6 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

Actually there is  way forward (at least in non-COVID times) which is not to get an OA visa but rather an O via and then do in-country extensions of stay. No insurance requirement (though you are strongly advised to get a meaningful policy, which need nto be fro ma Thai company, there are excellent expat policies issued by foreign companies).

An extension with a multi-entry visa would work in place of a non-O ME to a certain extent, but a marriage extension takes more than  90 days probably., and then there is timing of the renewal which may or may or may not align with being in Thailand. The longest trip I planned was 84 days and the longest trip I've actually achieved was 67 days ????, (1991 to 2020)

Extensions were perhaps my longer term objective, but how shall the TGIA insurance mutate, I worry it will become a stopper eventually in addition to immigration guidance changes. Yes, totally agree that effective health insurance is something desirable to have for IPD. events.as well as travel insurance. I'm not against insurance, if there is a reasonable possibility of it paying out.

We will just have to hope the 40/400 gets disassociated with COE this year, anyway I'm likely tourist visa for the next 4 years, visiting family for less than 60 days....or just VE. 

Just a quick update for people in a similar position.   We did finally get the insurance.  The staff and service were amazing.  But it took nearly two weeks for my husband to clear underwriting due to pre-existing conditions.   I am not recommending this but (as we have no intention of claiming on the policy) I did wonder whether we'd have been as well being less honest...    Basically it ended up that we signed a disclaimer for the conditions and got the policy at the base price - perfect.  But recommend you leave a bit of time and don't get your bank statements / medical etc. till the policy is in place.   But thanks to all that came up with this for us - you saved me a fortune ????

On 3/2/2021 at 10:53 AM, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I suspect that the hospitals probably pushed for higher limits, particularly inpatient, but insurers pushed back and this is the result. 400k is not very meaningful for a major illness, so I think it is a compromise.

And this begs the question as to for how long the existing 400k/40k minima could realistically be maintained at their present levels before the Immigration Bureau and TGIA eventually bowed to hospital pressure for increases - which, no doubt, would not be grandfathered for existing policyholders. Hopefully plenty of advance warning would be given of any impending increases (which presumably would be announced in a fresh Police Order) - but, this being Thailand, I am not holding my breath.

 

3 hours ago, Marjf said:

Just a quick update for people in a similar position.   We did finally get the insurance.  The staff and service were amazing.  

Who did you use ?

LMG Insurance as recommended further up the thread.  Under 18.000 THB for both of us ....