Special Tourist Visa health insurance falls to B40k outpatient, B400k inpatient

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, HampiK said:

This was a respond to "Flying Saucage" who told, that this will be dual pricing and only for Thais, nothing more. I not even had something about repatriation flights... I only marked that Thais not need this kind of Visa which he refered too!

Think you misread his post, as he was referring, or insinuating more than likely as to the double pricing they will allow those coming from China versus the 100,000K USD policy they are requiring for all others.

[Guderian]

This only seems to apply to those arriving on the STV scheme, so everybody else still has to have $100K cover. Is that right?

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, Guderian said:

This only seems to apply to those arriving on the STV scheme, so everybody else still has to have $100K cover. Is that right?

I have not seen anything in actual writing or publication in English yet.  Seems that if this is what they are doing then they are just adding to the new visa scheme as they did with the O-A Visas as of October 31st of last year.

[heybuz]

12 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Tropical safety boots in the hub of Asia.

when i was younger and an apprentice they were standard workwear, but working with cement your feet tended to bleed after a couple of days.

[micmichd]

14 hours ago, YetAnother said:

as usual, here in thailand, all about money

If you can't afford capitalism you better stay away. 

[aussiexpat]

This 400k/40k insurance for STV is exactly the same as that required by the O-A visa since last October.

 

Once you have either visa, you need a COE which requires Covid insurance $100k. So article is wrong, or COE requirements are still to be updated. If Article is correct, why would 12 month O-A visa holders need significantly more insurance than 9 month STV holders.

[SupermarineS6B]

Told you weeks ago....... Just hang on a bit longer and they'll be flying us in for free and Anutin will be stamping the passports........  "How many months sir". ? .........   Happy days......  

[Dialemco]

If the final insurance amount is to be Bht 400,000 it a Joke and should be scrapped altogether as this amount is so small any so called high end International Tourist worth attracting to Thailand would have this amount in their bank account without any need for Covid Insurance.

[Peter Denis]

Most probably the writer of this 'News' article did mix up the 2 different insurance requirements.

1 - In order to enter Thailand you need a covid-19 insurance with coverage of at least 100.000 US$ for the period of your stay.

2 - When entering Thailand on a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O-X Visa, you need to have IO-approved health-insurance of at least 400K/40K in/out-patient coverage.  Such insurance is only available for periods of a full year, and afaik the current policies do not cover coivd-19. 

Note: The recently issued CP Visa Friendly insurance does cover both (although buying separate policies will allow you to save quite a lot on the insurance fee).

 

[edward290453]

Anyone entering Thailand, (or any where really) that is infected with covid19 is going to have a high temperature,  simple scan every one at customs.  High temperature,  sorry your under quarantine,  you require a covid test.

[jingjo01]

Interesting. I wonder if only the 12 Immigration approved Health Insurance companies are to be used when getting an STV ? For my non O-A one year retirement extension i had to have outpatient cover which i did not want or need. The premium with AETNA (formerly BUPA) for 40,000 baht OPD cost me 32,000 baht (80% of the cover). I am 76 and living in Thailand. I think any elderly STV applicants will probably have trouble getting any kind of health insurance and hence unable to come into this Country.

[tukadadoll]

This is not going to happen. However, someone with influence needs to do a SWOT analysis of tourism in Thailand by talking to all the stake holders. They will then know how to address the issues of declining tourism, which actually was not declining before Covid-19. It was however changing, perhaps not for the better from the traders I have talked to? I have my own ideas on the subject that spring to mind however doing market research on yourself is never an effective solution. Subsequent to this they will be able to take there plans to the Covid task force, who discounting conspiracy theories have seemed to have done a very good job of containing the virus? Simply opening up to the Chinese does not seem like a viable strategy, at least on the surface. Without the facts backed by research, these hit and miss announcements serve no great purpose. 

[Expat Tom]

"Am I bid 30,000 /300,000!!! Going once going twice!!!! Wait! we have a new bid....25,000/250,000!!! Any more bids?

AH! in the back...yes? 20,000/200,000...we have another bidder"""

[madmitch]

25 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Most probably the writer of this 'News' article did mix up the 2 different insurance requirements.

1 - In order to enter Thailand you need a covid-19 insurance with coverage of at least 100.000 US$ for the period of your stay.

2 - When entering Thailand on a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O-X Visa, you need to have IO-approved health-insurance of at least 400K/40K in/out-patient coverage.  Such insurance is only available for periods of a full year, and afaik the current policies do not cover coivd-19. 

Note: The recently issued CP Visa Friendly insurance does cover both (although buying separate policies will allow you to save quite a lot on the insurance fee).

 

I don't think the have mixed it up. I dont read Thai but the numbers are there and it mentions the STV.

 

Also I know the visa insurance does not exclude pandemic/COVID on the Pacific Cross policy. I don't know about the other companies but I would guess there is over.

 

As for outpatient, like many on here, I really dont understand the need for this. It's either due to insurers requesting this to nsure a higher premium, knowing many people cant be bothered to claim small amounts, or it could be the result of various reports claiming foreigners disappear from hospitals without paying their bills. This would be a typical Thai Government knee-jerk concept.

[Stevemercer]

I agree with other posters. It is the outpatient requirement that is the killer. I have comprehensive medical coverage in Thailand, but dropped the outpatient cover a few years ago (when I turned 60) to bring the premiums down to an affordable level (dropping almost 15,000 Baht per year).

 

If I use outpatient services it is pretty cheap. Four or five visits a year might cost up to 4,000 Baht.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

Most probably the writer of this 'News' article did mix up the 2 different insurance requirements.

