Health and Covid Insurance by authorized visa stay or actual period of stay?

[irony abounds]

Traveling from USA. My current visa allows a stay up to one year.  However, on my planned trip at the end of May I will only be staying five weeks. Do I need to obtain health and COVID insurance for only the actual 5 weeks I am staying or for the entire one year my visa allows me to stay in Thailand. Thank you.

[ubonjoe]

 

What type of visa do you have?

Some embassies might accept a confirmed flight out of the country to prove you length of stay instead of what your visa allows to issue a certificate of entry.

[irony abounds]

Thank you for responding. I have a Thai Elite visa.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, irony abounds said:

Thank you for responding. I have a Thai Elite visa.

You only need the covid 19 insurance. You do not need the 400/40k baht health insurance.

If you already have the Thai Elite visa the COE and covid insurance should be all that you will need.

Info is here on the Thai embassy website. https://thaiembdc.org/2020/09/02/visa-and-certificate-of-entry-for-non-thai-nationals-who-holds-a-thailand-elite-card-thailand-privilege-card/

[irony abounds]

Thank you again. Even thought I am a new member I have read many of your responses over the years to a plethora of issues and questions and you are always a veritable font of knowledge and a valuable resource for anyone who needs help on these issues.

[marke985]

Report back on your experience.  I also have an elite card, my 1 year visa expires this month, but I read last week on the thai elite website that elite holders had to purchase 1 year insurance policies.

 

I'm curious if you can enter under a regular tourist visa and just extend them until the whole Covid19 issue is over with and then head to the elite office and get an elite sticker back in your passport.  Just runs me the wrong way, a year ago I sent them 1,000,000 baht, and now they want to soak me with a 1 year covid policy coverage even after I've been vaccinated.

[Searat7]

Joe- I have same question but will be using fresh O-A visa in July when I arrive for 7 month stay. Do I need to buy one year of both Covid and health insurance?
thanks.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

Joe- I have same question but will be using fresh O-A visa in July when I arrive for 7 month stay. Do I need to buy one year of both Covid and health insurance?
thanks.

Wait for ubonjoe 

However you will be stamped in for 12 months with a non O-A so thinking that's the required insurance period.

[GB32]

Joe - I am in the same boat as you. I want to travel to Phuket in July and back after 7 months. I am applying very soon for O-A .

The Thai Embassy London Visa Application site asks for flight details in and out.

Emirates offer inclusive Travel Insurance that includes Covid cover that satisfies the regulation so I intend to book fully flexible flights and have the 'free' travel insurance.

It looks to me that once I apply I will get a phonecall from the Embassy to check the details. At that point I'll find out for certain if the Medical Insurance will cover - if not I'll have to buy a year's cover even though will be there for 7 months. It looks like you can use a 'foreign' insurance policy to satisfy the regulation for shorter visa's but it's not clear if you can for O-A.

 

Maybe someone has used the Emirates Travel/Covid Insurance. If so please jump in.

 

I would like clarification that after spending time in Phuket (Island Quarantine rather than Hotel Quarantine), that I can visit Bangkok to see my daughter. I wait to hear news about that!

 

 

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, Searat7 said:

Joe- I have same question but will be using fresh O-A visa in July when I arrive for 7 month stay. Do I need to buy one year of both Covid and health insurance?
thanks.

You will need the health 40/400k baht health is insurance valid for at least one year when you apply for the OA visa and you will only be stamped into the country to the date the insurance ends.

You will need one year of covid 19 insurance since that will be the length of stay you will get when you enter the country.

[polpott]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

You will need one year of covid 19 insurance since that will be the length of stay you will get when you enter the country.

I am returning to the UK shortly and coming back in August. My non o retirement extension expires at the end of this year. Presumably I need Covid insurance to cover me to the end of the year. I am happy to take out the insurance now, before my trip. I only need it for the purpose of satisfying immigration as I will be fully vaccinated when I return. What is the cheapest and easiest option for me and does anyone have a web address?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, polpott said:

What is the cheapest and easiest option for me and does anyone have a web address?

Easy is this one but not sure it is the cheapest. https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

[polpott]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

Easy is this one but not sure it is the cheapest. https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

Looks good. 12k baht for 6 months. Considering that I won't be returning to the UK, would 6 months coverage be adequate to satisfy immigration? I renew my retirement extension at Christmas and won't be returning to Thailand before August 1st?

