What foreign insurance policies are accepted for the new requirements

[bronzedude]

I have a Hawaii insurance policy which is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield network. I've used it twice for major operations (rotator cuff surgery, and hip replacement surgery) at Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, respectively. Each time a guarantee of payment was needed before admission. Is this policy accepted under the new rules? If so, what documentation is needed? I have an insurance card with the Blue Cross/Blue Shield logo, subscriber ID etc. If the new rules include retirement extensions and my foreign insurance is not accepted, then I think its goodbye Thailand. 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, bronzedude said:

If the new rules include retirement extensions and my foreign insurance is not accepted, then I think its goodbye Thailand. 

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

[gk10002000]

I don't think the order is clear at all that it is not required for extensions.  The wording is terrible.  But the order does clearly say one must purchase the thai policy from one of the companies on that tgia website.  Those are "approved".  There is no easy way for the Thais to understand or check on the validity of a foreign policy, no matter what the ID card says, or the numbers that may be on the card.  Similar to the current income verification punt. Some embassies won't do the letter because they won't assume liability or take the time to verify incomes.  So the Thais said, well, we won't either, but will make you show monthly transfers, and spend money every month and not let you save fees by transferring money quarterly or whenever.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

I guess, the responsibility to determine the adequate health insurance coverage has been passed on to the Thai embassies.

[JohnnyBKK]

Thai insurance are bad, if they don't accept foreign insurances just go to another country. I pay 100K thb per year for my insurance, no way I'm paying more for a thai one !

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Well here we are again, some 3-4 months later, repeating the same phrase over and over!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Quote

First year, all applicants can buy health insurance from insurance companies in their owned countries or authorized insurance company in Thailand. When the applicants want to renew the visa, the applicants must buy insurance from authorized insurance companies in Thailand only. Any inquiries on completing Insurance application can be addressed at each insurance company.

http://longstay.tgia.org/home/guidelineoa

 

http://longstay.tgia.org/document/overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf

 

 

[soisanuk]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

The new rules set forth in Criteria for Consideration of Granting an Alien's Extension of Stay int the Kingdom, Attachment to the Order of the Royal Thai Police no. 548/2562 dated September 27, 2019 - Section 2.22 (2), Criterion (6), IMO makes it quite clear that if your entry into Thailand was on the basis of a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa, then any extension will require health insurance be purchased from a Thai Company - http://longstay.tgia.org/ which now shows a selection for O-X visa and O-A visa.  It appears that those that are obtaining extensions of a Non-Immigrant O Visa for the purpose of retirement are not required to have health insurance in order to extend their stay.

 

For those applying for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate in their country of residence may be able to use health insurance from an insurance company other than a Thai company that meets the requirements (400k inpatient, 40k outpatient). However, at the moment, I have not seen any specific announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the requirement for health insurance to obtain an O-A Visa that will allow the use of a non-Thai insurance company or what documentation may be required if allowed.

[travelerjim]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I guess, the responsibility to determine the adequate health insurance coverage has been passed on to the Thai embassies.

No...there is a certificate of insurance form which can be completed and used as proof of health insurance for O-A visa holders.

See the new Overseas Health Insurance Certificate here...

http://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

 

Download the Certificate

[legend49]

Just imagine the queues at swampy as Muppet IMO's try to examine all the real tourists coming in on their medical insurances; add to it the many languages IMO's will need to ask questions. What a cluster F###.

[Exploring Thailand]

I'd be interested to know if we can select any policy from the recommended insurers or whether we have to use their O-A specific policy. Pacific Cross, for example, have an O-A policy, but it looks like anything from their Standard Plus and above would also meet the requirements

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

http://longstay.tgia.org/home/guidelineoa

http://longstay.tgia.org/document/overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf

 

Please read the guidelines for O-A on the TGIA website:

 

And the document for certifying a foreign insurance policy.

 

Quote

First year, all applicants can buy health insurance from insurance companies in their owned countries or authorized insurance company in Thailand. When the applicants want to renew the visa, the applicants must buy insurance from authorized insurance companies in Thailand only. Any inquiries on completing Insurance application can be addressed at each insurance company.

 

[roobaa01]

1 hour ago, soisanuk said:

The new rules set forth in Criteria for Consideration of Granting an Alien's Extension of Stay int the Kingdom, Attachment to the Order of the Royal Thai Police no. 548/2562 dated September 27, 2019 - Section 2.22 (2), Criterion (6), IMO makes it quite clear that if your entry into Thailand was on the basis of a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa, then any extension will require health insurance be purchased from a Thai Company - http://longstay.tgia.org/ which now shows a selection for O-X visa and O-A visa.  It appears that those that are obtaining extensions of a Non-Immigrant O Visa for the purpose of retirement are not required to have health insurance in order to extend their stay.

