Anyone taken out insurance from the Thai Govt list yet?

[moe666]

A friend who is 78 was told 390,000 a year that is almost the total coverage. he is changing to a o

[NoshowJones]

On 12/8/2019 at 4:19 PM, spidermike007 said:

I hear the coverage is very over priced for what you get. Wonder what these 14 companies did to get on the milk list?

 

Does this mean all foreign insurance is meaningless? Is this simply an army money grab scheme?

Yes.

[scubascuba3]

Surprised this hasn't been moved by the mods, not exactly chiang mai related

Edited December 9, 2019 by scubascuba3

[Samuel Smith]

29 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Surprised this hasn't been moved by the mods, not exactly chiang mai related

Apply for the job ????

[Peter Denis]

39 minutes ago, moe666 said:

A friend who is 78 was told 390,000 a year that is almost the total coverage. he is changing to a o

Yes, an annual premium of 390.000 THB for a coverage capped at 400.000 THB.

Anyone surprised that the thai-approved health-insurance scheme isn't exactly a Big Success?

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Apply for the job ????

No thanks

[pookiki]

Go to an insurance broker to get the best answers to your questions.

 

https://www.aainsure.net/

[Johnthplumb]

8 hours ago, DUNROAMIN said:

The backers and owners of the health insurance companies are related to the government officials that instigated the policy, not rocket science!

Well that is a surprise !!

[Morty T]

I have a Thai policy, but can't use it because of a preexisting condition (Diabetes). It solved my Retirement Insurance requirements, but I still needed my Cigna plan. Just a 35,000 baht scam as far as I'm concerned. You have to buy insurance that can't be used. 

[Speedhump]

16 hours ago, Gav Bic said:

Purchased Pacific Cross Premium package for THB 45 000 p.a with THB 300 000 deductible. Cover is for THB 10 million p.a Am 62 years old.

You've agreed a truly huge deductible to get a sensible premium. It makes the policy unusable for anything except very major illnesses (cancer for example). For something like appendix removal you'll be paying the whole thing yourself after the excess has been applied. I guess your reasoning was that you only need the policy in order to appease immigration. 

I have a policy with an international company for myself and expat wife both early 60s, for THB 3 million with excess of 30,000, at a total cost of THB 100,000. I consider that realistic on all counts as its usable. 

The problem is its not on the approved list. The new requirement should only apply to people who do not already have a certain level of life cover. Others who can show a policy schedule should be exempt. This is fair. 

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, Morty T said:

I have a Thai policy, but can't use it because of a preexisting condition (Diabetes). It solved my Retirement Insurance requirements, but I still needed my Cigna plan. Just a 35,000 baht scam as far as I'm concerned. You have to buy insurance that can't be used. 

you didn't need the insurance for retirement purposes, many have made the same mistake, money wasted. Plus having Cigna will complicate things, usually in the T&Cs it will ask about other insurance

[scubascuba3]

7 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

You've agreed a truly huge deductible to get a sensible premium. It makes the policy unusable for anything except very major illnesses (cancer for example). For something like appendix removal you'll be paying the whole thing yourself after the excess has been applied. I guess your reasoning was that you only need the policy in order to appease immigration. 

I have a policy with an international company for myself and expat wife both early 60s, for THB 3 million with excess of 30,000, at a total cost of THB 100,000. I consider that realistic on all counts as its usable. 

The problem is its not on the approved list. The new requirement should only apply to people who do not already have a certain level of life cover. Others who can show a policy schedule should be exempt. This is fair. 

With Pacific Cross many reports of them increasing premiums after making claims so makes sense to avoid claims and having a bigger deductible, last time i looked circ 40k was the most cost effective deductible after that it loses value.

 

I toyed with a huge deductible but realised i wouldn't want serious medical treatment such as cancer done in Thailand anyway

[amexpat]

24 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

The new requirement should only apply to people who do not already have a certain level of life cover. Others who can show a policy schedule should be exempt. This is fair. 

How would that benefit Thai insurance companies or their friends. 

[Langsuan Man]

16 hours ago, MrBrad said:

I'm guessing that there has to be an exception for foreigners who are here long-term (either alone or with their families) who work for foreign governments or international companies.  They all would have medical insurance from their home country, I'm sure.  I find it hard to believe that they would be required to purchase additional--and most likely inferior--insurance to comply with Immigration regulations. 

