Need help: I bought SafetyWing insurance as suggested on this forum and received notice: "Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles has rejected your registration/application" - What can I do next?

[wml22]

Hello all,

 

I bought the SafetyWing insurance and uploaded the policy declaration as well as the description of the plan, but it seems that the consulate did not read these documents or something went wrong. I was just notified:

 

"Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles has rejected your registration/application.

Due to 1. The insurance should indicated :  - Cover COVID-19 treatment in Thailand  - Period of the insurance policy ( start … / end … ) - Period should cover the period of stay in Thailand.  - Minimum coverage of 100,000 USD. or 3,500,000 Baht. - We do not accept print screen insurance/ insurance card. 2. A copy of the recent bank statement. (700 USD per person / 1,500 USD per family) with your name stated clearly 3. Completed address in Thailand & US"

 

I don't understand what went wrong. I thought I uploaded the required insurance documents. 

 

Also, this is the first time I ever heard anything about needing to upload a bank statement. I am applying under visa-exempt entry and there was never a bank statement requirement indicated in the application page.

 

Also, "Completed address in Thailand" makes no sense because this is the application for preapproval. How am I supposed to have a Thai address when I haven't been preapproved yet?

 

I already bought airfare for this trip for Sep 1 because I didn't previously understand that preapproval was a separate step from approval. So I really need to get the preapproval processed so that I can get the COE application fully approved. 

 

Should I cancel the SafetyWing insurance and find an alternative? What about the other requirements of bank statement and Thai address?

 

Finally, I can't figure out if it's possible to modify the COE application. (I can't even find a way to check the status in the website, because the email says "You can check the status of your registration/application by clicking “check the result” on https://coethailand.mfa.go.th Your 6 digit code to check your registration/application status is :" but there is no link or anything on that page that says "check the result." 

 

EDIT: I found out that you have to click through to the next screen to find the "Check the result" button. I see this message there:

 

"Due to : 1. The insurance should indicated :  - Cover COVID-19 treatment in Thailand  - Period of the insurance policy ( start … / end … ) - Period should cover the period of stay in Thailand.  - Minimum coverage of 100,000 USD. or 3,500,000 Baht. - We do not accept print screen insurance/ insurance card. 2. A copy of the recent bank statement. (700 USD per person / 1,500 USD per family) with your name stated clearly 3. Completed address in Thailand & US
Click the “Edit Personal information” button to update your information."

 

What I uploaded from SafetyWing was the Policy Declaration document which shows start date and end date, and $250,000 coverage limit, but it doesn't on that document indicate Covid coverage. 

The Description of Coverage is what indicates Covid coverage and I also attached that but I guess they didn't read it, <deleted>? I've attached it here. I just bought what was recommended by this forum. Should I just get ANOTHER insurance plan somewhere else that more clearly states somehow (not in a large, long description booklet) that Covid is covered? Where should I get that?

 

For the Thai address I guess I could use my girlfriend's house (which is where I'd stay after the sandbox quarantine ends)?

 

SafetyWing description-of-coverage.pdf

[ubonjoe]

I have never recommended any insurance other than the insurance offered here from the TGIA.

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

 

1. Where is the description of coverage you posted for download show it covers covid 19 treatment.

Did you what you provided on the COE application specifically state that it covered covid 19 from the day you enter the country. Does it cover care if you are asymptomatic when you get a positive infection result.

2. The $700 is shown on this page for visa exempt on the consulate website.

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa-exemption/

3. Use your girlfriends address. They want a address in Thailand after the ASQ hotel stay.

[wml22]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

1. Where is the description of coverage you posted for download show it covers covid 19 treatment.

Did you what provided on the COE application specifically state that it covered covid 19 from the day you enter the country.

2. The $700 is shown on this page for visa exempt on the consulate website.

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa-exemption/

3. Use your girlfriends address. They want a address in Thailand after the ASQ hotel stay.

I really appreciate your reply Ubonjoe.

1) It's on p. 21-22 (attached screenshot) of the description of coverage document. I bought this insurance because it was recommended to me by someone here. Do you know of an insurance plan I can buy online and replace into the application that will definitely be approved? I would just buy an additional insurance plan right away if I knew for sure it will be approved.

2) I'll update the bank statement they want.

3) I will do that then.

 

What I'm now more worried about is that somehow the application will fall through the cracks or be delayed even after I update the requested documents into it as new attachments. I will give them what they want immediately as soon as I know what insurance plan to buy and which insurance plan docs to submit that will be accepted by them.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, wml22 said:

Do you know of an insurance plan I can buy online and replace into the application that will definitely be approved?

This one will certainly be accepted. To cover your 45 day stay it will cost 4,480 Baht (60 days).

 

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I have never recommended any insurance other than the insurance offered here from the TGIA.

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

 

[wml22]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

This one will certainly be accepted. To cover your 45 day stay it will cost 4,480 Baht (60 days).

 

 

Thank you! I guess on their drop-down list visa exempt entry status is "Free Visa" - I will select that.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, wml22 said:

Thank you! I guess on their drop-down list visa exempt entry status is "Free Visa" - I will select that.

That is the correct one.

[Caldera]

SafetyWing has a dedicated "visa letter" for download, which apparently you haven't submitted. Maybe you could try that before purchasing yet another insurance policy.

[Sheryl]

10 hours ago, Caldera said:

SafetyWing has a dedicated "visa letter" for download, which apparently you haven't submitted. Maybe you could try that before purchasing yet another insurance policy.

