Synchronising Health Insurance Cover and Extension Permit To Stay

[JetsetBkk]

Is it necessary to synchronise the dates of your health insurance cover with the dates of your Extension's "Permit To Stay" ?

Will the new "Permit to Stay" end when your health insurance ends?

 

Here's the scenario:

 

I get health insurance now. It covers me from 15 February 2020 to 14 February 2021.

I then go to immigration in April to present documents for my extension which ends 30th April 2020.

 

Will I get a new extension that ends 30th April 2021 or will it end 14th February 2021 - the end date of my health insurance?

 

[Sheryl]

What type of original visa do you have? Health insurance is required only if it was an O-A visa.

[JetsetBkk]

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

What type of original visa do you have? Health insurance is required only if it was an O-A visa.

Yes, O-A.

[Sheryl]

Then yes, they will issue the extension only through the expiration date of your policy. And it must be a Thai policy from one of the 13 companies listed on the longstay website (or another country that one of these underwrites for). There is a certificate you need to get from them.

 

These companies are used to people getting the policy for immigration purposes and can help ensure the dates match up to the proposed extension period...i.e. you can purchase now a policy that would take effect the day after your current extension of stay ends.

 

At those companies which speak English, that is. Some of them do not. But a broker can help. AA brokers is good and thoroughly familiar with the new Imm requirements. 

 

How old are you? (Makes a big difference in terms of insurance options)

[JetsetBkk]

13 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Then yes, they will issue the extension only through the expiration date of your policy. And it must be a Thai policy from one of the 13 companies listed on the longstay website (or another country that one of these underwrites for). There is a certificate you need to get from them.

 

These companies are used to people getting the policy for immigration purposes and can help ensure the dates match up to the proposed extension period...i.e. you can purchase now a policy that would take effect the day after your current extension of stay ends.

 

At those companies which speak English, that is. Some of them do not. But a broker can help. AA brokers is good and thoroughly familiar with the new Imm requirements. 

 

How old are you? (Makes a big difference in terms of insurance options)

I'm surprised that nobody else has asked the question about synchronising, or maybe I missed it.

Do you have a link to this "AA Brokers".  I'm 70 and was thinking of getting the maximum deductibles in order to keep the premium down, as Momofarang talks about here:

 

 

 

 

 

[moontang]

my extension with OA, expired on 14 January.  I bought insurance for 15 January until 14 January 2021.  Policy takes effect at 16:31 on the 15th.  This was satisfactory to the IO.  With PaCross, you cant make a claim during the first 30 days...doesnt matter to IO, and I have a better IMG policy that runs till i am eligible to claim with PaCross.  Over 65, you will need to get a physical for Pacross...you pay, then get a credit.  300K deductible gets you a 50% discount.  I did 20,000 deductible for a 15% discount...with double the minimum inpatient requirement..mine was 27K, for age late 50s.  You need to start the process about 4 weeks before you go for your extension...my IO wants original certificates and copies of the policy.

[Sheryl]

51 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

I'm surprised that nobody else has asked the question about synchronising, or maybe I missed it.

Do you have a link to this "AA Brokers".  I'm 70 and was thinking of getting the maximum deductibles in order to keep the premium down, as Momofarang talks about here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.aainsure.net

 

My broker is Jenny and she is fantastic   [email protected]

 

But if you are based in Pattaya and like to do things in person then you might rather use someone in  their Pattaya office. Jenny is in Hua Hin , they have offices in both places. (I'm off in Prachinburi so for me makes no difference, it's all by email regardless).

 

The synchronization issue has been discussed many times. Broker understands the issue well. So do the folks at Pacific Cross. Other insurers maybe not so much and also not much English spoken (but then if going through  a broker this won't much matter).

 

Give some real thought to your financial situation and how much you can afford to self pay.  While you could get a low value Pacific Cross policy with high deductible, that is basically worthless except for immigration whereas you might be able to get a high value policy with same deductible  for not all that much more, with the result that in case of a hospital bill that exceeds what you can self pay the insurance would kick in. Single hospitalizations here can easily run to 3-4 million baht in a private hospitals if it is something major that requires ICU care etc, and even in a government hospital can exceed 1 million. Broker can walk you through all this, but your starting point should be how much you can afford to pay in case of hospitalization. Unless it is in the millions of baht (with some plan for what you'd do once that is spent) you might do well to get a high value PC policy with deductible of whatever it is you have safely set aside. Getting a 400K limit policy with a 300K deductible is fine for those who have other insurance, or millions of extra baht readily at hand, but for many is a poor choice that leaves them vulnerable.

 

[JetsetBkk]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

 

www.aainsure.net

 

My broker is Jenny and she is fantastic   [email protected]

 

But if you are based in Pattaya and like to do things in person then you might rather use someone in  their Pattaya office. Jenny is in Hua Hin , they have offices in both places. (I'm off in Prachinburi so for me makes no difference, it's all by email regardless).

