governmental departments don't work together to find a solution to the problem. I hope things can improve and the Thai people will figure this out, without giving any one race of people, like the Chinese, preference over others.

I agree with your points. And I also want to have more safety everywhere. However you have to consider it's your own life you want to protect. Therefore it's for me a good idea to have a travel insurance. No burden with payments to any hospital. How many times we had to read about begging foreigners here on TV. Big operations but no money 

[mserror]

Sounds like a good idea, but numbers will reduce because the braindeads who won't buy travel insurance will just go to Bali. (And then of course are those who do not comply with the conditions of the insurance.) Ultimately, when they have an accident, there are usually people in their home country who sell assets, or a bleeding heart funding campaign. Thai hospitals just need to make sure they can get payment somehow.

[Chelseafan]

3 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

I agree with your points. And I also want to have more safety everywhere. However you have to consider it's your own life you want to protect. Therefore it's for me a good idea to have a travel insurance. No burden with payments to any hospital. How many times we had to read about begging foreigners here on TV. Big operations but no money 

Insurance policies are not only about protecting your health, they are also about protecting your finances as they cover personal liability. As a tourist, I cannot understand why anyone would not get insurance. For the cost of a few pints, it's a no-brainer.

 

[Chelseafan]

1 minute ago, mserror said:

Sounds like a good idea, but numbers will reduce because the braindeads who won't buy travel insurance will just go to Bali...

Good ?

[sawadee1947]

1 minute ago, Chelseafan said:

Insurance policies are not only about protecting your health, they are also about protecting your finances as they cover personal liability. As a tourist, I cannot understand why anyone would not get insurance. For the cost of a few pints, it's a no-brainer.

 

That's what I said 

[Chelseafan]

40 minutes ago, micmichd said:

Many Europeans (Germans e.g.) have mandatory public health insurances. Those should cover the health costs in Thailand. 

Why should they cover the costs in a foreign country? Would you expect a Thai who had no insurance to be covered in a German hospital ?

 

[micmichd]

12 minutes ago, stanleycoin said:

Be careful of life insurance.

 it could be the death of us in Thailand. 

Rather in the West. All your heirs and heiresses will be after your money there. 

[Pomrakuhn]

Anyone over 70 would not be able to travel.

[Snow Leopard]

A lot of countries have this system but the ones i know a visa is required beforehand and the insurance is required in order to get the visa in the first place. 

 

I think it could be done in Thailand if it was something official. Apply online before arrival to get the certificate or have a few desks at the airport or border to get it on arrival. 

[Torrens54]

Foreign Residents in Thailand should also have HEALTH INSURANCE.

 

BUT...hang on, MANY DID HAVE IT !

They bought into the Thai Government sponsored

FARANG HEALTH SCHEME, they paid their dues and ALL WAS WELL.

 

GUESS WHAT ?

An Unelected Thai Government DITCHED the scheme and now many FERANGS are NO LONGER INSURED !

[Prince77]

It should not even be a question whether to have a travel insurance or not. It is irresponsible not having a travel insurance to oneself, to friends and family and to society. Such an insurance costs peanuts for a coverage of the duration of travel (not for years of course). Anybody who want to save the 10$ should better stay at home.

Edited August 14, 2018 by Prince77

[micmichd]

14 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Why should they cover the costs in a foreign country? Would you expect a Thai who had no insurance to be covered in a German hospital ?

 

Yes, at least up to the amount healthcare would cost in Thailand. This would be reciprocal.

[slappy]

As a resident here, I and my wife went to get insurance for our holiday back to the UK for 2 weeks. We approached BKB Insurance. We was told my wife could have cover, but i couldn't because i was going back to my homeland. I wanted insurance for if anything happened while travelling to Uk and back to Thailand. They told me, they couldn't insure me!

[Chelseafan]

2 minutes ago, micmichd said:

Yes, at least up to the amount healthcare would cost in Thailand. This would be reciprocal.

So on that basis, no-one would need insurance which leads me to the question who would pay for it ?

 

[Chelseafan]

9 minutes ago, Torrens54 said:

Foreign Residents in Thailand should also have HEALTH INSURANCE.

 

BUT...hang on, MANY DID HAVE IT !

They bought into the Thai Government sponsored

FARANG HEALTH SCHEME, they paid their dues and ALL WAS WELL.

 

GUESS WHAT ?

An Unelected Thai Government DITCHED the scheme and now many FERANGS are NO LONGER INSURED !

This thread is about Tourist insurance

[Mad mick]

well ok juz close khao san road backer days are numbered ...i do get it 2 weeks 3 etc. ! But if you have to pay 3 or 6 or a year better not go thailand not everyone has funds 'your young school or uni or an apprenticeship trades  juz finished work  year or 2 , off you go was norm in 70s we did it included thailand most of southeast asia on to europe

Edited August 14, 2018 by Mad mick
error

[micmichd]

1 hour ago, JRUSA said:

I believe the topic is travel insurance, not expat healthcare being mandatory..

Yes. Travel insurances are limited to 180 days maximum anyway.

[HHTel]

16 minutes ago, Pomrakuhn said:

Anyone over 70 would not be able to travel.

I agree in principle that people should have insurance.  But sometimes insurance is not available.  My mother always had insurance until she passed 80.  Then it was impossible to find any company that would provide insurance.  She's been coming to Thailand for 3 months every year for the last 20 years.  She will be here in the new year celebrating her 94th birthday.  So the rule being suggested would debar her from travelling.

Incidentally, her doctor in the UK attributes her good health to coming here every year.