Travel insurance 100,000 USD

[Yellowtail]

Just now, PatrickC said:

 

There have been foreign nationals contract Covid and it has been detected in ASQ. Read through the news a bit - the cases are there. 

I don't doubt that, but every day?

 

You have to test negative within 72 hours of your flight, and twice while in the ASQ

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, PatrickC said:

 

Never said every day - but I've definitely read numerous cases of foreigners testing positive. Not Thai nationals from those countries - foreigners from those countries.

 

I didn't say you said every day, mlkik said every day. 

[mlkik]

15 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

Unless you take it out 15 days before you leave, as I did, in which case you will be covered.

I was about to pay for my policy and they told me the wait period for new customers begins when you enter Thailand.

I emailed them and asked if I started my policy 15 days before entry would I be covered and they said no.

They said that further travel is covered but not the initial entry for new customers.

Edited September 4, 2020 by mlkik

[Yellowtail]

3 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

Never said every day - but I've definitely read numerous cases of foreigners testing positive. Not Thai nationals from those countries - foreigners from those countries.

In any event, if you are a foreign national that is tested before your flight and are reasonably  cautious it is not likely you will contract covid while in the ASQ.

 

[mlkik]

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

I didn't say you said every day, mlkik said every day. 

Maybe you should read the news. I am not here to argue but trying to help! 

[Yellowtail]

Just now, mlkik said:

Maybe you should read the news. I am not here to argue but trying to help! 

And you have helped, thanks.

[mlkik]

7 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

The 15 day wait period is after the insurance begins - not from the date of entry to Thailand. Read the Ts&Cs in the policy - 15 day waiting period says nothing about "after entry to Thailand". 

 

Again not here to argue but they emailed me and told me the wait period begins when I enter Thailand.

I specifically asked if I began my policy 15 days before my arrival would I be covered and they said no.

I can forward you the email for clarification.

[mlkik]

5 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

So it depends on when you dated the policy start date. If you dated it as your entry date to Thailand, then, yes, the 15 day waiting period would begin at that date.

 

If however you dated the policy start date from 15 days before you left for Thailand (as I did) then you would be covered immediately on entry to Thailand.

 

When you emailed them and they replied, they were likely replying in the context of the policy start date, which I guess you asked to be your Thailand entry date.

 

You could have asked to begin the policy sooner to get around this. They probably didn't suggest you do this as that would open them to paying out for covid if you test positive while in ASQ. However you are entitled to start the policy on whichever date you choose.

No I planned to start the policy 15 days before entry. They said the policy only becomes live when I enter Thailand.

I specificaly asked if I could start the policy well in advance of entry and be covered and they said no. The wait period begins on entry to Thailand.

Edited September 4, 2020 by mlkik

[AndrewMciver]

1 hour ago, mlkik said:

Originally I was going with Pacific Cross but after having an offer contract i was eventually informed that if I was found to be positive in ASQ then I would not be covered as the 15 day wait period starts when you enter Thailand.

I have now applied to April My Health as they do not have a wait period and will be covered.

Think carefully about reducing your premium as if you do test positive then the hospital charges will be huge.

 

 

What do you mean by wait period ? 

[Yellowtail]

Just now, PatrickC said:

 

Ok - that is a shame. They have changed this since I took mine out. That sucks!

 

Does you certificate not have to sate they policy is in effect when you enter Thailand?

[mlkik]

4 minutes ago, AndrewMciver said:

 

What do you mean by wait period ? 

Wait period means just that. All these policies have wait periods and it refers to how long you need to wait before you are covered under the policy.

Covid 19 under Pacific Health/Prime is 15 days and so you have to be in Thailand for 15 days before you can claim and be covered.

Other diseases can be many months and pregnancy a year!

Edited September 4, 2020 by mlkik

[unheard]

31 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

In any event, if you are a foreign national that is tested before your flight and are reasonably  cautious it is not likely you will contract covid while in the ASQ.

 

The most likely place to catch Covid for a foreigner is while on the plane surrounded by the untested Thais, since Thai nationals don't need to be tested before taking the flight.

Edited September 4, 2020 by unheard

[Yellowtail]

6 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

The policy needs to be in effect of course, yes. 

 

However the immigration officers don't check the fine print and the wait periods.

