Medical insurance and renewal of retiree extension of stay visa

[OzMan]

I have a retirement visa, although it does not say O, having obtained it in Bangkok 6 months ago. I assume it is an extension of stay. A friend today told me that when I go to renew it I now I must have medical insurance up to 100,000 baht. I thought this requirement was only for O-A visas?

[Tounge Thaied]

That's correct. A non-immigrant O extension of stay based upon retirement obtained in Thailand does not require an insurance. 

[ubonjoe]

You have to look at the visa you used to enter the country that gave you the entry you have been extending or a stamp on the first visa page of your passport if you have gotten a new passport.

[jacko45k]

I think your friend is mixing up requirements.

Since you obtained it in Bangkok I expect you have an Extension based on retirement. 

The insurance requirement is only based on a Non-Imm-OA original entry into the country and retirement extensions thereof. (As you say) The requirement came into effect around October 2019. If it was not required for your Extension just 6 months ago, no reason to suspect it will be required in 6 months time, and likely it is based on a Non-Imm-O not O-A.

 

The insurance requirement is actually 400,000 baht outpatient/ 40,000 baht in-patient, and does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention. 

[OJAS]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention.  

Wonder whether the OP's pal might somehow be confusing this with the completely separate 100,000 USD COVID-19 insurance requirement for eligible returnees from abroad (the 100,000 figure, rather than the currency, being the common denominator here)?

 

[Tracyb]

7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I think your friend is mixing up requirements.

Since you obtained it in Bangkok I expect you have an Extension based on retirement. 

The insurance requirement is only based on a Non-Imm-OA original entry into the country and retirement extensions thereof. (As you say) The requirement came into effect around October 2019. If it was not required for your Extension just 6 months ago, no reason to suspect it will be required in 6 months time, and likely it is based on a Non-Imm-O not O-A.

 

The insurance requirement is actually 400,000 baht outpatient/ 40,000 baht in-patient, and does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention. 

You may have your limits reversed in your reply. I believe it’s 40,000 outpatient and 400,000 inpatient.  

[OzMan]

Thanks for the replies. When I meet next I will ask him for more details. He went to Immigration on Monday to renew his visa.

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, Tracyb said:

You may have your limits reversed in your reply. I believe it’s 40,000 outpatient and 400,000 inpatient.  

Not 'may', assuredly, thank you. So much for my proof reading. 

[OzMan]

A Thai friend wrote to Immigration for clarification on health insurance. Their reply was that while all retirement visa holders are now able to leave and re-enter Thailand, which includes current retirement visa holders temporarily unable to return, they must now have a health insurance, provided by a Thai company, to re-enter the country. In effect, all retirement visa holders must now have health insurance once they leave and re-enter the country.

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 10/14/2020 at 7:30 AM, jacko45k said:

I think your friend is mixing up requirements.

Since you obtained it in Bangkok I expect you have an Extension based on retirement. 

The insurance requirement is only based on a Non-Imm-OA original entry into the country and retirement extensions thereof. (As you say) The requirement came into effect around October 2019. If it was not required for your Extension just 6 months ago, no reason to suspect it will be required in 6 months time, and likely it is based on a Non-Imm-O not O-A.

 

The insurance requirement is actually 400,000 baht outpatient/ 40,000 baht in-patient, and does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention. 

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement.

[Peter Denis]

29 minutes ago, OzMan said:

A Thai friend wrote to Immigration for clarification on health insurance. Their reply was that while all retirement visa holders are now able to leave and re-enter Thailand, which includes current retirement visa holders temporarily unable to return, they must now have a health insurance, provided by a Thai company, to re-enter the country. In effect, all retirement visa holders must now have health insurance once they leave and re-enter the country.

Thanks for sharing the info, but unfortunately it is not specific enough to be of any use.

Several moot points:

- It is not Immigration but the Thai embassy/consulate in the country where you apply, that decides whether you meet the requirements to be granted a COE that will enable you to return;

- Depending per country those Thai embassy/consulates interpret and enforce the rules/requirements differently (a still valid permission to stay - protected by a ReEntry Permit - for a Non Imm O or O-A Visa is not always accepted)

- Health-insurance (400K/40K) is only a requirement for Non Imm O-A / O-X and STV applicants.  But Covid-19 insurance with coverage of at least 100.000 US $ coverage is required for all applications.

[Peter Denis]

12 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement.

A somewhat confused post!

1 - There is NO need to subscribe to a thai IO-approved health-insurance policy when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.

2 - Such insurance (400K/40K in/out patient coverage) is only required when applying for reason of RETIREMENT.  And the cheapest Non Imm O-A compliant policy (LMG Insurance Plan-1 with a 200K deductible) sells for an annual premium of 6.000 to 11.400 THB in the age-categories of 51 to 75 years of age.

[Pattaya Spotter]

5 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

A somewhat confused post!

1 - There is NO need to subscribe to a thai IO-approved health-insurance policy when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.

2 - Such insurance (400K/40K in/out patient coverage) is only required when applying for reason of RETIREMENT.  And the cheapest Non Imm O-A compliant policy (LMG Insurance Plan-1 with a 200K deductible) sells for an annual premium of 6.000 to 11.400 THB in the age-categories of 51 to 75 years of age.

