Thai insurance companies offering Covid-19 coverage as foreign tourists prepare to return

[djuiiy]

8 hours ago, HaoleBoy said:

Premiums will depend on where the tourist comes from. High risk country coverage up to a year could set the visitor back 43,200 baht or around $1,300 to $1,400.

 

Why "high risk countries"?  This only makes a difference for the first 2 weeks.  If you have to stay in quarantine, then after that all tourists are the same except people with pre-existing conditions.

its a misspelling it should be ' highly rich countries ' i.e. if your country is rich, u pay more cash.

[Oleolf]

1 hour ago, John CS said:

I think maybe  wise to reconsider, to be seen to profit from Tourists after a Pandemic is disingenuous and appears to the world to be profiteering?

Reasons to be grateful

1) It only affects very elderly with compromised immune systems, hospitalized

2) After the latest CDC reports , COVID only has directly killed 9251 in the US, it less dangerous than normal Flu , latest figures revealed by CDC

3) there is abundance of relatively low cost treatment such as HcQ for the elderly at risk

4) Director of WHO has stated it is not about the virus , anymore ? its about a new way of living, explain that to your citizens

@John CS I recommend you to read this carefully before spreading fake news:

https://vitals.lifehacker.com/no-covid-deaths-arent-only-6-of-whats-documented-1844907108

 

And for the impact COVID can have, there is an interesting report based on a supercomputer analysis. COVID is attacking your body wherever it can.....

 

https://elemental.medium.com/a-supercomputer-analyzed-covid-19-and-an-interesting-new-theory-has-emerged-31cb8eba9d63

 

Cheers and stay healthy

[portlandtree]

8 hours ago, HaoleBoy said:

Premiums will depend on where the tourist comes from. High risk country coverage up to a year could set the visitor back 43,200 baht or around $1,300 to $1,400.

 

Why "high risk countries"?  This only makes a difference for the first 2 weeks.  If you have to stay in quarantine, then after that all tourists are the same except people with pre-existing conditions.

dumb just want extra cheddar

[portlandtree]

1 minute ago, djuiiy said:

its a misspelling it should be ' highly rich countries ' i.e. if your country is rich, u pay more cash.

greedy crabs

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by portlandtree
not right

[djuiiy]

35 minutes ago, djgeoff said:

I am Australian and no way in hell would I be going back to Australia at the moment Thailand is the safest place to be

its that because of covid or the sjws? If its the covid just remember the media is the same everywhere saying all foreign countries are now just a pile of corpses and a single breath of air there will finish you too. The reality is everywhere is fine.

[Skeptic7]

8 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

You're one of these farang who say Thailand should extend stay of until forever because of unmeasurable contributions to Thai economy?

And you're one whom thinks he knows what other people are and think? 

[fraggleRock]

I was aware the insurance requirements was a grey area, plus Thailand won’t accept policies from outside Thailand but the costs are far beyond any sane tourist with all the other entry requirements.... I mean Im going back to uk for a bit to see family and I simply cannot see me coming back for the foreseeable future, no way... and I have family here... !  Im not throwing away that much money.

Edited September 3, 2020 by fraggleRock

[epicking]

What tourists are preparing to return to Thailand ?
So far, no-one knows when it opens and very few will take the "Phuket 30 day/2 weeks in quarantine" option

[tomazbodner]

20 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

And you're one whom thinks he knows what other people are and think? 

Don't take it so seriously. If you actually wanted it, you'd get it! ????

 

Tourists to get unlimited 30-day extensions to stay after ‘visa amnesty’ ends

PHUKET: Foreigners staying in the country on any form of tourist visa will be allowed to repeatedly renew their permits to stay with immigration for periods of 30 days at a time after the ‘visa amnesty’ ends on Sept 26, the Immigration Bureau announced today (Sept 3).

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/tourists-to-get-unlimited-30-day-extensions-to-stay-after-visa-amnesty-ends-77201.php

Edited September 3, 2020 by tomazbodner

[jerolamo]

Is it a joke/fake news or a real unacceptable national scam to come ?

 

I find, in my own French country, an assurance covered up to 200 000 Euros, works from travel in Asia, and with lot of advantages, for 42 euros by month, so for around 500 Euros by year (half price of what they ask in Thailand and for more advantages covered).

 

This story has to stop before to become an international problem with many mixed families affected by these practices to be exposed in international medias and all that will come with.

 

But because of the political situation in Thailand, maybe this abusive situations and the problem occasioned to mixed Thai/farang families pain, this should be an occasion to talk about all of this in international TV and news papers to clarify what's happening in Thailand right now.