 

So if you've got a covid wait period, up to you if you want to risk getting testing positive in quarantine and then paying the big hospital bills which won't be covered as you'll be in the wait period.

 

However the IOs are extremely unlikely to read the fine print. So it is really a matter of how much personal risk you want to take.

 

The Thai consulate in LA checked my certificate before I got my entry permit, not immigration. Immigration didn't look at anything but my passport. 

 

 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

9 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

Keep in mind that if you do test positive while in ASQ, and you don't have an active policy where you are out of the wait period, you'll be forced into hospital (even if asymptomatic) and have to pay the bill, which over the 2+ weeks they'll force you to stay there, will run probably into 1 million Baht or much more.

Last time I was in Bumrungrad it was about B7,000 a day. Plenty of much cheaper private hospitals as well.

[unheard]

7 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

Solution to this is to fly business class. A relatively small investment of a few thousand which could save you tens of thousands in hospital bills, or even if you're covered by insurance and outside the waiting period, the inconvenience of losing weeks more of your life in quarantine can be avoided by just flying business

I don't think it's worth the expense.

You can protect yourself by wearing a P100 respirator.

Also the modern planes' ventilation systems are very efficient at moving and filtering air in the cabin, which is divided in multiple zones.

[AndrewMciver]

23 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

All insurance policies have wait periods on certain things. It means a period during which something (covid, brain cancer, etc) is not covered. It is always in the fine print. You need to read it through. 

 Bloody hell. 

[mlkik]

20 minutes ago, PatrickC said:

 

 

However the IOs are extremely unlikely to read the fine print. So it is really a matter of how much personal risk you want to take.

For me If I am paying for an expensive policy l want no risk.

[AndrewMciver]

So this is the wording on my policy. Is this valid ?

 

 

[FlyingThai]

AETNA Thailand in their Platinum 5M Baht Plan does cover (and exceed the $100k) COVID requirement. The insurance is valid worldwide and you need to supply a Thai address.

[AndrewMciver]

6 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

AETNA Thailand in their Platinum 5M Baht Plan does cover (and exceed the $100k) COVID requirement. The insurance is valid worldwide and you need to supply a Thai address.

 

Is it eligible for UK citizens though? It's just too Thai for me to actually take up. 

[AndrewMciver]

I'm also noticing a difference between health insurance and travel insurance. 

[FlyingThai]

6 hours ago, AndrewMciver said:

 

Is it eligible for UK citizens though? It's just too Thai for me to actually take up. 

It's a regular health insurance available to anyone living in Thailand and Aetna (formerly BUPA) is an international insurance company. There is nothing "Thai" about this and the big advantage is that you simply present the card at the hospital for direct billing. No arguments about billing, rates, chargebacks and most importantly no wait times related to this. Probably the best you can get in the country.

[BritTim]

11 hours ago, AndrewMciver said:

I've contacted a few mainstream agencies - all are saying travel to Thailand is not essential (even though i have family back in Thailand) so they will not cover. What on earth is that about? 

They are basing this on the advice on foreign travel for Thailand issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, which they are misreading and what they are saying is not strictly correct. These are the current extracts that are relevant from the FCDO advice:

Quote

Thailand is exempt from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)’s advice against all non-essential international travel. This is based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.

...

 

The following advice within Thailand remains in place:

The FCDO advise against all but essential travel to areas within the provinces on the Thailand-Malaysia border, including:

• Pattani
• Yala
• Narathiwat
• Southern Songkhla province. This does not include areas north of and including the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and areas north-west of and including the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Pedang Besar.

Thus, the FCDO does not advise against non essential travel to Thailand. Your travel insurance, including for Covid-19, should be valid unless you travel to some parts of Southern Thailand.

Edited September 5, 2020 by BritTim

[Yellowtail]

3 hours ago, PatrickC said:

 

You won't have a choice where they send you, not the room type etc. You could also be there 1 month or more - until you test negative

 

I imagine you would go to whatever hospital is working with the ASQ hotel you selected, so if you select a cheap ASQ, you will likely be sent to a cheap hospital. You would also likely be able to select any type of private room you want to pay for.

 

I think Bumrungrad is about the most expensive in Thailand, and assuming you did not get deathly ill and require anything beyond basic care, I imagine it would be about B2-300K a month. Given the business class ticket on CX was B127K one way, it does not seem like that big a risk.