He qualifies for either and I thought he said "marriage." Whichever one he used, the agent charged him B 2500 for the insurance...maybe that was paid to Immigration to "fudge" the paperwork for the insurance requirement or maybe it was the cost for an actual policy.

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

He qualifies for either and I thought he said "marriage." Whichever one he used, the agent charged him B 2500 for the insurance...maybe that was paid to Immigration to "fudge" the paperwork for the insurance requirement or maybe it was the cost for an actual policy.

Now it becomes clear.  Your friend did NOT subscribe to the thai IO-approved insurance policy, but he paid 2.500 THB to the Fixer Agent to circumvent the insurance requirement as part of the Fixer fee to get his 1-year extension of stay based on his Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement.

Why, there is no insurance obligation for a marriage extension whatsoever. 

[Pattaya Spotter]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Why, there is no insurance obligation for a marriage extension whatsoever. 

I believe for OA visas, and extensions thereof, health insurance is required. No health insurance in required for Non-Imm O visas, and extensions thereof...at least there wasn't any when I extended mine in July.

[jacko45k]

Just now, Pattaya Spotter said:

I believe for OA visas, and extensions thereof, health insurance is required. No health insurance in required for Non-Imm O visas, and extensions thereof...at least there wasn't any when I extended mine in July.

Only for retirement extensions.

[Pattaya Spotter]

3 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Now it becomes clear.  Your friend did NOT subscribe to the thai IO-approved insurance policy, but he paid 2.500 THB to the Fixer Agent to circumvent the insurance requirement as part of the Fixer fee to get his 1-year extension of stay based on his Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement.

Yes, I have now confirmed it was an OA retirement extension.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Yes, I have now confirmed it was a retirement extension.

The devil is in the detail.....

[Pib]

3 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement..

No insurance requirement exists for a marriage extension of stay on an OA, O, B, etc. visa.  I know for sure as I extended my OA marriage extension of stay last month at CW....no medical insurance requirement.  I switched from retirement to marriage for the specific reason of not requiring the close to worthless insurance.  Expect your friend paid Bt2,500 for something else especially if he was using an agent.

[Pattaya Spotter]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

The devil is in the detail.....

I'm not sure what you're saying...earlier I'd posted a friend had to buy health insurance for a OA marriage extension...when in fact it was an OA retirement extension.

[Pattaya Spotter]

3 minutes ago, Pib said:

No insurance requirement exists for a marriage extension of stay on an OA, O, B, etc. visa.  I know for sure as I extended my OA marriage extension of stay last month at CW....no medical insurance requirement.  I switched from retirement to marriage for the specific reason of not requiring the close to worthless insurance.  Expect your friend paid Bt2,500 for something else especially if he was using an agent.

As some have said, it may have been to avoid the insurance requirement altogether. Pattaya may also be different than Cheng Wattana. 

[Pib]

16 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

As some have said, it may have been to avoid the insurance requirement altogether. Pattaya may also be different than Cheng Wattana. 

Probably....I expect he used an agent to process his entire extension which means there were other agent costs along with an additional agent charge to get around the medical insurance requirement.   Kinda like picking off an agent menu of services required and associated costs.  I would do the same if forced into using an agent and the agent could make stuff legally get approved (not to imply anything was not legal as some agents and immigration offices definitely have a profitable relationship due to immigration waiver/discretion options). 

[OzMan]

My concern about insurance is that it is a complete rip off, conferring little benefit to the holder. Also, at age 71 I assume insurance will be expensive, and keep getting more expensive to the level where I am unable to afford it - since I am healthy and expect (hope) to live many more years. Sometime in the future I may need to leave LoS, which I will not want to do when I am 80+, if compulsory insurance was mandated.

[OzMan]

Another friend on a retirement visa, O, until now stuck in the US, was required to show $100,000 insurance before the consul would issue him a certificate of entry.

[Robin]

I have no idea what the rule is now, but, when I applied for my Non-Im O retirement extension in June, I was not asked for any insurance, only the usual proof of funds etc.  I/O showed me an 'official' list of requirement for extension, and no mention of any insurance there.

I did this extension myself with only Wife to assist.   Considering how the Covid situation was brewing up, I was pleasantly surprised how normal the whole procedure was.  Re-entry permit done at the same visit.  All completed before lunch.

[OzMan]

I am not talking about extending Non-Im O when in Thailand, I am saying that when a person that already has a Non-Im O leaves and re-enters Thailand, he/she needs to show insurance cover.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, OzMan said:

Another friend on a retirement visa, O, until now stuck in the US, was required to show $100,000 insurance before the consul would issue him a certificate of entry.

Covid insurance required by all entering Thailand and to obtain a CofE. Not the subject of the thread which is renewing an extension in Thailand.

[tonray]

6 hours ago, Robin said:

I have no idea what the rule is now, but, when I applied for my Non-Im O retirement extension in June, I was not asked for any insurance, only the usual proof of funds etc.  I/O showed me an 'official' list of requirement for extension, and no mention of any insurance there.

I did this extension myself with only Wife to assist.   Considering how the Covid situation was brewing up, I was pleasantly surprised how normal the whole procedure was.  Re-entry permit done at the same visit.  All completed before lunch.

Insurance only required for extensions based on original O-A Visas...not O Visa. This thread is a fountain of disinformation

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Insurance only required for extensions based on original O-A Visas...not O Visa. This thread is a fountain of disinformation

Not if you read the entire topic.