 

For those applying for the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate in their country of residence may be able to use health insurance from an insurance company other than a Thai company that meets the requirements (400k inpatient, 40k outpatient). However, at the moment, I have not seen any specific announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the requirement for health insurance to obtain an O-A Visa that will allow the use of a non-Thai insurance company or what documentation may be required if allowed.

imo there is a form to be filled in by the foreign health company then filed together with the non-oa application.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[Captain Monday]

46 minutes ago, travelerjim said:

No...there is a certificate of insurance form which can be completed and used as proof of health insurance for O-A visa holders.

See the new Overseas Health Insurance Certificate here...

http://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa

 

Download the Certificate

No way most holders of insurance from Foreign companies could get such a document certified. Impossible if you need two director level signatures.

 

 

[LNKDES1]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

Joe, what about a change from a retirement extension to a marriage visa?

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, LNKDES1 said:

Joe, what about a change from a retirement extension to a marriage visa?

Not required for anything other than a OA visa application at a embassy.

[grobec]

Hi all

i did not see any provision for self insured. If one has equivalent cash in the bank it that a possible option?

[wwest5829]

Appears to be following the same development steps as income requirements when we were tryin to see if pension letters could be used. Ah, well, “up to you” Thailand. You want to force this retired Professor to leave, unable to continue the support of my Thai love and her Daughter? OK, plenty of trauma for me but I am a free man and can vote with my feet.

[bronzedude]

As I mentioned earlier," If the new rules include retirement extensions and my foreign insurance is not accepted, then I think its goodbye Thailand." At this time I'm investigating a move to Cambodia. They seem to be more amenable to expats. I'm checking on their different types of long term visas. I think returning to Thailand with 60 day tourist visas 3 or 4 times a year will satisfy my Thai wife. On a positive note, in Cambodia there is little or no tax on liquor or wine and I can go back to having a glass with dinner again. I will plan on spending the minimum amount of money in a country (Thailand) that thinks so little of me.

[Pedrogaz]

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

Joe, I don't know whether I have an OA  or an O visa. I originally applied in the UK many years ago and the original visa is in an old passport.

My current extension merely says NonRE.

Either way I am assuming that I will not be required to take out a policy.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Joe, I don't know whether I have an OA  or an O visa. I originally applied in the UK many years ago and the original visa is in an old passport.

My current extension merely says NonRE.

Either way I am assuming that I will not be required to take out a policy.

You have nothing worry about.

It is only for new applications for a OA visa at a embassy.

[uncleeagle]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

If you read the actual police order they simply refer to extensions and does not say only to newly issued visas. so in fact it would seem the initial news statement may have been inaccurate.

[Jip99]

Just now, uncleeagle said:

If you read the actual police order they simply refer to extensions and does not say only to newly issued visas. so in fact it would seem the initial news statement may have been inaccurate.

 

 

I am 100% sure you are incorrect uncle.

[Pilotman]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

I like the "at this time" UbonJoe, I think that in the short to medium term, we all have it to worry about. 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, grobec said:

Hi all

i did not see any provision for self insured. If one has equivalent cash in the bank it that a possible option?

It is not mentioned in the Police Order.

 

However note that the insurance provision is only for people entering after 31 October on an O-A visa.

[Max69xl]

6 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I don't think the order is clear at all that it is not required for extensions.  The wording is terrible.  But the order does clearly say one must purchase the thai policy from one of the companies on that tgia website.  Those are "approved".  There is no easy way for the Thais to understand or check on the validity of a foreign policy, no matter what the ID card says, or the numbers that may be on the card.  Similar to the current income verification punt. Some embassies won't do the letter because they won't assume liability or take the time to verify incomes.  So the Thais said, well, we won't either, but will make you show monthly transfers, and spend money every month and not let you save fees by transferring money quarterly or whenever.

The order is quite clear. It says Long Term Visas, that means only the O-A and the O-X visas. The O-X already requires an insurance. 

[thequietman]

Everyone needs to chill out. Get a policy that meets requirements, pay your first installment, get the paper work and cancel direct debit after that point.

 

You have the paper, which is all these muppets want to see.

 

Chill.

[Max69xl]

30 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Everyone needs to chill out. Get a policy that meets requirements, pay your first installment, get the paper work and cancel direct debit after that point.

 

You have the paper, which is all these muppets want to see.

 

Chill.

You pay the full sum at many insurance companies, not in installments.

[Captain 776]

The limits are very clear in yesterday’s post

[Hugh Jarse]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new rules are not for extensions of stay.

Only if a person applies for a OA long stay visa at a embassy or consulate in their home country is the insurance required.

You certainly have nothing to worry about at this time.

Good to get this clarification as a worrying development particularly for those Non I O holders who would be unable to obtain cover for one reason or another.

As a resident of over 10 years I have always been asked on entering a hospital for treatment : How will you  pay? and not be treated without an up front deposit.