Health Insurance To Teach English for Gap Year

[zleo99]

Hi All

I would appreciate your input on this.

 

My 18yo daughter wants to do a TEFL in Thailand and teach English for 1-2 years. Can you please tell me how Thai health works and recommend appropriate insurance and providers?

 

Many thanks

[BritManToo]

If you love your daughter, tell her not to come.

This is a dangerous place for young western women.

[Sheryl]

It is a perfectly fine place for a young Western woman as long as she uses common sense. And I speak as one who came and lived here as young Western woman. It is likely as safe or safer than her home country. Where problems sometimes arise is when people take risks/do things  they would not do  at home. As long as she maintains the same level of caution that she would anywhere else, she should be fine.

 

Thailand has a network of government hospitals in all provinces, and also a large number of private hospitals in the cities. Government hospitals usually offer adequate care but are very crowded and difficult for a non-Thai speaker to navigate. The major cities all have private "international" hospitals which cost a great deal more but are easy to navigate.

 

While most employed people are covered under Thai Social Security, which covers health care costs, private schools are an exception. And of course she won't have cover while studying. So she needs private insurance. An inpatient only policy is fine, outpatient care here is quite affordable.  At 18, expect to pay anywhere from USD $500 - 900 a year depending in the company and plan. Options include  both Thailand-based insurers and internationally based companies that offer expatriate plans.

 

It is best to buy through a broker, I suggest you contact AA brokers  <www.aainsure.net>

email: [email protected] 

 

They are a Thailand based broker who advise on a full range of policies both Thai and internationally issued. It does not cost anything extra to go through a broker geared to expatriates and in addition to helping to explain all the options they will assist afterwards if she has any issues with a claim.

 

One thing you should discuss carefully with her is driving. Thailand's roads are unusually dangerous, and should she get in an accident while driving  a car or  motorcycle she must have had a valid license (Valid in Thailand) or insurance will not pay.  Likewise if she was intoxicated at the time of the accident. I mention this as it has been a problem for a lot of visitors, especially young people. It is pretty easy to rent a motorcycle here without a valid license but hell to pay if anything goes wrong.

 

[zleo99]

Thank you very much for your advice, Sheryl. I have seen your wise advice in a number of posts on ThaiVisa and am so grateful that you helped me. XX

[jackdd]

I would recommend to get the insurance from a company in your home country, if you should end up in a situation where they don't want to pay for something it's easier to sue them.

You should tell us where you are from then maybe somebody has a recommendation for you.

[zleo99]

On 1/31/2019 at 9:31 AM, jackdd said:

I would recommend to get the insurance from a company in your home country, if you should end up in a situation where they don't want to pay for something it's easier to sue them.

You should tell us where you are from then maybe somebody has a recommendation for you.

Sorry for the long time to reply - there are complications here! I & DD are both Brits, currently living in South Africa so DD could finish school, but not wanting to be bound by medi-vac back to SA in the event of worst-case-scenario, because I probably won't be here. SA has one good Youth provider,back evac is back to SA.