Travel Insurance

[sandyf]

For anyone that may be interested, AXA(Thailand) have recently introduced annual policies. Fairly basic cover but worldwide and not particularly expensive, available to age 75.

Details on website.

[theoldgit]

I took out a policy with AXA to cover my wife and I for a last minute long weekend to Singapore four years ago, I took it out the day before travelled.

 

During our second night there I had a heart attack in the early hours, thankfully my then girlfriend, current wife, managed to get me to hospital by ambulance fairly quickly, where I was resuscitated. During the resuscitation they asked for a SGD 5,000 deposit which she was able to pay by credit card, I'm sure they wouldn't have let me die if she'd been unable to do so.

 

I was in hospital for a week and the final bill was SGD 30,000, including the deposit. What I wasn't aware of at the time is that most Thai insurers, certainly AXA, require that you settle the account and submit a claim on your return home. 

 

I assume, indeed hope, that if you're not able to settle the account before your return then they would settle directly.

 

AXA did indeed pay most of the claim, though they quibled over some items, like the follow up outpatient treatment in Singapore, accomodation costs before we could return home and the rescheduled flights.

 

 

 

 

[cooked]

18 hours ago, theoldgit said:

I took out a policy with AXA to cover my wife and I for a last minute long weekend to Singapore four years ago, I took it out the day before travelled.

 

During our second night there I had a heart attack in the early hours, thankfully my then girlfriend, current wife, managed to get me to hospital by ambulance fairly quickly, where I was resuscitated. During the resuscitation they asked for a SGD 5,000 deposit which she was able to pay by credit card, I'm sure they wouldn't have let me die if she'd been unable to do so.

 

I was in hospital for a week and the final bill was SGD 30,000, including the deposit. What I wasn't aware of at the time is that most Thai insurers, certainly AXA, require that you settle the account and submit a claim on your return home. 

 

I assume, indeed hope, that if you're not able to settle the account before your return then they would settle directly.

 

AXA did indeed pay most of the claim, though they quibled over some items, like the follow up outpatient treatment in Singapore, accomodation costs before we could return home and the rescheduled flights.

 

 

 

 

Not only Thai, most travel insurers do this as far as I know.

[theoldgit]

4 minutes ago, cooked said:

Not only Thai, most travel insurers do this as far as I know.

UK insurers pay directly to hospitals.

[gk10002000]

19 hours ago, theoldgit said:

I took out a policy with AXA to cover my wife and I for a last minute long weekend to Singapore four years ago, I took it out the day before travelled.

 

During our second night there I had a heart attack in the early hours, thankfully my then girlfriend, current wife, managed to get me to hospital by ambulance fairly quickly, where I was resuscitated. During the resuscitation they asked for a SGD 5,000 deposit which she was able to pay by credit card, I'm sure they wouldn't have let me die if she'd been unable to do so.

 

I was in hospital for a week and the final bill was SGD 30,000, including the deposit. What I wasn't aware of at the time is that most Thai insurers, certainly AXA, require that you settle the account and submit a claim on your return home. 

 

I assume, indeed hope, that if you're not able to settle the account before your return then they would settle directly.

 

AXA did indeed pay most of the claim, though they quibled over some items, like the follow up outpatient treatment in Singapore, accomodation costs before we could return home and the rescheduled flights.

 

 

 

 

In 14 years of travel from USA to Thailand, I never found a travel insurance policy that would deal and pay directly with the hospital.  Some had glowing text about would coordinate and communicate, but nothing that indicated they would do direct billing.  CIGNA global that I have been looking into as I throw away my need for Obamacare loosely claims some direct billing but I do not have a firm policy or words or exactly what Thai Hospitals or any others they might deal with. And the CIGNA policy would be my primary medical and not just a temporary travel policy.  I have asked several times for a good direct billing travel insurance available to Americans, but never got any results

[wgdanson]

22 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

UK insurers pay directly to hospitals.

However, a UK travel policy will only cover HOLIDAYMAKERS/TRAVELLERS (not expat residents) for a max of 31 days any one trip, but multiple trips per year. Would they pay direct to a Thai hospital or travel agent or airline in the case of a claim please.

[theoldgit]

12 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

In 14 years of travel from USA to Thailand, I never found a travel insurance policy that would deal and pay directly with the hospital.  Some had glowing text about would coordinate and communicate, but nothing that indicated they would do direct billing.  CIGNA global that I have been looking into as I throw away my need for Obamacare loosely claims some direct billing but I do not have a firm policy or words or exactly what Thai Hospitals or any others they might deal with. And the CIGNA policy would be my primary medical and not just a temporary travel policy.  I have asked several times for a good direct billing travel insurance available to Americans, but never got any results

Certainly World Nomads can pay directly to the hospital when required. https://helpdesk.worldnomads.com/customer/en_us/portal/articles/2403371-travel-insurance-overseas-medical-treatment-hospitalisation

[theoldgit]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

However, a UK travel policy will only cover HOLIDAYMAKERS/TRAVELLERS (not expat residents) for a max of 31 days any one trip, but multiple trips per year. Would they pay direct to a Thai hospital or travel agent or airline in the case of a claim please.

Which is what this thread is about, the OP didn't mention expat residents and neither did I.

[sfokevin]

Sandy... Do you have a link to the AXA website to buy the annual policy?... The only thing I found was this link to buy a per trip policy (which is also nice)...

 

https://www.axa.co.th/en/travel-accident-protection

 

Also how much was your annual policy?

[sandyf]

31 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Sandy... Do you have a link to the AXA website to buy the annual policy?... The only thing I found was this link to buy a per trip policy (which is also nice)...

 

https://www.axa.co.th/en/travel-accident-protection

 

Also how much was your annual policy?

This is the link and I went for the Plus-Lite at 3138 THB

https://direct.axa.co.th/TA/CoverageOptionPlan

[sandyf]

52 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Which is what this thread is about, the OP didn't mention expat residents and neither did I.

Apologies if it wan't clear, I had intended the info for expat residents who wished to travel elsewhere.

We will go to Malaysia this month, UK in May and China in June, normally that would have meant 3 policies.

 

A few months back we claimed against AXA for baggage delay and damage, about 13K, which they paid promptly and without question but I see they have removed all baggage benefits from nearly all policies.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

UK insurers pay directly to hospitals.

Back in the days when I was a visitor from the UK I had an accident in the hotel and ended up in Pattaya Memorial. I had UK insurance but had to settle with the hotel before being discharged.

 

At the end of the day you can only ever make the best use of what is available and affordable.

[gk10002000]

18 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Certainly World Nomads can pay directly to the hospital when required. https://helpdesk.worldnomads.com/customer/en_us/portal/articles/2403371-travel-insurance-overseas-medical-treatment-hospitalisation

Read the fine print:  It is full of ambiguities.  note the word "can".  nothing is guaranteed.  Most is up to the insurance company to decide and rule on.

"Who pays for medical treatment?

This depends on what’s happened to you and the necessary treatment required. Payment can be advanced to the hospital to secure admission if this becomes necessary due to serious sickness or injury. For expenses incurred at a medical centre or expenses incurred where hospital admission is not required, it is best that you pay these then submit a claim after treatment is complete.