 

Now embassies of friends countries should care about all of these stories to protect there own nationals to stay safe against abusive practices and repatriate also all our families to the safer countries depend of each union is and considerate to each situation.

 

Families and quiet people ask from any governments to provide clarity, safety and stability. No one is stupid.

 

If you don't, we should fix our problem then leave. We will also be in pain to let our very good Thai friends in this kind of worrying situation.

[SupermarineS6B]

No chance !  I'm going to wait till either there's a change of management or the place is so poor that they're rolling out the red carpet at the immigration booths and giving you 1400 bht just to come back in........ And if you give it time it'll happen.........  This is just the last stab at yet another way to skin the cat, namely the Farang.......  I've lived in Thailand for years but i must admit i'd like to see the piggies at the trough get a good kicking this time.......  The place needs a good clean out........

[ChouDoufu]

2 hours ago, VBF said:

"Visitors will be able to buy coverage from 16 companies online before they travel."

 

This has to be a "white elephant"

Whenever Tourist Visas are available and flights, quarantine, etc are approaching normality, genuine tourists will simply get their travel insurance in their home countries!

perhaps.  perhaps not.

 

will foreign travel insurance policies (or standard annual health insurance policies) be accepted when applying for a visa, or must they be from the official list of 16 thai companies?

 

if visa waivers are still a thing, what documentation must be shown at immigration check?  will foreign policies result in denial or will purchase of thai policies be an option at airport arrivals.

[Pattaya46]

45 minutes ago, jackdd said:

In Germany I can buy a travel health insurance with unlimited coverage for about 300THB

40k sounds like a big ripoff

I don't doubt that you find way cheaper in Germany than in Thailand,

but I really doubt you get a one year travel health insurance for as low as 300 THB...

FYI, I saw French insurances prices between 6'000 and 15'000 THB.

[jerolamo]

8 hours ago, yeahbutif said:

The way I see this we all need insurance soon to be allowed back in to thailand.and won't make any difference on type of visa .or weather we need it to renew visa or not. So sound's to me only way not to need insurance is not leave....

i think that ask for insurance is something we can understand. But ask to use a list of Thai insurance by obligation, where price are double of high level standard countries (and i'm not the one to judge the level of things to trust about or not to the countries, there is many organizations who do that and are getting the same observations), is abused and will go to kill our relations soon.
Practice prices ask for related standard to offer, and to consider the real cost of related country life (infrastructures level and so on).
There is close to no standard in Thailand. These prices are unjustified due to Thailand real cost related for life. Also, the risk is not the same for very old people and for young one. All the insurance, all over the world, practice a different price in relation with the risk (and then the age of client and his health situation) and depend of their own standard (who is a upper standard offered for half price by my own country who is in much more better place in the list of countries related to their standard and infrastructures).

The consequences related to what they ask would be a tragedy i will have to fight against to survive, because of no other choice. And i will not be the only one in this tragic situation... In our own countries, we are already well prepared and instructed to unit ourselves and use administrative and trial forces to defend us against these kind of well known abuse from castes. All of us has gone at school, it is more difficult to abuse us.

[Swedenlars]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Premiums will depend on where the tourist comes from. High risk country coverage up to a year could set the visitor back 43,200 baht or around $1,300 to $1,400.

No way from a Thai insurance company. For these premiums a will get a top coverage from a top European insurance company. Probably even cheaper. And these companies will pay in case of. Whereas I'm not so sure if the Thai companies would. I have been too long in Asia and know a few cases when they refused to pay.

[ourmanflint]

Got a quote for 2021 from UK insurance company, total was £300 for six months including all usual stuff, cancellation, theft etc etc, plus £1million covid cover for emergency treatment and repatriation. 
Thought that sounded like a decent price. These Thai prices are bonkers

[BobinBKK]

10 hours ago, dcsw53 said:

Thai Visa - Can we have some consistency please. On the same page as this article is one from Gen Prayut. Tourists NOT welcome.

 

Did those exact words fall out of his mouth or was he taken out of context?

[jackdd]

31 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

I don't doubt that you find way cheaper in Germany than in Thailand,

but I really doubt you get a one year travel health insurance for as low as 300 THB...

FYI, I saw French insurances prices between 6'000 and 15'000 THB.

One for a year does of course cost more, similar price range as what you pay in France. But to be allowed to enter Thailand a 300THB insurance is sufficient, they usually cover for 30 or 60 days.

[martin81]

I have annual travel insurance(also covers Covid-19) from the insurance company I also use for other insurances in my EU country. Less than 4000 THB per year and covers Covid-19 and no maximum for hospital expenses. Why would I buy an expensive thai travel insurance that may nor even cover everything travel related?

