Which medical insurance do you use

[mjakob007]

I am shopping for a medical insurance as i plan to relocate to Thailand during this year.

purpose for this insurance is to fulfill visas requirements as well as pay for our medical needs.

 

currently i am working overseas and hence company insurance covers us. Relocating to Thailand, I have to fend for myself and hence need to mitigate the health risk.

 

1. which insurance company did you choose

2. What was your criteria for the choice?

 

[Thaifish]

1 Aetna

2 Recommended by other ex-pats....Got sick of researching all the Insurance companies and trying to weigh the benefits up. What you pay depends on what level of cover you get. I had one small claim and was payed out with little fuss.. They respond to email with quires quickly... Would recommend.. My criteria was reputable insurance...  

[stapoz]

The most important is not only the cover level but how easy (and whether at all) insurer will pay your claims. 

[lopburi3]

2 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

purpose for this insurance is to fulfill visas requirements as well as pay for our medical needs.

And believe you will find those two do not equate of one insurance.  Might be better to avoid O-A visa requirements (enter on O or change status once here) and obtain international insurance from reports I have seen.

[mjakob007]

Thank you for the responses

[Upnotover]

I had very good experiences with AXA Thailand.  I had an annual international healthcare policy which covered me when I had a TIA and later a triple bypass.  Both events were paid in full by AXA direct to the hospital, the bypass operation being around THB1.2M I recall.

[Logosone]

I use a Hanse Merkur private medical insurance that costs 89 Euro and has a very good plan including dental.

 

Before you leave your home country you should check if your country offers extended 5 year traveller insurance. It covers you worldwide, is quite cheap, and there are some very good packages. The catch is you have to be a resident in that country and be a 'traveller' on paper. So that policy would not work if you go to your own country, only outside, like Thailand and any other country except the US or Canada.

 

But you can be outside your home country for up to 5 years. Supposedly travelling.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Logosone

[mjakob007]

Very useful information.

thank you 

[mrmicbkktxl]

On 4/28/2020 at 12:33 PM, Logosone said:

I use a Hanse Merkur private medical insurance that costs 89 Euro and has a very good plan including dental.

 

Before you leave your home country you should check if your country offers extended 5 year traveller insurance. It covers you worldwide, is quite cheap, and there are some very good packages. The catch is you have to be a resident in that country and be a 'traveller' on paper. So that policy would not work if you go to your own country, only outside, like Thailand and any other country except the US or Canada.

 

But you can be outside your home country for up to 5 years. Supposedly travelling.

But you have to pay first and get reimbursed,correct?

[merijn]

As i travel a lot i have Cigna international health insurance for 1 mm USD coverage.

Luckily i never needed it but according others it is a good insurance company.

[Tuvoc]

23 hours ago, merijn said:

As i travel a lot i have Cigna international health insurance for 1 mm USD coverage.

Luckily i never needed it but according others it is a good insurance company.

 

I've been talking to them recently, and they seem quite good and well priced, the policies seem good, but I need to investigate further. They say that claims do not affect subsequent premiums. 

[mjakob007]

On 6/11/2020 at 5:55 AM, merijn said:

As i travel a lot i have Cigna international health insurance for 1 mm USD coverage.

Luckily i never needed it but according others it is a good insurance company.

I had reached ut to Cigna, but they claimed not to cover thailand.

can you please send me contact for Cigna?

 

do they include C19 cover? 

[merijn]

2 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

I had reached ut to Cigna, but they claimed not to cover thailand.

can you please send me contact for Cigna?

 

do they include C19 cover? 

Yes they cover C19 (i have in writing)

I will sent contact details later per pm.

[Crossy]

On 6/16/2020 at 5:36 PM, merijn said:

Yes they cover C19 (i have in writing)

I will sent contact details later per pm.

 

I too would appreciate contact details for Cigna. Thanks.

[Tuvoc]

6 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

I too would appreciate contact details for Cigna. Thanks.

The guy I have been speaking to is

 

Jimmy Phillips
Multilingual Sales Executive

Global Individual Private Medical Insurance

 

[email protected]

 

He is based out of Dubai. From his accent, sounds Scottish.

 

I'm sure he won't mind me posting these details. If it is inappropriate then moderators please remove.

[brewsterbudgen]

For me, Luma Asia Care, based on affordability, no silly restrictions, local office.

[Tuvoc]

 

15 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

For me, Luma Asia Care, based on affordability, no silly restrictions, local office.

 

Thanks, I must check them as well.

[Mike Teavee]

On 4/28/2020 at 5:33 PM, Logosone said:

I use a Hanse Merkur private medical insurance that costs 89 Euro and has a very good plan including dental.

 

Before you leave your home country you should check if your country offers extended 5 year traveller insurance. It covers you worldwide, is quite cheap, and there are some very good packages. The catch is you have to be a resident in that country and be a 'traveller' on paper. So that policy would not work if you go to your own country, only outside, like Thailand and any other country except the US or Canada.

 

But you can be outside your home country for up to 5 years. Supposedly travelling.

Not sure which European country that particular Travel Insurance is from (Presumably Germany) but in the UK the FCO has advised against all but essential travel which means very few Travel Policies will cover you for anything (Lost/Stolen stuff, accident, delayed flights etc...) and the ones that do need to agree with you that your travel is "Essential" before you go. 

