O-A visa health insurance

[Adelphi]

I am in Thailand and due to renew my O-A visa mid February.  I have been relying on my excellent travel insurance up until now which expires 21 Dec (which I can renew).  I understand that I will need an "approved" O-A type health insurance policy when I go to Pattaya immigration to renew my O-A visa.  I had intended to take out the health insurance policy from Pacific Cross to begin 21 December when my travel insurance expires.  However, a friend has said that the health insurance must start on the same day as the new O-A visa.  Can anyone clarify this point please?  Also I read some time ago that some immigration offices may no longer ask for health insurance on renewal.  It would be very helpful if anyone who has recently used the Pattaya office to renew an o-A visa can share any up to date information on this point.  As always than you very much in advance to all of those who post positive replies.   

[Andrew Dwyer]

Sounds like a job for @Peter Denis

 

He will sort you out.

[EVENKEEL]

11 minutes ago, Adelphi said:

I am in Thailand and due to renew my O-A visa mid February.  I have been relying on my excellent travel insurance up until now which expires 21 Dec (which I can renew).  I understand that I will need an "approved" O-A type health insurance policy when I go to Pattaya immigration to renew my O-A visa.  I had intended to take out the health insurance policy from Pacific Cross to begin 21 December when my travel insurance expires.  However, a friend has said that the health insurance must start on the same day as the new O-A visa.  Can anyone clarify this point please?  Also I read some time ago that some immigration offices may no longer ask for health insurance on renewal.  It would be very helpful if anyone who has recently used the Pattaya office to renew an o-A visa can share any up to date information on this point.  As always than you very much in advance to all of those who post positive replies.   

I just did my OA extension at Jomtein via an agent. 3,000 bht (total) for medical ins.

[jacko45k]

Just now, EVENKEEL said:

I just did my OA extension at Jomtein via an agent. 3,000 bht (total) for medical ins.

Total for the full service please, include all costs?

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Adelphi said:

I had intended to take out the health insurance policy from Pacific Cross to begin 21 December when my travel insurance expires.  However, a friend has said that the health insurance must start on the same day as the new O-A visa. 

You cannot apply for a OA visa at immigration. You will extending the permit to stay from a OA visa you got when you entered the country.

You should contact the office where you will be apply about when the insurance need to start. It varies from office to office.

I assume you will have 800k baht in Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply for the extension or proof of 65k baht income.

[mackayae]

Are the old health insurance requirements still in effect? I have insurance through PC but am looking for a cheaper alternative. I never used it this year.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, mackayae said:

Are the old health insurance requirements still in effect?

Yes

You could look here for lower cost insurance. https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa Check LMG insurance that offers a lower cost insurance with a 200k baht deductible.

[Andrew Dwyer]

6 minutes ago, mackayae said:

Are the old health insurance requirements still in effect? I have insurance through PC but am looking for a cheaper alternative. I never used it this year.

As Joe states LMG is the cheapest throwaway insurance, I paid 6000 baht ( with a 200k deductible ) at age 59 .

Of course if you are looking for actual coverage then set your sights higher and look at Pacific Cross policies, the cheapest LMG is really only considered a gateway to obtaining OA extension .

[EVENKEEL]

19 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Total for the full service please, include all costs?

13,000 for extension, 3,000 for Med Ins and 1,000 for single entry.  17,000bht for all.

[jacko45k]

11 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

13,000 for extension, 3,000 for Med Ins and 1,000 for single entry.  17,000bht for all.

Thanks, just to confirm, the usual Extension fee (1,900) also included in all (17,000)?

[EVENKEEL]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Thanks, just to confirm, the usual Extension fee (1,900) also included in all (17,000)?

Yes, all included.

[HerewardtheWake]

As Andrew said, LMG insurance is a convenient means for obtaining or maintaining the O-A visa. The 200,000 deductible is for each medical occurrence. Presumably, if one has had a serious accident, the 200,000 Baht deductible will be used up and then coverage will begin. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

20 minutes ago, HerewardtheWake said:

As Andrew said, LMG insurance is a convenient means for obtaining or maintaining the O-A visa. The 200,000 deductible is for each medical occurrence. Presumably, if one has had a serious accident, the 200,000 Baht deductible will be used up and then coverage will begin. 

Up to 400,000 baht then you are on your own again ????

[Adelphi]

Thanks for all of the replies.  Much appreciated.

[HarrySeaman]

At Jomtiem/Pattaya Immigration you need your insurance starting the day you submit your visa extension request.

 

I normally do the visa extension myself but because of the new insurance requirement I used Chang Pattaya Services Co., Ltd.  They are the copy and visa service next door to the Jomtiem Thai Immigration office.

 

The charge was 22,000 Bt for everything, including 5000 Bt for the same health/accident insurance I got from my bank for 3000 Bt a couple of months earlier.  Expensive but a lot less than the judicious prices for insurance from the companies shown as "approved insurance companies" on the Thai Immigration web site, not that I was eligible in any case because of age.