 

I have a thai wife who will not go to Thailand to her house and family before the long quarantine requirement is over. And neither will I. Maybe in two years or so?

[BobinBKK]

9 hours ago, yeahbutif said:

The way I see this we all need insurance soon to be allowed back in to thailand.and won't make any difference on type of visa .or weather we need it to renew visa or not. So sound's to me only way not to need insurance is not leave....

I was wondering this myself. For those of us that actually live here permanently in retirement, where do we are originate from if we take a 2 or 3 day holiday in one of the neighboring countries and return?

[Bangkok Barry]

10 hours ago, dcsw53 said:

Thai Visa - Can we have some consistency please. On the same page as this article is one from Gen Prayut. Tourists NOT welcome.

 

Nothing to do with Thai Visa. It is all to do with what 'various ministries' are saying has been put together in contradiction of what the PM is saying. Right hand, left hand, and never the twain shall meet. Perfectly normal everyday occurrence in Thailand.

[Marco100]

But if you your own Insurance wich covers Covid why would you need to buy an added Thai Insurance? Just to help the Thai Economy ?

And if you have to do the Covid Test before and at arrival + Quarantine and there is "0" cases in 100 days what's the Insurance for ? Just in case of Myanmar ....? 

[Miami007]

10 hours ago, HaoleBoy said:

Premiums will depend on where the tourist comes from. High risk country coverage up to a year could set the visitor back 43,200 baht or around $1,300 to $1,400.

 

Why "high risk countries"?  This only makes a difference for the first 2 weeks.  If you have to stay in quarantine, then after that all tourists are the same except people with pre-existing conditions.

That is way too logical ????????????

[scammed]

i just remembered at the border of cambodia,

they were peddling a yellow paper about a flu

for USD 5 for many years after the flu had come and gone

[Cali farong]

They think Thailand is that great that we will pay for Covid insurance although I have the required health insurance and pay for 3 weeks quarantine and Covid tests?  I just want to get back in and get my 800,000 out of bank and go elsewhere 

[Scottish Thailander]

29 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

Got a quote for 2021 from UK insurance company, total was £300 for six months including all usual stuff, cancellation, theft etc etc, plus £1million covid cover for emergency treatment and repatriation. 
Thought that sounded like a decent price. These Thai prices are bonkers

“Travel” policies usually only cover a set trip length. People are covered for a year but not for a year long trip. The cover would lapse unless you returned home at the end pf the “trip” cover and took “another trip” during the year’s cover period. Yes, some, a very few last time I checked cover a year trip, bit these are the exception. Check your small print.

“Health insurance” is different from “Travel insurance”.  That is more likely to be a yearly cover as it is usually ongoing for life and not necessarily trip/travel related. 

[Scott Tracy]

9 hours ago, steven100 said:

glad I got the 499 baht full coverage 5 mths ago. 

Me too...

 

The covid coverage is not the only part of the insurance required by tourists. The majority will be in and out patient coverage for general health and accidents, and possible repatriation. The covid insurance I have is in addition to any health insurance I have, as the health insurance at the time did not specifically cover covid, as no one has invented it at that time.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Scott Tracy
Added ... and possible repatriation.

[P100]

Does Thai government actually know that there are many European countries with compulsory health insurance that covers every sickness and that is not limited to a certain amount? Should I still have to thro away 1200 USD for a rubbish insurance that only covers covid while I have a global insurance covering everything? Of course, I must buy it from a Thai insurance.

 

Was it not the same idiot government that has forced long term visa applicants to buy rubbish insurance policies over 400 000 THB just to get a visa while insurances from your home country covering everything were not accepted.

 

That insurance is now not enough to cover covid??? what was then the use of it???

 

Thailand fck off!

Edited September 3, 2020 by P100

[LeoCesar]

Very logical as usual... not!

[mlkik]

3 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

1.  If this “scheme” is directed at Tourists(60 to 90 days) then why are the premiums listed on an annual basis?  Why would anyone who is a “tourist” only buy an annual policy just for Thailand?

 

2.  In my case I would have to purchase a Health Insurance Policy  that is Non Immigrant  OA and COVID 19 compliant and Pacific Cross quoted me 61,000 per year.  After looking at it this sounds reasonable.  Now the only thing I am waiting is for the OK for Non Imm OA to leave and subsequently return?  

 

I think it is time go back to the drawing board and think of polices that would be attractive to short term tourists in Thailand.  

 

 

Pacific Cross have a 15 day wait period before they will cover any covid costs. This wait period finishes after you enter Thailand therefore you are not covered for the first 15 days.

I have now switched to April Health who do not have a covid wait period.