 

If you're moving fulltime to Thailand, you're better of getting Health Insurance, Pacific Cross do a number of policies that are approved for the Non-OA VIsa but as others have said, I would recommend getting a Non-O to avoid this and getting yourself a decent policy based on the cover/cost rather that it ticking a box.

 

 

[Tuvoc]

Yes, in terms of a "holiday" I imagine that by the time Thailand's borders have re-opened the UK FCO will also have removed the "all but essential travel" advice. All travel insurance policies should be valid once again, but you would have to confirm that with the insurance company to be sure.

[Tuvoc]

On 6/20/2020 at 8:44 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

For me, Luma Asia Care, based on affordability, no silly restrictions, local office.

 

I got a quote from them, insanely expensive, more than double Cigna although the coverage limits are higher.

[mjakob007]

17 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

 

I got a quote from them, insanely expensive, more than double Cigna although the coverage limits are higher.

How do they compare with Aetna or ACS?

[Tuvoc]

4 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

How do they compare with Aetna or ACS?

 

I have not tried them yet.

 

The Cigna Close Care policy I've been looking at has a per condition limit per year of USD 250,000 and total cover per year of USD 500,000.  You can get policies with higher level cover of course (1M) but the above limits should be enough protection for all but the most extreme situations ? The big numbers you see quoted -  USD 1M, USD 2M of cover, is that actually necessary ?

[moontang]

_{I was stringing toklio marine policies together for years, and technically it was travel medical..but I told them that out I was living here..as an american, you are always considered a resident of the US..so different rules for different citizens..but I was just about to switch to Cigna, agent in Dubai..then the LA requirement was starting and cig a would not have met that, or it would have been an impossible paper chase to get the required stamps, seals, and signatures..but, if I wasn't on OA, they would be a top contender.  So I am using Pacific Cross, and while limited (what isnt?), I like the localness of it..and am pretty confident, I can show my card at any bk k hospital and get treated well..}

Edited June 23, 2020 by moontang

[Tuvoc]

4 minutes ago, moontang said:

_{I was stringing toklio marine policies together for years, and technically it was travel medical..but I told them that out I was living here..as an american, you are always considered a resident of the US..so different rules for different citizens..but I was just about to switch to Cigna, agent in Dubai..then the LA requirement was starting and cig a would not have met that, or it would have been an impossible paper chase to get the required stamps, seals, and signatures..but, if I wasn't on OA, they would be a top contender.  So I am using Pacific Cross, and while limited (what isnt?), I like the localness of it..and am pretty confident, I can show my card at any bk k hospital and get treated well..}

 

Yes Cigna don't have OA approved policies as far as I know, but I won't be on that type of Visa so am free to choose. I won't want outpatient for example, happy to self-insure for that.

[moontang]

11 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Yes Cigna don't have OA approved policies as far as I know, but I won't be on that type of Visa so am free to choose. I won't want outpatient for example, happy to self-insure for that.

if you are american..look at www.insubuy.com. if you aren't american, it is just a bit more restrictive.  

[mjakob007]

9 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

 

I have not tried them yet.

 

The Cigna Close Care policy I've been looking at has a per condition limit per year of USD 250,000 and total cover per year of USD 500,000.  You can get policies with higher level cover of course (1M) but the above limits should be enough protection for all but the most extreme situations ? The big numbers you see quoted -  USD 1M, USD 2M of cover, is that actually necessary ?

 

Thank you very much for the update.

0.5-1.0mill should do for the likes of me..

 

Wonder if they cover the C19 requirements as required by Thailand these days.

 

Can you please give me contact for Cigna?

[Tuvoc]

6 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

 

Thank you very much for the update.

0.5-1.0mill should do for the likes of me..

 

Wonder if they cover the C19 requirements as required by Thailand these days.

 

Can you please give me contact for Cigna?

The guy I have been speaking to is

 

Jimmy Phillips
Multilingual Sales Executive

Global Individual Private Medical Insurance

 

[email protected]

 

He is based out of Dubai. From his accent, sounds Scottish. He is happy for me to give his details (no surprise there really)

 

Covid19 is covered he says.

Edited June 23, 2020 by Tuvoc

[mjakob007]

12 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

The guy I have been speaking to is

 

Jimmy Phillips
Multilingual Sales Executive

Global Individual Private Medical Insurance

 

[email protected]

 

He is based out of Dubai. From his accent, sounds Scottish. He is happy for me to give his details (no surprise there really)

 

Covid19 is covered he says.

Thank you.

 

you are very kind

[mjakob007]

On 6/23/2020 at 9:30 PM, Tuvoc said:

The guy I have been speaking to is

 

Jimmy Phillips
Multilingual Sales Executive

Global Individual Private Medical Insurance

 

[email protected]

 

He is based out of Dubai. From his accent, sounds Scottish. He is happy for me to give his details (no surprise there really)

 

Covid19 is covered he says.

Thank you very much, Tuvoc.

 

Jimmy was very helpful. The prices were competitive and good flexible international coverage.

[Tuvoc]

1 hour ago, mjakob007 said:

Thank you very much, Tuvoc.

 

Jimmy was very helpful. The prices were competitive and good flexible international coverage.

 

Yes I've had a couple of phone conversations with him and some emails, and he is very helpful. I will almost certainly take cover with them, later in the year if all goes well. I found the prices very competitive as well.