A question about car insurance

[Bangkok Barry]

We pay around 12,000 baht to insure our pickup, but my wife informs me that when we renew the road tax we must also pay 900 for a compulsory insurance which provides basic  cover. Surely, if we already have full insurance we don't need to pay extra for additional inferior coverage?

 

Am i missing something? Or am I trying to think logically in the wrong place? 

[Kwasaki]

Yes you are not understanding the Thai system, you have to have govt CTPL as well or your voluntary private insurance would not be valid.

[PFMills]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

We pay around 12,000 baht to insure our pickup, but my wife informs me that when we renew the road tax we must also pay 900 for a compulsory insurance which provides basic  cover. Surely, if we already have full insurance we don't need to pay extra for additional inferior coverage?

 

Am i missing something? Or am I trying to think logically in the wrong place? 

I think that you will find that CTPL is more like 600thb, try and get it 'thrown in' when you buy your 'First Insurance'  we usually manage to. Google CTPL for a full understanding.

Edited December 2, 2020 by PFMills

[Bangkok Barry]

10 hours ago, PFMills said:

I think that you will find that CTPL is more like 600thb, try and get it 'thrown in' when you buy your 'First Insurance'  we usually manage to. Google CTPL for a full understanding.

Thanks. But it doesn't really address if or why I would need to pay this if I already have comprehensive insurance. It's a bit like wearing two pairs of trousers when one is enough.

[Salerno]

34 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

But it doesn't really address if or why I would need to pay this if I already have comprehensive insurance.

 

Because it's the law (under the Road Protection Act). This is to ensure that everyone on the road has at least minimum 3rd party cover (if they are legal of course).

 

The fact you (or anyone) are smart enough to get better coverage is irrelevant as the law currently stands.

 

[HashBrownHarry]

40 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thanks. But it doesn't really address if or why I would need to pay this if I already have comprehensive insurance. It's a bit like wearing two pairs of trousers when one is enough.

It's not an option, it's compulsory.

[Techno Viking]

43 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thanks. But it doesn't really address if or why I would need to pay this if I already have comprehensive insurance. It's a bit like wearing two pairs of trousers when one is enough.

 

You already have compulsory insurance, why bother obtaining the voluntary one.... seems to me you are over  insured.

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, Techno Viking said:

You already have compulsory insurance, why bother obtaining the voluntary one.... seems to me you are over  insured.

 

Not over insured at all. Anyone relying purely on CTPL is under-insured; the hints in the name of it.

[Tyler Visan]

4 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

 

You already have compulsory insurance, why bother obtaining the voluntary one.... seems to me you are over  insured.

You don't half talk a load of rubbish. The compulsory insurance is basic third-party, the extra you pay for is for your own vehicle.

[1FinickyOne]

47 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thanks. But it doesn't really address if or why I would need to pay this if I already have comprehensive insurance. It's a bit like wearing two pairs of trousers when one is enough.

It's the system here, just pay it... think of it as being subtracted from your other insurance - - if that helps... first, you must pay the compulsory insurance and then if you want additional insurance, which I highly recommend, then you purchase that... think of it as a registration fee. 

 

If you need clothing metaphors, think of it as wearing one pair of trousers and a shirt... then you might also want a hat to protect you from the sun... sunglasses and underwear are nice to have - - go for the whole wardrobe... hope that helps.

[Tyler Visan]

11 hours ago, PFMills said:

I think that you will find that CTPL is more like 600thb, try and get it 'thrown in' when you buy your 'First Insurance'  we usually manage to. Google CTPL for a full understanding.

How often do you buy your 'first insurance'?

[Salerno]

This illustrates the differences between levels and the type of cover you get (costs just rough, deductibles can vary it a fair bit and obviously the level of payout differs) :

 

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Salerno

[PFMills]

22 minutes ago, Tyler Visan said:

How often do you buy your 'first insurance'?