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, polpott said:

Looks good. 12k baht for 6 months. Considering that I won't be returning to the UK, would 6 months coverage be adequate to satisfy immigration? I renew my retirement extension at Christmas and won't be returning to Thailand before August 1st?

The covid 19 insurance only requires coverage from the day you enter the country to the day your re-entry permit and extension expires. The 6 month coverage would be more than enough.

[Peter Denis]

15 hours ago, Searat7 said:

Joe- I have same question but will be using fresh O-A visa in July when I arrive for 7 month stay. Do I need to buy one year of both Covid and health insurance?
thanks.

When applying for the Non Imm O-A Visa at the Thai Embassy/Consulate in your home-country you currently need to meet BOTH the 100.000 US $ covid-19 treatment insurance, as well as the mandatory 400K/40K in/out-patient health-insurance requirement.

 

The required period of insurance coverage is DIFFERENT for both insurances.

1 - The 100.000 US $ covid-19 treatment insurance needs to cover the full period of the permission to stay you will receive when entering Thailand.  So normally you should have 12 months of coverage as that is the regular permission to stay period you will receive when entering Thailand on a still valid Non Imm O-A Visa.

2 - Usually when applying for the IO-approved 400K/40K health-insurance policy mandatory for a Non Imm O-A Visa you want it to be aligned with the 12-month permission to stay you would receive on entry.  Because when entering Thailand border-immigration will stamp you in for whatever date is shorter > the 12 months permission to stay your Non Imm O-A Visa entry entitles you, or the expiry date of the 400K/40K health-insurance.

 

So when you are entering on a Non Imm O-A Visa it is in your interest that the health-insurance expiry date is aligned with the 12 months permission to stay you would receive on entry.  Otherwise your permission to stay will be capped to that health-insurance expiry date (the expiry date of your policy will be added as a note in your passport by the Thai Embassy/Consulate where you applied for the Non Imm O-A Visa).

 

But in your particular case, you only intend to stay 7 months in Thailand on that Non Imm O-A Visa, after which you would exit the country.

Still it is in your interest to have the two insurance policies cover the full period of 12 months.  Because with the 12-month permission to stay stamp in your passport when having entered on a Non Imm O-A Visa, your Visa would still be valid when you returned to Thailand within 5 months (before Visa validity expiry), with NO need to apply for a new Visa.  But of course you would then need to have renewed the mandatory health-insurance policy, as well as the 100.000 US $ covid-19 treatment policy (when that requirement would still be applicable by then) to make use of the full 2nd year that Non Imm O-A Visa can provide you.

 

> I did sent you a PM outlining the full process on how to meet the mandatory 400K/40K health-insurance requirement when applying for the Non Imm O-A Visa at the Thai Embassy/Consulate in your home-country.

As mentioned you would also need to comply with the current CoE requirement for the 100.000 US $ covid-19 treatment insurance.  Some options to meet that latter requirement are outlined below.

 

1 - As UJ indicated TIP < https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail  > provides covid-19 ONLY insurance, but it will depend on your age/nationality whether that is your best option.

 

2 - When you are under 70 years of age you can also subscribe to SafetyWing travel-insurance package < https://safetywing.com/nomad-insurance/> which not only covers covid-19 treatment but provides full and decent coverage of any accident/illness you might encounter while in Thailand, and this at an premium that is often even LOWER than the TIP covid-19 insurance.

 

3 - Also when flying Emirates, you get FREE 100.000 US $ covid-19 insurance as part of your ticket.  This for 30 days when booking one-way, but covering the full period of your trip when booking a return-flight.  In your case, booking a flexible return-ticket with return date just after permission to stay expiry would be a worthwhile option, so that you can use the return-leg when returning after 7 months.

 

4 - Finally, since you need to meet BOTH insurance requirements, the AXA Sawasdee travel-insurance might be of interest for you < https://direct.axa.co.th/TA-Inbound/CoverageOptionPlan?tag=axa-sawasdee-thailand-travel-insurance >.  That - very reasonably priced - full travel-insurance policy covers both insurance requirements.  

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by Peter Denis