webfact Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Essential Health Insurance Information for Expats (Interview) By Dan Cheeseman Health Insurance among expats, especially retirees, has been the hot topic in recent months. Confusion over the mandatory health insurance that kicks in on October 31st 2019 has been the biggest talking point. Clearly many retirees are concerned and uncertain over the future. The topic of health insurance for expats though is far more than that and I was keen to understand what expats in general need to look for in a health insurance policy. There are so many questions from the impacts of pre-conditions, to being sure your policy will pay out on claims, right through to what are the risks of having a company health insurance policy? There are so many questions from the impacts of pre-conditions, to being sure your policy will pay out on claims, right through to what are the risks of having a company health insurance policy? I put all these questions and more to Jamie Connell, Director of Client relationships, for Thaivisa Protect / Pacific Cross Insurance. It is an important subject for all expats and I urge you to watch this excellent interview. For further information please contact our customer service representative 02 401 9171 or [email protected] You can also visit https://www.thaivisaprotect.com/ Source: https://danaboutthailand.com/2019/10/29/essential-health-insurance-information-for-expats-interview/ -- DAN ABOUT THAILAND 2019-2019-10-29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tounge Thaied Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 At least we have cleared up that the O-A and O-X categories are the only "retirement" VISAs affected. And that was very informative discussing how flexible the underwriters are on tailoring health plans... worth a look I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
from the home of CC Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Remember back in my country years ago hearing a knock on the door. The guy standing there asked me if it was ok if he parked in my driveway for a few days, that he was employed at an insurance firm. When I asked why he replied saying that one of my neighbors had a claim in that he was hurt at work and that he wanted to see if he could catch him displaying behavior indicative of him faking his injury. Told the moron to get off my porch or I'd call the police. My neighbor was hobbled on crutches for 3 more months and had a surgery. I'd trust a pimp or a loan shark over these folks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCross Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Quote "we understand if you do have an extension of stay on a non-oa you do require mandatory insurance" source: thaivisaprotect and contradicting thaivisa.com/ubonjoe (sorry!) aaaaaghhhhh this is crazy, 2 days away and NOBODY knows what the hell is going on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offset Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 6 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said: source: thaivisaprotect and contradicting thaivisa.com/ubonjoe (sorry!) aaaaaghhhhh this is crazy, 2 days away and NOBODY knows what the hell is going on Do you realise that there are 2 ways to extend an OA visa one is to leave the country before the year end and return within the year end of your visa and the other is by getting an extension in Thailand so both could be correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyNets Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Is it me or do all insurance brokers sound like snake oil salesman? Try explaining a bolt on policy to an immigration officer lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Bob Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 This is nothing but an advertisement from Pacific Cross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot123 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 It is the 29th of October only 2 nights and typically no one really knows what will happen. That is no way to live your life. In my experience this will go one of two ways: fizzle out or two migrate to other visas especially if commissions are being paid to certain people to push this. So if your still sitting there in your rocking chair thinking I'm OK Jack think again because you may have a few more Baht in your pocket they have their eyes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmen Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 1 hour ago, GeorgeCross said: source: thaivisaprotect and contradicting thaivisa.com/ubonjoe (sorry!) aaaaaghhhhh this is crazy, 2 days away and NOBODY knows what the hell is going on Contradicting? thats always been the case since the announcement, Avoid non OA = no insurance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marko kok prong Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I am still in the dark here ,have held retirement visa for 3/4 years before that a marriage visa for 3 years,7 years here,so what bloody visa am i on,do i need this insurance,no one seems to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topt Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 4 hours ago, marko kok prong said: I am still in the dark here ,have held retirement visa for 3/4 years before that a marriage visa for 3 years,7 years here,so what bloody visa am i on,do i need this insurance,no one seems to know. Here is my take but I could be completely wrong......... I am guessing you are on an extension of stay - now retirement but before that based on marriage. When you converted to an extension based on marriage what did you convert from - O visa from a visa waiver stamp or tourist visa or OA visa applied for outside Thailand? If the former then should not need. If the latter then the visa gurus think you should still not need but others are suggesting that as the original visa was an OA then you may need.........However as it was so long ago............... If I have helped at all I will be very surprised Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soisanuk Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 12 hours ago, topt said: Here is my take but I