 

The synchronization issue has been discussed many times. Broker understands the issue well. So do the folks at Pacific Cross. Other insurers maybe not so much and also not much English spoken (but then if going through  a broker this won't much matter).

 

Give some real thought to your financial situation and how much you can afford to self pay.  While you could get a low value Pacific Cross policy with high deductible, that is basically worthless except for immigration whereas you might be able to get a high value policy with same deductible  for not all that much more, with the result that in case of a hospital bill that exceeds what you can self pay the insurance would kick in. Single hospitalizations here can easily run to 3-4 million baht in a private hospitals if it is something major that requires ICU care etc, and even in a government hospital can exceed 1 million. Broker can walk you through all this, but your starting point should be how much you can afford to pay in case of hospitalization. Unless it is in the millions of baht (with some plan for what you'd do once that is spent) you might do well to get a high value PC policy with deductible of whatever it is you have safely set aside. Getting a 400K limit policy with a 300K deductible is fine for those who have other insurance, or millions of extra baht readily at hand, but for many is a poor choice that leaves them vulnerable.

 

Thanks Sheryl - good points for me to think about. Sorry I missed previous discusions about the synchronization issue.

 

I'm in Phuket so would communicate by email to AA Brokers. They have a phone number for Phuket so I will get in touch with them. I prefer email for keeping records of conversations.

 

My friend just had his stomach removed because of cancer. That cost him 3 to 4 million at Bumrungrad. He paid by cash. The most I've had to pay for is a kidney stone removal 2 years ago (190,000), and Cellulitis skin infection in a leg 7 years ago (77,000). But you never know what's around the corner.

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by JetsetBkk

[Sheryl]

43 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

My friend just had his stomach removed because of cancer. That cost him 3 to 4 million at Bumrungrad. He paid by cash. The most I've had to pay for is a kidney stone removal 2 years ago (190,000), and Cellulitis skin infection in a leg 7 years ago (77,000). But you never know what's around the corner.

 

 

indeed you don't.

 

I'm in perfect health and fully expected (and hoped!) not to need my insurance when I paid this year's  premium.

 

Crossing a street in Phnom Penh in broad daylight, in a crosswalk, nearest vehicles 200 meters away stopped at stopped light - and bam!. Light changed to green and despite obviously seeing me well in advance, a  motorcycle barreled right into me at very high speed juts as I reached the meridian.

 

3 fractures, huge gaping wound from knee to ankle and denuded heel , 2 surgeries, 2 weeks in the only decent hospital in Cambodia which is part of the BDMS chain and priced accordingly. Over 600,000 baht and that was with no ICU care and the ortho surgeries did not require instrumentation.  I was lucky as I managed not to have hit my head and despite a heavy blow to my chest (moto driver came flying over the handlebars and his helmeted head hit me right in the sternum) no fractured ribs  that might have punctured lungs or liver.  Could easily have had head trauma, collapsed lung etc in which case the bill would have been in the millions.

 

And I had thought I was just popping out to the corner store for a second on a normal Sunday...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JetsetBkk]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

indeed you don't.

 

I'm in perfect health and fully expected (and hoped!) not to need my insurance when I paid this year's  premium.

 

Crossing a street in Phnom Penh in broad daylight, in a crosswalk, nearest vehicles 200 meters away stopped at stopped light - and bam!. Light changed to green and despite obviously seeing me well in advance, a  motorcycle barreled right into me at very high speed juts as I reached the meridian.

 

3 fractures, huge gaping wound from knee to ankle and denuded heel , 2 surgeries, 2 weeks in the only decent hospital in Cambodia which is part of the BDMS chain and priced accordingly. Over 600,000 baht and that was with no ICU care and the ortho surgeries did not require instrumentation.  I was lucky as I managed not to have hit my head and despite a heavy blow to my chest (moto driver came flying over the handlebars and his helmeted head hit me right in the sternum) no fractured ribs  that might have punctured lungs or liver.  Could easily have had head trauma, collapsed lung etc in which case the bill would have been in the millions.

 

And I had thought I was just popping out to the corner store for a second on a normal Sunday...

 

OMG, that's horrific! Glad to hear you're OK!

I just sent the contact form on their web site to AA Brokers, Phuket.

[bobbyd1]

Writing is on the wall for O/A extensions of stay. Best to explore medical insurance options and not be faced with issues at the 11th hour, we have been warned, just as the income requirement saga. I started beating the bushes with the designated medical insurance companies. Because I am an old man, I will need a physical along with application form, so I will have to pull the trigger on this at some point in time prior to my extension stay expiration date. I am learning the insurance companies and immigration officers are willing to work with us on this. I have lived here in retired status many years and would prefer to stay.