Meeting health insurance requirements for extending an O-A visa

[ALMIN]

In a few months time I will need to extend my O-A retirement visa for an additional year. 

Since my retirement, I am indeed been fortunate to have a good health insurance plan in place  provided directly by my former Government employer. I am, however, unsure at this stage, how to navigate the rather elaborate insurance procedures for Thai  immigration purposes. 

There is a form on the website http://longstay.tgia.org/documents/overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf) showing that one can request  one's foreign insurance company to complete (with the required policy number, validity dates specified and signed by 2 directors etc.). In my case, unfortunately, it is just blank coverage based on my name and pension number. So the details cannot simply be recorded and signed on the standardised Thai pre-printed form. 

 

To cut a long story short, I suspect  that at the end of the day, the easiest option will be to fork out the 15 000 baht (or more) and take out a Thai Approved Insurance policy with a maximum deductible amount. 

 

Nevertheless, it would be interesting to hear how the Northern European and  Swiss retirees have dealt with this issue because (the way I understand it) they already have very good national State insurance coverage. So they must have similar difficulties in getting their state insurance approved. 

 

Thanks in advance for any

advice that your forum members might be able to provide. 

[Peter Denis]

A foreign insurance policy that meets the IO-requirements (at least 400K/40K for in-patient/out-patient coverage), is ONLY accepted when you apply for the Non Imm O-A (long-stay) Visa in your home-country.

Once in country and applying for the 1-year extension based on your original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement (even if that original Visa dates from yesteryear). ONLY a thai IO-approved insurance policy issued by a TGIA-associated insurer will be accepted ( https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa ).

Content-wise most of these thai IO-approved policies are worthless, so - if you go that road - you might as well opt for the cheapest one, which is the LMG Insurance Plan 1 with a 200K deductible (annual premium of 6.000 THB to 11.400 THB in the age bracket of 51 till 75), with the additional advantage that no medical exam is required when subscribing to that LMG-policy.

Here the link > https://www.lmginsurance.co.th/en/Products/Pages/Universal-Longstayvisa.aspx

 

Alternatively you could also switch to a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement and subsequent 1-year extension.  Unfortunately that option is presently not possible, as it requires a border-run (to 'kill' the permission to stay based on your current Non Imm O-A Visa).

However, I did PM you a comprehensive guideline document containing all details/options on doing just that.  That guideline can be used once the borders are open again and the entry-requirements are not too inconvenient with covid-19 measures like mandatory quarantaine or 100K US $ covid-19 insurance.

In case you consider the LMG Insurance option (cheapest option to meet the Non Imm O-A retirement extension requirement for health-insurance), just PM me and I will provide you with full details on how to apply for it, including tips/caveats.

>> In order to access your PM-messages just click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum.

[ubonjoe]

Immigration will only accept insurance from a Thai company. They will not accept the certificate for foreign insurance.

[Mango Bob]

I was in a similar situation likes your.  I took the cheapest insurance I could, since I already had insurance from my military service and also covered convid-19.  I applied and got my visa extension in under 30 minutes since no applicants were there ahead of me.    Now hoping a vaccine will be avaialbe and I will be able travel out and in to go to the Thai Embassy in Ho Chi Minh City for an O for marriage.  Good luck I am sure it will work out for you. 

[ALMIN]

Many many thanks to Peter Denis, Ubon Joe and Mango Bob for their quick and valued replies. Your replies are much appreciated and I will now try the LMG policy route.

[Peter Denis]

4 minutes ago, ALMIN said:

Many many thanks to Peter Denis, Ubon Joe and Mango Bob for their quick and valued replies. Your replies are much appreciated and I will now try the LMG policy route.

Hi Almin,

I will PM you some additional information of relevance with tips/caveats on how to apply for the LMG Insurance Plan 1 (with 200K deductible) policy.

 

[ALMIN]

3 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi Almin,

I will PM you some additional information of relevance with tips/caveats on how to apply for the LMG Insurance Plan 1 (with 200K deductible) policy.

 

 

[doggie1955]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Immigration will only accept insurance from a Thai company. They will not accept the certificate for foreign insurance.

So is 1,000 baht per month a good price for insurance?

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, doggie1955 said:

So is 1,000 baht per month a good price for insurance?

The insurance being described and suggested above is to satisfy immigration requirement for insurance. It's a rubbish cover. Think of it as part of the extension cost.