Just once each year. First Class Insurance here is more commonly known as Type1 insurance... maybe you will understand if I say Comprehensive Insurance

[Tyler Visan]

8 minutes ago, PFMills said:

Just once each year. First Class Insurance here is more commonly known as Type1 insurance... maybe you will understand if I say Comprehensive Insurance

Sorry I misunderstood what you meant by First Insurance. I took it you meant buying it for the first time. 

[Adiudon]

 

37 minutes ago, Tyler Visan said:

You don't half talk a load of rubbish. The compulsory insurance is basic third-party, the extra you pay for is for your own vehicle.

The compulsory insurance is more basic than 3rd party cover, it only covers a 3rd party for injury i.e. hospital bills, no property damage is covered by this insurance, I paid 626 Baht 2 weeks ago.

[PFMills]

6 minutes ago, Adiudon said:

 

The compulsory insurance is more basic than 3rd party cover, it only covers a 3rd party for injury i.e. hospital bills, no property damage is covered by this insurance, I paid 626 Baht 2 weeks ago.

You need to confirm but I believe it only covers up to a max of 30,000thb...I can’t find where it says that at the moment.

[Salerno]

6 minutes ago, PFMills said:

You need to confirm but I believe it only covers up to a max of 30,000thb...I can’t find where it says that at the moment.

 

Being the minimum requirement, CTPL covers only medical expenses with limited coverage when you cause the accident. It is up to 80,000 baht for injury and 300,000 baht for death–if it’s not the driver’s fault. When the driver is the cause of the accident, the coverage decreases to 30,000 baht for injury and 35,000 baht for death.

[Tyler Visan]

23 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Being the minimum requirement, CTPL covers only medical expenses with limited coverage when you cause the accident. It is up to 80,000 baht for injury and 300,000 baht for death–if it’s not the driver’s fault. When the driver is the cause of the accident, the coverage decreases to 30,000 baht for injury and 35,000 baht for death.

By 'driver'  I assume you mean the other driver, the one injured.

[Salerno]

7 minutes ago, Tyler Visan said:

By 'driver'  I assume you mean the other driver, the one injured.

 

No, the driver of the car insured i.e. you if you're the one driving.

[Tyler Visan]

3 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

No, the driver of the car insured i.e. you if you're the one driving.

Thanks. So YOUR insurance still pays up some, 80,000 or 300,000, even if it is not your fault.

[Salerno]

11 minutes ago, Tyler Visan said:

Thanks. So YOUR insurance still pays up some, 80,000 or 300,000, even if it is not your fault.

 

Yes, but never really come up with a good example of when it wouldn't be your fault and still have to pay out (probably a western mindset). Read a couple of times that if you hit a kid you have to so best I come up with is a kid runs out in front of you from behind a parked van and gets totally splattered, not really your fault, but your CTPL will pay out 300K to his family. On the other hand if you are flooring it, lose control and hit a kid playing in its front yard, then it would only pay out up to 35K to his family because it was your fault.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Salerno

[Bangkok Barry]

Thanks for all your comments, which confirms that although I don't need the compulsory insurance Thai law says I must pay for it. No logic in that, but a reflection of, yet again, there being no logic in Thailand. At least it's cheap and not much money to waste.

[brewsterbudgen]

26 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thanks for all your comments, which confirms that although I don't need the compulsory insurance Thai law says I must pay for it. No logic in that, but a reflection of, yet again, there being no logic in Thailand. At least it's cheap and not much money to waste.

 

No, Thai law says you do need it and the DLT need to see it in order for you to tax the vehicle.  It's your choice whether you wish to also purchase additional insurance.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thanks for all your comments, which confirms that although I don't need the compulsory insurance Thai law says I must pay for it. No logic in that, but a reflection of, yet again, there being no logic in Thailand. At least it's cheap and not much money to waste.

 

No, Thai law says you do need it and the DLT need to see it in order for you to tax the vehicle.  It's your choice whether you wish to also purchase additional insurance.

 

You miss my point. If I already have insurance, superior to the compulsory one, it would be logical for Thai law to say that is sufficient and I don't have to buy more. That policy could be shown to the DLT. Buying the compulsory insurance is completely redundant if you already hold a better policy. But it is what it is. No common sense allowed.