No exception, they are not here on O-A Visas. I guarantee you that if they tried to enforce this rule 98% of the US Employees at the US Embassy would not qualify, since most have Blue Cross / Blue Shield due to the US Department of State's requirement that employees overseas MUST have health insurance that provides International cover

 

So until those who work for foreign governments or international companies are forced into it,  there will be no complaints from them or relief for us 

[Peter Denis]

The relatively small cost and effort to switch to a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa and then apply for a 1 year extension based on that Non Imm O - retirement, is probably one of the best investments you can do.

The requirements and conditions for an extension of the Non Imm OA and Non Imm O are identical, except that the Non Imm O does NOT require the expensive and basically worthless thai-approved health-insurance accepted by IO.

The money you save by not stepping into the OA health-insurance scam, can then be used to buy a decent health-insurance policy that will meet your actual needs (if you do not already have such insurance).

 

[JimHuaHin]

18 hours ago, ndreamer said:

There is a form to download to get your policy approved.  Who knows if it works.  

I have insurance with a company not in the list of 12.

 

I sent the US-based compand the form and they completed it, stamped it, and sent it back to me.

 

I took it to immigration - first reaction, 'this is correct', but then not accepted, as the company is not one of the 12.

[4MyEgo]

My Tuesday mornings rant:

 

We moved here 4 years ago and I am on the marriage extension.

 

When we first arrived, I self managed for 2 years due to two international insurance companies refusing to cover my pre-existing condition, fortunately for me, I have back up funds in the bank, so I had self insured, then by accident a couple of years later, I found one health insurer through a broker who did our annual house and car insurance and he found an international health insurer who would cover me with my pre-existing condition, so for the past 2 years I have had emergency inpatient cover which covers my pre-existing condition, yes, the insurance was not required by any immigration rules on the marriage extension, but was for peace of mind and remains the same at the moment.

 

I read a document recently that was posted here on TVF which stated that the Thai government are setting up a committee to look into both the marriage and retirement visas/extensions, to see if they can apply the same rules or similar rules from the O/A to the marriage and retirement visas/extension.

 

The above said, both my wife and I are so over this governments constant chopping and changing, reinstating or applying old rules, and having different rules at different immigration offices and then reneging on some things on the quite so as to not lose face.

 

Well the damage has already been done to many farangs, who have already left, some on the way to leaving, and others such as ourselves who are almost there, i.e. if they keep it up, plan B will have to come into play i.e. we will exit back to where we came from, fortunately for my wife and the kids, I made sure that they had citizenship back in the old country, just in case of some event in Thailand required me to exit, i.e. me making sure they would be coming as opposed to them staying and being stuck here until I could sort things out.

 

In the 4 years we have lived here the AUS $ has gone south a minimum 20%, no fault of the Thai government of course, and our health insurance premiums are due once again soon, one in January and the other in June, and just looking at the premiums in US $ terms, with both my wife's and my age creeping into the next age brackets, I think it's time to cancel both upon their renewal due dates next month and in June.

 

If we stay which is the plan, the money that was to go to the health insurers will now go into a separate account on a monthly basis, suffice to say in 5 years time, if nothing changes i.e. we don't have an emergency, as that is the only cover we have  with the policies, we would have saved 860,000 baht on both policies in those 5 years or 172,000 averaged out with the increases and after after another 5 years, it would increase yet again, as insurance policies increase every 5 years, so by continuing to put the policy amounts that we would have been paying to the health insurers, into the bank, the above amount will keep increasing and one could save us in excess of 2 million baht over 10 years if goes according to plan, and of course we could draw down on that account at any time if we need to in the event of an emergency, and if it's not enough in the account, then take it from the back up money. 

 

I suppose it all weighs down on what risk your prepared to take by self insuring as I did before finding a health insurance company that was prepared to take on my pre-existing cover initially. 

[Speedhump]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

With Pacific Cross many reports of them increasing premiums after making claims so makes sense to avoid claims and having a bigger deductible, last time i looked circ 40k was the most cost effective deductible after that it loses value.

 

I toyed with a huge deductible but realised i wouldn't want serious medical treatment such as cancer done in Thailand anyway

Yes, no one should take a medical policy with a Thai insurer unless they have no other choice. Only known international companies are legally bound to continue cover once started and not cancel unless  you have broken the terms of cover, and not to charge you a premium outside of your age band, regardless of the claims you make while under their cover. A good broker should be able to clarify which companies are worth considering. 

[BobBKK]

1 hour ago, JimHuaHin said:

I have insurance with a company not in the list of 12.

 

I sent the US-based compand the form and they completed it, stamped it, and sent it back to me.

 

I took it to immigration - first reaction, 'this is correct', but then not accepted, as the company is not one of the 12.

that is outrageous 

[Sheryl]

19 hours ago, ndreamer said:

There is a form to download to get your policy approved.  Who knows if it works.  