could be completely wrong......... I am guessing you are on an extension of stay - now retirement but before that based on marriage. When you converted to an extension based on marriage what did you convert from - O visa from a visa waiver stamp or tourist visa or OA visa applied for outside Thailand? If the former then should not need. If the latter then the visa gurus think you should still not need but others are suggesting that as the original visa was an OA then you may need.........However as it was so long ago............... If I have helped at all I will be very surprised If on a an extension based on marriage and then converted to extension based on retirement, it would not be an O-A visa since by its nature, it is for retirees. So, it is most likely the base visa was a Non-Immigrant O. Thus, no health insurance requirement. Although there is a big difference of opinion over whether renewal of extensions of stay when the base visa was an O-A will require health insurance, that will sort out soon since the rule becomes effective tomorrow the 31st. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essox essox Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 21 hours ago, GeorgeCross said: source: thaivisaprotect and contradicting thaivisa.com/ubonjoe (sorry!) aaaaaghhhhh this is crazy, 2 days away and NOBODY knows what the hell is going on Where are you?? THAILAND!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedrogaz Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 It seems the major problem is that few people know what visa they are actually here on. I got my visa in 2008 abroad, so presumably it was a non OA visa valid for one year. When I moved to Thailand I requested an extension on the basis of retirement. Now has that original non-OA visa been changed to a Non O? I have changed passports several years ago and the current stamp only says 'Non-imm O', so I assume I am in the clear. I have a dismal view of health insurance companies (having worked in health care) and have no wish to send my hard earned cash to those parasites. I self-insure because I can easily afford to do so, and in the event of something catastrophic I can go back to my home country. My contact with healthcare providers here in Thailand has been rather less than wonderful. The skill of doctors is based on diagnosis and it is a major weak point here in Thailand...doctors miss serious illnesses and make elementary mistakes in both diagnosis and treatment. If you get cancer here, your miserable 400,000 baht cover will not buy you much at all....if you get a heart attack, frankly you if you don't die in the first 24 hours you will 95% recover, so wasting days in the ICU is pouring money down the drain. A stroke is pretty much the same....expensive time in the ICU will not get you a better outcome...you will do as well at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berrec Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 What a Cluster <deleted> this whole visa insurance requirement is; everything in this country is the same, geeze I love the people their culture and the country but officialism in this country is just <deleted> mind boggling, The left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing in any government institution and most commercial organizations are just as bad. There is a such a lack of common sense and logic in most things officialism related here in Thailand. If you want to progress the country stop worrying about offending anyone in officialism and get your <deleted> together and announce policies that have no ambiguity and are clear and precise about the who, what, when, how and why....... OMG it's not hard just pull your heads out of the sand .................and use that thing on your shoulders ...............or maintain your reputation as a backwards country. Forget about Thailand 4.0 you lot in government cannot even get past Thailand 101 ...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinKal Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 1. TARGET AUDIENCE Once you're application to reside in Thailand is accepted, you're given a visa. Then when it expires, as you're set up in the system, you don't apply all over again, you just apply to extend that permission to stay. Government Admin give the extensions a new name - "extensions of stay" - but its the same thing. They made such a fuss saying that an extension of stay isn't a visa and a visa isn't an extension of stay, but look! They've gone and made the mistake themselves. 2. COVER It would be difficult to list every medical that requires insurance cover. But medical conditions can be covered, or easier to say all except the following...except dental bridges for example, or pregnancy. But easiest of all is to say there must be cover for the first x hundred thousand baht of medical expenses. What is missing is the process whereby a company not on the list of 13 can apply to be registered. Then those with cover already could simply submit their certificate and not have to cancel their existing policy. 3. WHEN IS AN INSURANCE POLICY NOT AN INSURANCE POLICY? You can reduce the annual cost by taking responsibility for the first x thousand baht of expenses. Can x be 400,000? So maybe it is policies that need to be approved or approval rules that need to be drawn up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Letseng Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 On 10/29/2019 at 10:22 AM, SkyNets said: Is it me or do all insurance brokers sound like snake oil salesman? Try explaining a bolt on policy to an immigration officer lol Not just you have this impression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc925 Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 On 10/29/2019 at 4:45 PM, Mango Bob said: This is nothing but an advertisement from Pacific Cross. Of course Thai Visa gets their referral cut... ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 19 hours ago, MartinKal said: Once you're application to reside in Thailand is accepted, you're given a visa... I'm not sure what you mean with "application to reside". What form do you use for this application? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.