[rwill]

5 hours ago, ALMIN said:

Many many thanks to Peter Denis, Ubon Joe and Mango Bob for their quick and valued replies. Your replies are much appreciated and I will now try the LMG policy route.

Just be aware that the LMG deductible is per incidence, not per year.  But in your case you should be covered by your other insurance anyway.

[david_je]

5 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi Almin,

I will PM you some additional information of relevance with tips/caveats on how to apply for the LMG Insurance Plan 1 (with 200K deductible) policy.

 

Dear Peter, Pls also PM that to me? Thanks.

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, david_je said:

Dear Peter, Pls also PM that to me? Thanks.

Hi David > done, and you are welcome!

[Peter Denis]

31 minutes ago, rwill said:

Just be aware that the LMG deductible is per incidence, not per year.  But in your case you should be covered by your other insurance anyway.

Correct, but doesn't matter as most of these IO-approved insurance polices are basically worthless.

The only reason for subscribing to them is to meet the IO health-insurance requirement when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on your original Non Imm O-A Visa (and when doing this for reason of retirement).

So you might as well subcribe to the dead-cheapest one, which is this LMG Insurance Plan 1 (with a 200K deductible).

The money you save by opting for this relatively cheap 'paper' policy, can then be used for REAL insurance that will cover your actual health-care needs, and should be well above the ridiculously low 400K/40K coverage for in-patient/out-patient care.  Insurance that meets your needs should be looked at from the perspective of a catastrophic accident/illness you might encounter so that at least the monetary impact of such event would not totally devastate your life.

 

[StewB1]

I entered Thailand just under the wire late last Oct 2019 on an O-A issued outside of Thailand which eliminated the need for me to purchase this new insurance.

Is my understanding correct in that I am able to to extend this O-A for only one more year in October 2020 and that no insurance will be required with this extension?

[udonsteve]

1 hour ago, david_je said:

Dear Peter, Pls also PM that to me? Thanks.

Hi Peter, could you also PM me the above. I am also on a O-A, and will be extending in December.

 

Thanks 

 

Steve

[Neocon]

10 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

In case you consider the LMG Insurance option (cheapest option to meet the Non Imm O-A retirement extension requirement for health-insurance), just PM me and I will provide you with full details on how to apply for it, including tips/caveats.

Peter, my good fellow, I too would like the LMG info. I have PM'd you.

 

Thank You and Best of Health!

[Postmaster]

Peter Dennis,

 

Thanks Peter, very interesting.  I've printed off the LMG Insurance Application Form.  I see that their office is on Sukhumvit, Bangkok.  You have saved us all a huge trawl of finding the best value company in the Thailand 'Approved' List.  Could I get you email address for the tips you refer to.  Thanks.

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, udonsteve said:

Hi Peter, could you also PM me the above. I am also on a O-A, and will be extending in December.

Hi Steve > done, and you are welcome!

[Peter Denis]

56 minutes ago, Neocon said:

Peter, my good fellow, I too would like the LMG info. I have PM'd you.

 

Thank You and Best of Health!

Hi Neocon > done, and you are welcome!

[tonray]

1 hour ago, StewB1 said:

I entered Thailand just under the wire late last Oct 2019 on an O-A issued outside of Thailand which eliminated the need for me to purchase this new insurance.

Is my understanding correct in that I am able to to extend this O-A for only one more year in October 2020 and that no insurance will be required with this extension?

If by extension you mean a border crossing then you are correct. However, should you extend via an immigration office, you will need the insurance

[Peter Denis]

23 minutes ago, Postmaster said:

Peter Dennis,

 

Thanks Peter, very interesting.  I've printed off the LMG Insurance Application Form.  I see that their office is on Sukhumvit, Bangkok.  You have saved us all a huge trawl of finding the best value company in the Thailand 'Approved' List.  Could I get you email address for the tips you refer to.  Thanks.

Hi Postmaster > done, and you are welcome!

[Martyp]

1 hour ago, StewB1 said:

I entered Thailand just under the wire late last Oct 2019 on an O-A issued outside of Thailand which eliminated the need for me to purchase this new insurance.

Is my understanding correct in that I am able to to extend this O-A for only one more year in October 2020 and that no insurance will be required with this extension?