1 - In order to enter Thailand you need a covid-19 insurance with coverage of at least 100.000 US$ for the period of your stay.

2 - When entering Thailand on a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O-X Visa, you need to have IO-approved health-insurance of at least 400K/40K in/out-patient coverage.  Such insurance is only available for periods of a full year, and afaik the current policies do not cover coivd-19. 

Note: The recently issued CP Visa Friendly insurance does cover both (although buying separate policies will allow you to save quite a lot on the insurance fee).

 

Peter, my Pacific Cross policy does cover Covid, but then I have one of the larger policies.

[Max69xl]

16 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

An 87% drop in cover! Happy days

Get infected by the virus and stay in a private hospital in let's say Phuket until released for ฿400,000? 

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The health insurance requirement for tourists entering Thailand under the new Special Tourist Visa has fallen to a minimum of B40,000 coverage for outpatient treatment and not less than B400,000 in case of inpatient treatment.

That will be enough to put off many travelers considering all the other costs that are required.

[natway09]

Do I have any more bids, going, going, 

[JonnyF]

That's quite a drop. Is that a ray of reality I just saw bursting through the clouds? ????

[NanLaew]

15 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Same story here, it would make my monthly fee more than double for no reason. That are like 200 beers a month in Cambodia for free.

Yeah... but the downside is having to drink them in Cambodia.

[Isaan sailor]

Most health insurance policies are written to cover inpatient—not outpatient—for cost savings.  This new requirement flies in the face of reality.

[chilly07]

Insurance companies wagging the dog again! All nice and simple so they don't have to have complicated packages just rake in the ill gotten gains. Insurance prioritising immigration policy 

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

Most probably the writer of this 'News' article did mix up the 2 different insurance requirements.

1 - In order to enter Thailand you need a covid-19 insurance with coverage of at least 100.000 US$ for the period of your stay.

2 - When entering Thailand on a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O-X Visa, you need to have IO-approved health-insurance of at least 400K/40K in/out-patient coverage.  Such insurance is only available for periods of a full year, and afaik the current policies do not cover coivd-19. 

Note: The recently issued CP Visa Friendly insurance does cover both (although buying separate policies will allow you to save quite a lot on the insurance fee).

 

I just paid for my insurance (Pacific Cross) in order to extend my “retirement visa” for the next year.  The policy does cover Covid-19 but with a 15 day waiting period.  Don’t know what the Thai companies coverage is but at least we don’t need to double up on policies if going with certain IO approved providers.

[Peter Denis]

When it is indeed correct that those entering on the STV won't need the 100.000 US$ covid-19 insurance anymore, but would need to subscribe to a 400K/40K THB in/out-patient health-insurance policy, this begs the questions:

- whether the 100.000 US$ covid-19 insurance would also be waved for those re-entering on a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O-X Visa (where that 400K/40K health-insurance is already mandatory).

- whether those re-entering on different Visa types would still be required to subscribe to the 100.000 US$ covid-19 insurance, or whether the 400K/40K health-insurance would take its place.

 

Note: The cheapest 1-year 400K/40K health-insurance policy (LMG Insurance Plan 1) is already available for an annual premium of 3.900 THB.  The cheapest +100.000 US$ covid-19 insurance (SafetyWings) is already available for 40 US$ monthly.

[mlkik]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Peter, my Pacific Cross policy does cover Covid, but then I have one of the larger policies.

I had an offer of insurance from Pacific Cross and the policy was the visa friendly policy with no deductions so it was full cover.

Only after many times asking did Loic the broker informed me that the 15 day waiting period before covid 19 cover kicks in starts when you enter Thailand.

I thought if I bought the policy 15 days before I entered I would be covered. This is not the case and I have an email from them stating that if I contracted covid 19 while in quarantene then I would not be covered ,however in the future if I left Thailand and then returnrd I would be covered.

Because of this I decided to insure with April My Health who do not have a wait period for new polcices.

Edited October 3, 2020 by mlkik

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, mlkik said:

I had an offer of insurance from Pacific Cross and the policy was the visa friendly policy with no deductions so it was full cover.

Only after many times asking did Loic the broker informed me thst the 15 day waiting period before covid 19 cover kicks in starts when you enter Thailand.

I thought if I bought the policy 15 days before I entered I would be covered. This is not the case and I have an email from them stating that if I contracted covid 19 while in quarantene then I would not be covered ,however in the future if I left Thailand and then returnrd I would be covered.

Because of this I decided to insure with April My Health who do not have a wait period for new polcices.

Sorry to hear your issue.  I have had PCH for years already. My policy was obviously in force well before Covid.  I called and asked only for if and when I needed to go out of thecountryand returnas well as if I ended up with the virus while here.

[garygooner]

17 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Wait, isn't that the amounted needed to obtain your O-A Visa, and then extension after October 31st of last year.  Maybe I am confused again like always.  I think I better go to bed now and sleep on it.  Maybe things will look different in the morning, and the amounts wanted will evaporate.....it is all just a dream, Auntie Em, Toto, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow where are you.......

How can you leave out the Tin Man & the Munchkins? 

[BusyB]

It has the distinct whiff about it that STV visitors' health insurance won't be recognized and they'll be forced to buy the garbage Thai policies on entry (as per O-A).

[Bender Rodriguez]

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

a minimum of B40,000 coverage for outpatient treatment and not less than B400,000 in case of inpatient treatment.

thai only insurance or any international health cover insurance ?