Insurance Certificate - What does it look like?

[Martyp]

What does an insurance certificate look like? What is it you would show Immigration at the airport or when applying for an extension of stay. Is it a piece of paper? What information is on it? Does anyone have a redacted picture of it that they can post? When you purchase one of the insurance policies on the website what do they send you? If your foreign insurance company signed the downloadable form is that all you show or is there something else?

 

My Pacific Cross insurance ends January 1st and I will ask this question when I renew next month but I was just curious about what people have now that gets you through Immigration when they ask for proof of insurance.

 

Thanks.

[Sheryl]

You will find it in downloadable form (for use with foreign policies)  here:

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

 

(link in red near the top)

 

With a policy from one of the "approved" companies, they will issue the exact same wording on their own letterhead.

 

Many people trying to use foreign policies for their initial entry have had trouble getting their insurer to sign this (understandably given the wording). In a few cases, most recently the Vancouver Consulate, they have been able to submit their actual policy documents in order to get the needed visa notation but this will depend on the individual Embassy or consulate.

 

Immigration officers at entry points and Imm offices in-country will NOT accept policy documents, however, they will want either  this certificate or a notation on your visa from the issuing Embassy/Consulate.

[Martyp]

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You will find it in downloadable form (for use with foreign policies)  here:

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

 

(link in red near the top)

 

With a policy from one of the "approved" companies, they will issue the exact same wording on their own letterhead.

 

Many people trying to use foreign policies for their initial entry have had trouble getting their insurer to sign this (understandably given the wording). In a few cases, most recently the Vancouver Consulate, they have been able to submit their actual policy documents in order to get the needed visa notation but this will depend on the individual Embassy or consulate.

 

Immigration officers at entry points and Imm offices in-country will NOT accept policy documents, however, they will want either  this certificate or a notation on your visa from the issuing Embassy/Consulate.

Thank you. I looked at this a long time ago but didn't make the connection between the Thai companies and the foreign companies.

[Martyp]

Needless to say to everyone else . . . no more comments required.

[gk10002000]

From the USA Thai embassy Washington DC from which the hyper link points to the tgia site

overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf

[soisanuk]

On 11/8/2019 at 9:24 AM, gk10002000 said:

From the USA Thai embassy Washington DC from which the hyper link points to the tgia site

overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf 130.81 kB · 3 downloads

Thai Embassy in Washington DC state they want both, the Certificate AND a copy of the policy.  As mentioned by Sheryl, good luck on getting the Certificate from a USA insurance company -- they will not know what the Thai resolution says, so unlikely to want to certify to something they don't know what it is.  Likewise, form shows it is to be signed by two "Directors"  - does it have to be Directors on the Insurance Company Board or will they accept that of Corporate Officers (Agents)?

 

What about retirees that carried over their employer's group health policy. That is what I did, it covers me in Thailand, but all I have is an insurance card and a brochure of benefits for the calendar year - no coverage limits are stated as there are none - only deductibles and co-pay.

 

So, as it now stands, using a foreign health insurance policy is problematic.  Perhaps it will get sorted so those obstacles can be overcome.  But, even if you succeed it getting the OA Visa using your foreign policy, Immigration will not accept foreign policies for extensions of stay or for giving a permission of stay beyond the coverage ending date that apparently the Embassy/Consulate will include when they issue an OA Visa.

Edited November 9, 2019 by soisanuk

[gk10002000]

4 minutes ago, soisanuk said:

Thai Embassy in Washington DC state they want both, the Certificate AND a copy of the policy.  As mentioned by Sheryl, good luck on getting the Certificate from a USA insurance company -- they will not know what the Thai resolution says, so unlikely to want to certify to something they don't know what it is.  Likewise, form shows it is to be signed by two "Directors"  - does it have to be Directors on the Insurance Company Board or will they accept that of Corporate Officers (Agents)?

 

What about retirees that carried over their employer's group health policy. That is what I did, it covers me in Thailand, but all I have is an insurance card and a brochure of benefits for the calendar year - no coverage limits are stated as there are none - only deductibles and co-pay.

 

So, as it now stands, using a foreign health insurance policy is problematic.  Perhaps it will get sorted so those obstacles can be overcome.  But, even if you succeed it getting the OA Visa using your foreign policy, Immigration will not accept foreign policies for extensions of stay or for giving a permission of stay beyond the coverage ending date that apparently the Embassy/Consulate will include when they issue an OA Visa.

Yep.  and many retired USA military people have TriCare and would have no need for a Thai insurance policy.  And as far as I am concerned, I will have medicare that I will be paying for.  And for anything except things that would prevent me from traveling, I would fly home for treatment and certainly follow up care.  Granted that has some risks.   Frankly between the insurance mandate, and the nutty monthly income transfer method instead of what previously was the embassy income letter, they are making things really tough.  The obvious and at the moment somewhat doable is the O visa after arriving in Thailand.  But even that will require monthly income transfers, unless one goes the 800k baht method.  And given the willy nilly policy changes, I know there is no way I will be putting that on deposit in Thailand

 

Now in lieu of pure Medicare, there are some Medigap polices available that would provide emergency coverage overseas, but from what I read, in general the conditions are quite strict.

 

Some Medigap plans cover emergency medical services you receive outside the United States. Medigap Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N pay 80% of your costs for certain emergency care in a foreign country if your situation meets all of the following conditions:

• The care you receive is medically necessary.
• The care begins during the first 60 days of your travel.
• Medicare doesn’t otherwise cover this care.
• You’ve met your Medigap deductible for the year.

If you still have a Medigap Plan E, H, I, or J, these plans also cover overseas medical emergencies, but these plans are no longer sold.

A Medigap plan with emergency medical coverage outside the U.S. has a lifetime maximum coverage limit of $50,000.

 

[Sheryl]

As I understand it there are residency requiremrnts for Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans. You need to permanently reside not only in the US but in a specific state.

[La Migra]

9 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Now in lieu of pure Medicare, there are some Medigap polices available that would provide emergency coverage overseas, but from what I read, in general the conditions are quite strict.

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

As I understand it there are residency requirements for Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans. You need to permanently reside not only in the US but in a specific state.

Yes, those plans are specifically designed for traveling - not staying long-term outside the US.