During the first year of your O-A visa when you leave Thailand and re-enter you get stamped with a full year permission to stay. If you exit and re-enter toward the end of the first year you effectively get two years on that visa. However, at this time it is difficult or impossible to enter the country. It will depend on the border policy in October. 
 

You do not have to take advantage of that second year permission to stay. At the end of your first year you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay. You will need Thai insurance to meet the application requirements as well as meeting the financial requirements of 800,000 baht or the 65,000/month deposits into a Thai bank account.

 

If you are married to a Thai then you can apply for a one year extension of stay based on marriage. You won’t need to have insurance but you do have to meet the financial requirements of deposits in a Thai bank which I think are 400,000 baht or a monthly income (?).

 

The money needs to be in the Thai bank 2 months before your apply for the one year extension. If you plan to do this then you will need to prepare very soon.

A non-O would be an option to avoid the insurance requirement but that has the same problem of leaving and re-entering the country.

You can choose the cheapest insurance policy possible as described above or you can buy a full insurance policy with a large deductible to lower the cost. I would recommend Pacific Cross insurance if you want to go this route.

 

Good luck.

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, StewB1 said:

I entered Thailand just under the wire late last Oct 2019 on an O-A issued outside of Thailand which eliminated the need for me to purchase this new insurance.

Is my understanding correct in that I am able to to extend this O-A for only one more year in October 2020 and that no insurance will be required with this extension?

When you applied for the 1-year Non Imm O-A (long-stay) Visa at the thai Embassy in your home-country mid October 2019, the Visa that was issued will be valid till mid October 2020.

Since it is a MultipleEntry Visa, each time you exit Thailand and re-enter you will be stamped in by border-Immigration for the 1-year extension of stay that Non Imm O-A Visa entitles you to.

So by exiting Thailand and returning just before your Visa validity expires (mid Oct 2020), you will be able to squeeze a full 2nd year permission to stay out of that Non Imm O-A Visa.

Please note that once the Visa validity has expired (mid October 2020), that you would need to protect that 1-year permission to stay when exiting Thailand by buying a Re-Entry Permit.  Such a Re-Entry Permit can be bought at your local IO or in the departure hall of the major thai international airports (1.000 THB for a singleEntry Re-Entry Permit and 3.800 THB for a MultipleEntry Re-Entry Permit).

Also, it is only at the end of the last 1-year permission to stay you obtained (when timed right that would be mid October 2021), that you can apply for a 1-year extension of stay at the IO of the place where you want to stay.  And it is only then that the mandatory thai IO-approved health-insurance would become applicable for you.

Note: Obviously there are also other options than the the 1-year extension of that original Non Imm O-A Visa, to stay long-term in Thailand, but at this moment that would not be relevant for you.  But it is important for you to exit and re-enter Thailand BEFORE your Visa validity expires MId October 2020, so hopefully the borders will be open again by that time.

 

[Pib]

3 hours ago, rwill said:

Just be aware that the LMG deductible is per incidence, not per year.  But in your case you should be covered by your other insurance anyway.

Exactly what does per incidence mean?  Does it mean if say you must have knee surgery the insurance will only cover knee surgery once for the life of the policy forever or once per year or ?????

 

Edit: the more I think about it and assuming you have a 200K deductible, I guess if you have knee surgery in Feb which costs 200K then you get no reimbursement.  For some reason you need another knee surgery in June which cost 200K you get no reimbursement.  And if needing knee surgery again in Oct which cost 200K then no reimbursement.   

Edited July 6, 2020 by Pib

[RocketDog]

@Peter Denis has researched this topic exhaustively. After multiple correspondence with him and doing my own research I paid 50k thb for Pacific Cross insurance that is actual insurance. My USA Medicare and supplemental policy didn't cover me in Los.

 

If you just need insurance for immigration just bite the bullet and buy the hollow LNG policy with the maximum deductible and fake coverage. At this date it's the cheapest and fastest way out. 

 

I delayed accepting reality and the two weeks it took me to get the insurance meant I was on the very last day of my permission to stay extension. Don't make that mistake. 

 

My plan is to use Peter's Road map from OA to O visa next year assuming I can leave the Kingdom and immediately return, letting the OA die. The O does not require insurance, AT THIS POINT IN TIME. Nonetheless, at my age I should have real insurance so I'll probably renew my PC policy again next year. 

