Need recommendations for insurance for newborn

[Cristiancjb]

Hi you, all knowing creatures!:)

 

I'm soon gonna become father and want my baby to have some insurance (not sure if there are many types and coverages). Gonna read about how it works but what experiences do you have and what do you recommend? 

Thanks in advance

[BritManToo]

Why? 

Health care is provide at any government hospital free of charge for a Thai child.

Including the birth.

Edited October 29, 2019 by BritManToo

[Sheryl]

Will the child be a Thai citizen? If so already covered by the universal scheme for all health needs.

 

But worth considering where you live as must use the government hospital that covers that district. (or higher level hospital they refer to). Best is to live in a provincial town where the government hospital is a regional level facility; second best is any other provincial town.

[elektrified]

All of the health insurance companies in Thailand will sell you insurance on the day your child is born. It can not be used until the child is 31 days old. The premiums for newborn to 5 years are the highest.

 

 

[Cristiancjb]

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Will the child be a Thai citizen? If so already covered by the universal scheme for all health needs.

 

But worth considering where you live as must use the government hospital that covers that district. (or higher level hospital they refer to). Best is to live in a provincial town where the government hospital is a regional level facility; second best is any other provincial town.

Yeah, the baby will be Thai citizen since the mother is Thai. 

Was thinking if it is enough to rely on the health system here or if it is good to have an insurance anyway

[kingstonkid]

If the baby is healthy then there really is no need for health insurance.  If you have want set up a bank account for funds in case.  That way if there is nothing happens you will have a nice nest egg for university.

 

Life insurance is a waste of money.  Life insurance is to replace lost income in the event the person dies.  

 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Cristiancjb said:

Yeah, the baby will be Thai citizen since the mother is Thai. 

Was thinking if it is enough to rely on the health system here or if it is good to have an insurance anyway

 

The public health system is lacking in amenities and conveniences but usually good in quality.

 

Particularly for a baby, private hospitals  tend to unnecessarily overtreat. I've known them to literally hospitalize for a simple cold. IVs and all.  Private hospitals will also do an unnecessary c-section at delivery, more than 90% of the time.

 

Insurance here is quite expensive as the pool of insured people is small (few Thais bother with it since they already have free health care)

 

But you should as mentioned investigate the quality of  the particular hospital where you live. Any Thai neighbor would be able to tell you which it is.

[bbz404]

What's the budget? Do you have any Thai/International health insurance in which to include the newborn? Does your wife/the mother of the child?

 

My experience with a Thai/foreign Child born at a private hospital in Bangkok is great. I was covered with MSH International (Now LUMA) and the maternity was included for my wife (including all pre-natal exams) and it covered the baby from day 1 of birth until around 20 days (no additional premium). Of a 120k Baht bill at "checkout" I had to pay only the diapers. 

Subsequently, I changed insurance companies because the premium for my newborn was outrageous. I have now a European-type family international health insurance for my wife, her son, our daughter and myself with IPD and OPD and a maximum annual coverage of 350k EUR per person. They have paid all of my daughter's checkups and also all immunizations. Don't forget that the costs don't stop at birth. Vaccines and checkups for the first 2 years at a second-tier private hospital in Bangkok ran nearly 80k. 

If you have time to waste with a baby waiting your turn at a government hospital, good luck. Otherwise, a good health insurance is definitely worth it.

 

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Particularly for a baby, private hospitals  tend to unnecessarily overtreat. I've known them to literally hospitalize for a simple cold. IVs and all.  Private hospitals will also do an unnecessary c-section at delivery, more than 90% of the time.

Yes that's true so you need to be vigilant of this at all times. A common reason why kids are hospitalized in Thailand very quickly is because the health insurance they do have is for IPD only and thus no reimbursement if the kid is not admitted.

 

We have found our pediatrician at the hospital our daughter was born and after more than 2 years, she knows me fairly well. I will not allow her to prescribe any antibiotics if she cannot prove that the infection is bacterial for instance. Now, she gets it and mostly agrees with my approach, but saying that Thais usually request for antibiotics because it's all they know. 

[Satcommlee]

Agree with Sheryl on the unnecessary admissions....   My son insured from 3 Months old (that was the lower limit) by BUPA International....  Common Colds and RSV virus, they'd admit him and go well over the top on treatment because insurance was paying.

[Cristiancjb]

I don't have any insurance and neither does my Thai girlfriend. Not sure if we need one if the baby is Thai and what kind of insurances there are for babies. 

[BritManToo]

17 minutes ago, Cristiancjb said:

I don't have any insurance and neither does my Thai girlfriend. Not sure if we need one if the baby is Thai and what kind of insurances there are for babies. 

Not required for Thai children, everything is free including the birth.

Not sure why you are going to a private hospital for the birth either, seems like wasting money to me.

My kids have always gone to the government hospitals, bit of waiting around sometimes, but that's the only downside.

 

The mothers all seem to enjoy the social event of the waiting room.

Edited November 1, 2019 by BritManToo

[Cristiancjb]

52 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Not required for Thai children, everything is free including the birth.

Not sure why you are going to a private hospital for the birth either, seems like wasting money to me.

My kids have always gone to the government hospitals, bit of waiting around sometimes, but that's the only downside.

 

The mothers all seem to enjoy the social event of the waiting room.

I'm not going to a private hospital, as far as I know. We are going to Mother and Child Hospital because yes, private hospitals seem quite expensive.

However it seems like it's not completely free, but rather cheap and seems ok