[Sheryl]

1. How old are you?

 

2. Are you looking just to meet OA requirement or do you also need meaningful cover?

[wwest5829]

10 hours ago, HerewardtheWake said:

As Andrew said, LMG insurance is a convenient means for obtaining or maintaining the O-A visa. The 200,000 deductible is for each medical occurrence. Presumably, if one has had a serious accident, the 200,000 Baht deductible will be used up and then coverage will begin. 

With the addendum that, for someone in my case, the pre-existing conditions would rule out any coverage dealing with the heart or circulation. I just rationalized the 11,400 baht insurance cost (age 73) as being as cheap as a trip out of the country to begin the process to change to an, “O Visa” (of course leaving and return right now made the plan moot.

[lightsidecat]

They will extend up to the date your new policy expires - in my case it was only for 8 months which I did intentionally to get off a summer renewal.  In your case it will be 10 or 11 months.  If you go with LMG they will date the plan on your renewal but stand alone it is basically useless.  

 

I also am using Pacific Cross as my  main plan with no Outpatient and LMG as the O-A compliant plan.  Having LMG as a secondary plan is actually quite useful due to fairly low limits with  Pacific Cross maximums for daily roommates, , misc. expenses etc.  Once you hit 200,000 with a claim LMG will fill in the gaps up to 400,000.  

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, lightsidecat said:

I also am using Pacific Cross as my  main plan with no Outpatient and LMG as the O-A compliant plan.

 

So presumably the outpatient exclusion discount on your Pacific Cross policy more than covers the premium on your LMG policy then?

 

[Adelphi]

15 hours ago, Sheryl said:

1. How old are you?

 

2. Are you looking just to meet OA requirement or do you also need meaningful cover?

I am 62 and as far as I know in very good health.   As I need to have insurance then I may as well have a meaningful policy but with a high excess to keep the premiums down.  Paying say Bhat 300k excess for medical treatment in a year would not cause me a problem.   I will hopefully do a visa run next year and move to an O visa.

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, Adelphi said:

I am 62 and as far as I know in very good health.   As I need to have insurance then I may as well have a meaningful policy but with a high excess to keep the premiums down.  Paying say Bhat 300k excess for medical treatment in a year would not cause me a problem.   I will hopefully do a visa run next year and move to an O visa.

Now is indeed the time to get a good policy, before you have any ore-existing conditions. And assuming you plan on remaining in Thailand for life, you want one that guarantees lifetime renewal. Which may be difficult. I know AETNA offers that but only if you enrol before age 60.

 

 You should go through a broker both to assess  options and things like whether renewal is guaranteed for life and whether there is a deductible option. .In addition   broker  can help later if any issues with claims. I use AA, www.aainsure.net

[KeeTua]

The insurance can begin before your permission to stay renewal date but you will only get permission to stay up to the expiration of the insurance in your case if you got a policy that expires 21 Dec 2021 that is when your permission to will expire.

 

I have insurance with Pacific Cross and on an O-A visa extension of stay. I used AAinsure broker that Sheryl mentioned and they were very good at working with Pacific Cross to get my new policy to align with a full one year of permission of stay. The high deductible policies can get your premium down nicely. Benny at AAinsure was very helpful for me.

 

Looks like you need to get on it now if you want insurance to start at 21 Dec. They may work with you to give you a prorated policy that will renew at the start of your next permission of stay.

[moontang]

On 12/2/2020 at 7:42 AM, EVENKEEL said:

13,000 for extension, 3,000 for Med Ins and 1,000 for single entry.  17,000bht for all.

Did you actually have the 800k in the bank? 

[EVENKEEL]

58 minutes ago, moontang said:

Did you actually have the 800k in the bank? 

Of course I did, what are you saying?

[moontang]

58 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Of course I did, what are you saying?

Some of the agents advertise no bank book required. 

[fleur3]

one remark. Medical insurance price depends on  your age. So mentioning the price is not very worth if not mentioned age. Above 75 ibuying medical insurance is almost impossible!

 

[tonray]

13 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Of course I did, what are you saying?

He's saying why would you pay 13,000 baht for something that costs everyone else 1900 ?

[EVENKEEL]

14 minutes ago, tonray said:

He's saying why would you pay 13,000 baht for something that costs everyone else 1900 ?

I pay for the ease of not dealing with trivial things like immigration. I usually have my secretary handle it but she's on vacation at the time.

 

I pay more than 13,000bht for a decent bottle of wine, it's just money.

[Olmate]

7 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I pay for the ease of not dealing with trivial things like immigration. I usually have my secretary handle it but she's on vacation at the time.

 

I pay more than 13,000bht for a decent bottle of wine, it's just money.

But you don,t have insurance..hahah

[EVENKEEL]

Just now, Olmate said:

But you don,t have insurance..hahah

I already have blue cross/blue shield international ins. but thanks for asking.