 

Despite the Thai government head fake about accepting non-thai insurance, time has proven that they don't honor that form they publish, as UbonJoe has stated unequivocally. 

 

However, my German friend was able to get his O visa by showing his national policy, so clearly some EU policies are accepted. 

 

If your are an American national don't even try that route; it's futile. 

 

Also, the visa amnesty is another trap. You can stay but if you overstay your Permission Extension you will have to leave after the amnesty expires and start the entire visa process again to return. 

 

The reality is that the insurance companies, the hospitals, the pharmacies, and the Thai government have successfully managed to force OA visa holders to pay for this insurance. Just consider it an application surtax. 

[sscc]

Hi Peter Denis, 

 

1.   May you please PM me the relevant info also. 

Thank you. 

I want to look at the this info in advance as it is also to my case. 

 

 

2.   You mentioned this  200,000 B deductible LMG insurance policy is next to worthless many times. 

At this stage my understanding of this policy is as follows :   ( feel free to point out any error ) 

 

//  If the hospital bill is   300,000 B.   then policy holder pays 200,000 B,  LMG pays 100,000 B

//  If the hospital bill is   550,000 B.   then policy holder pays 350,000 B,  LMG pays 200,000 B  ( 400K -200K )   

 

//  If the hospital bill is under 200,000 B,   then policy holder pays full amount.   

 

BTW,  is this on expense for single case,    or expenses for accumulated cases in one year ?   

[Scott Tracy]

I'm getting the paperwork ready for my first O-A extension. Got the paperwork for the cheap Charlie but immigration compliant health insurance. Will submit that tomorrow once I've sorted my brain out.

 

Has anyone for a checklist or something similar for O-A extension? I have a feeling I may be making things a little more difficult it really needs to be.

[Aido]

Hi Peter Denis,

I have an O-A and would like to take out the LMG Insurance Plan 1. Please PM the information to me. Many thanks.

Aido

[Martyp]

10 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

I'm getting the paperwork ready for my first O-A extension. Got the paperwork for the cheap Charlie but immigration compliant health insurance. Will submit that tomorrow once I've sorted my brain out.

 

Has anyone for a checklist or something similar for O-A extension? I have a feeling I may be making things a little more difficult it really needs to be.

This is my checklist for my next (3rd) application for a 1 year extension of stay of my O-A visa at the immigration office at CW in Bangkok. You didn’t say what immigration office you are using.

 

 

1 year extension of stay

2019 checklist

 

For 2020

• One year of bank statements - may take a week to get these
• New insurance - timed correctly - talk to Immigration and Pacific Cross about timing

 

• Copies of passport
  • last stamp of entry Sep 29 page 18
  • 2018 extension/multiple entry page 20 - 2 copies
  • 2018 year extension page - 2 copies 
  • Copies of TM6 - Sept 29 entry from US visit page 15 - 2 copies 
  • Original visa page - 2 copies 
  • identity page - have 2x already 
• TM7 form - 3 copies
• Bank statement (3 months), 4 pages - original, 1copy
• Bank letter verifying account and balance - original, 2 copies 
• Passport photos - 
• Print Statement document - (Tod Daniels doc) - 3 copies
• TM30 - print photo Supreeda sent to me - 3 copies 
• Hand drawn map of condo location

 

Additional documents to bring (just in case .. . )

• Photo of me in front of condo and in lobby
• reading materials
• stapler, pen, notebook
• Passport 
• Bank book 
• Google map photo 
• Google satellite map photo
• recent 90 day report receipt
• Condo lease

 

Day of application

• make copies of updated bankbook, name page and transaction
• 1,900 baht exact change
• update bankbook - withdraw 1000 baht?

 

Re-Entry Permit

• TM8
• 3,800 baht exact change 
• Copy of passport pages

[4evermaat]

1 hour ago, Martyp said:

update bankbook - withdraw 1000 baht?

At CDM/ATM you can deposit/withdraw ฿100.   With online/mobile banking you can transfer 1 baht, or even 1 satang. (you can even have someone else deposit to your account).   ATM also you can do acct to acct transfer (same bank or to other thai bank).

 

Then update your bank book.

 

1 hour ago, Martyp said:

Re-Entry Permit

• TM8
• 3,800 baht exact change 

For multiple re-entry permit, yes.  For single Re-entry permit, ฿1,000.