If you mean for foreign insurance it is allowed only when initially applying for the visa abroad. Cannot be used for extension.

[Sheryl]

On 12/10/2019 at 8:57 AM, JimHuaHin said:

I have insurance with a company not in the list of 12.

 

I sent the US-based compand the form and they completed it, stamped it, and sent it back to me.

 

I took it to immigration - first reaction, 'this is correct', but then not accepted, as the company is not one of the 12.

Which company was this? Please share so I can advise others.

 

While of no help with extensions, the certificate can be used for the initial visa and will be honored until the initial end date of the policy initiated under the visa.

 

Using OA visas for one year only and getting successive ones is thus an option for people not already here and wanting to keep their existing insurance policies (or people here who are prepared to go back and start over on a new OA) but many companies have refused to sign the certificate.

 

So this would be very useful info.

[Peter Denis]

Of possible interest for some.

A Belgian TVF member did sent me a filled-in and signed copy of the Foreign Insurance Certificate required by the thai embassy/consulate when applying for a Non Imm OA Visa (see attached).

Yes, the Certificate is not complete.  The out-patient coverage is not filled in.  And the names of two directors from the insurance company are missing (I understood from an earlier TVF post, that the names are sufficient and that no signatures are needed, so that could be solved quickly).

But the interesting thing is that this certificate was issued by the Belgian branch of the French international insurance company AXA.  And AXA's thai branch is one of the 12 approved companies for providing health-insurance that meets the IO requirements when applying for an extension of stay based on your OA - retirement Visa.

If the Belgian branch of AXA is willing to sign the foreign-insurance certificate, there might be the possibility for holders of a foreign AXA insurance, to ask their AXA contact-person to contact the thai AXA branch, and requesting them to provide the Certificate based on the policy the holder has with his foreign branch.

If approved, that would open the door for foreign insurance being allowed not only for applying for an OA Visa in your home-country but also for using that insurance when applying for an extension of stay in Thailand.

 

[LivinLOS]

5 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

I have insurance with a company not in the list of 12.

 

I sent the US-based compand the form and they completed it, stamped it, and sent it back to me.

 

I took it to immigration - first reaction, 'this is correct', but then not accepted, as the company is not one of the 12.

The certificate is only for 'the first year' when applying for the OA.. And the first entry to the country. 

 

To extend the permission of stay the OA visa generates, it has to be one on the list, not any other with the signed form. 

[MrBrad]

To be clear, "I self-insure" means "I have no insurance," right?  This terminology is used by some to indicate that they regularly pay or intend to pay cash for medical costs.

[LivinLOS]

53 minutes ago, MrBrad said:

To be clear, "I self-insure" means "I have no insurance," right?  This terminology is used by some to indicate that they regularly pay or intend to pay cash for medical costs.

Means I have no insurance but believe I have enough cash on hand (or readily accessible) to afford treatment. 

Anyone who doesnt have immediate access to >1 mil isnt self insuring, they are just risking it. 

[Dante99]

12 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

Anyone who doesnt have immediate access to >1 mil isnt self insuring, they are just risking it. 

1 million what?  Indonesian rhupia or ounces of gold?

[Momofarang]

10 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

The relatively small cost and effort to switch to a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa and then apply for a 1 year extension based on that Non Imm O - retirement, is probably one of the best investments you can do.

The requirements and conditions for an extension of the Non Imm OA and Non Imm O are identical, except that the Non Imm O does NOT require the expensive and basically worthless thai-approved health-insurance accepted by IO.

The money you save by not stepping into the OA health-insurance scam, can then be used to buy a decent health-insurance policy that will meet your actual needs (if you do not already have such insurance).

 

What you don't know is WHEN the health insurance will become mandatory for Non O, or "Thai Wife" extensions too. So some people who could still get the required Thai insurance now, would end up screwed in one, two or more years time.

[Captain Monday]

10 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

I have insurance with a company not in the list of 12.

 

I sent the US-based compand the form and they completed it, stamped it, and sent it back to me.

 

I took it to immigration - first reaction, 'this is correct', but then not accepted, as the company is not one of the 12.

What did the US based company  write as your policy number?

[elliss]

10 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

I have insurance with a company not in the list of 12.

 

I sent the US-based compand the form and they completed it, stamped it, and sent it back to me.

 

I took it to immigration - first reaction, 'this is correct', but then not accepted, as the company is not one of the 12.

 

       It is at the discretion of the immigration officer .

       Nuff said ...

 

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by elliss

[Scott]

Baiting post removed.