As above. Many people have used SafetyWing, as well as other general insurance policies (not the tgia site COVID specific ones) but in all cases, by submitting a letter from the insurer that sopecifically states covered in Thailand for COVID for $100,000 or more., They will nto wade through insurance policy details to try to figure that out.

 

Contact SafetyWing and request this letter

[wml22]

14 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

As above. Many people have used SafetyWing, as well as other general insurance policies (not the tgia site COVID specific ones) but in all cases, by submitting a letter from the insurer that sopecifically states covered in Thailand for COVID for $100,000 or more., They will nto wade through insurance policy details to try to figure that out.

 

Contact SafetyWing and request this letter

Ah, appreciate the information. I didn't see this in time and already used the insurance ubonjoe recommended with my revised application. It's alright because SafetyWing also sent me this message after purchase:

 

Update for those visiting Thailand

We recently received reports from Thailand that if you test positive during a mandatory test on arrival, you might be put in hospital for quarantine (even if you don't have symptoms). You are covered for required treatment deemed medically necessary for COVID-19 symptoms under your SafetyWing policy. If you do not have symptoms, this quarantine is not covered, as it wouldn't be medically necessary to put you in a hospital for treatment if you are asymptomatic. If you would like to cancel your policy, or have any other questions, please reach out to [email protected]. Safe travels! The SafetyWing Team

 

I think that the insurance ubonjoe recommended may have a better chance of covering the hospital stay costs if I am unlucky enough to have a false positive on one of the PCR tests during the sandbox stay. So I'm alright with having changed it. SafetyWing was very cooperative about canceling and said I'll receive a refund in the next 5-7 business days or something like that.

[Maha Sarakham]

I admire all of you who are willing to jump through all these hoops to go to Thailand.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Maha Sarakham said:

I admire all of you who are willing to jump through all these hoops to go to Thailand.

Not really a major hoop jumping exercise in the big scheme of things…

..  just selecting the correct drop down from the menu & understanding that a single page ‘certificate of cover’ is required rather than the whole policy, 

 

It’s more an issue of knowing exactly what’s needed and what isn’t rather than the requirements being difficult (I.e hoop jumping). 

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by richard_smith237

[ThaiVisaCentre]

Did you upload the following document, there should be a DOWNLOAD VISA LETTER button on their website.

The issue is that this button does not appear instantly, and usually takes an hour or two (hopefully they fix this).

We have personally seen hundreds of clients get approval for their COE using this insurance in the Thai  Consulate in LA.

Edited August 3, 2021 by ThaiVisaCentre

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, wml22 said:

Ah, appreciate the information. I didn't see this in time and already used the insurance ubonjoe recommended with my revised application. It's alright because SafetyWing also sent me this message after purchase:

 

Update for those visiting Thailand

We recently received reports from Thailand that if you test positive during a mandatory test on arrival, you might be put in hospital for quarantine (even if you don't have symptoms). You are covered for required treatment deemed medically necessary for COVID-19 symptoms under your SafetyWing policy. If you do not have symptoms, this quarantine is not covered, as it wouldn't be medically necessary to put you in a hospital for treatment if you are asymptomatic. If you would like to cancel your policy, or have any other questions, please reach out to [email protected]. Safe travels! The SafetyWing Team

 

I think that the insurance ubonjoe recommended may have a better chance of covering the hospital stay costs if I am unlucky enough to have a false positive on one of the PCR tests during the sandbox stay. So I'm alright with having changed it. SafetyWing was very cooperative about canceling and said I'll receive a refund in the next 5-7 business days or something like that.

 

IF during ASQ or Sandbox someone tests positive and are forced into ‘Hospital quarantine’ which, as stated above, some insurance companies are not willing to cover.

 

Thus, from a financial perspective, if a ‘quarantinee or Sandboxee’ tests positive they are better off faking symptoms such as ‘respiratory distress, headache’ etc and telling their doctor to put ‘medically necessary hospital treatment’ on their medical documents.... 

 

That said - as cases are increasing and hospitals beds are filling up with the ‘healthy’ who have tested positive, there is a growing pressure to allow home isolation for asymptomatic positive cases.

 

At some point (near or distant future?) when the majority of the population is vaccinated, positive cases will not matter much...... as has always been, the important metric will be ‘genuine’ hospitalisations, ICU bed occupancy (as a result of covid) and deaths. 

 

 

[wml22]

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Not really a major hoop jumping exercise in the big scheme of things…

..  just selecting the correct drop down from the menu & understanding that a single page ‘certificate of cover’ is required rather than the whole policy, 

 

It’s more an issue of knowing exactly what’s needed and what isn’t rather than the requirements being difficult (I.e hoop jumping). 

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, ThaiVisaCentre said:

Did you upload the following document, there should be a DOWNLOAD VISA LETTER button on their website.

The issue is that this button does not appear instantly, and usually takes an hour or two (hopefully they fix this).

We have personally seen hundreds of clients get approval for their COE using this insurance in the Thai  Consulate in LA.

There was no point at which the need for an insurance cover letter was clarified when making the COE application on the website. So unless reading it here first (which I didn't), I don't know how this would have been apparent. I never saw the "download visa letter" button, I guess I didn't revisit the website after the delay that it takes for the button to generate.

 

Happy to report that the COE application was preapproved today using ubonjoe's recommendation (the policy document you get from them has the cover letter to immigration already as the first page of the document) and updating the bank statement + Thai girlfriend's address into the application.

[samtam]

On 8/3/2021 at 9:37 AM, ubonjoe said:

I have never recommended any insurance other than the insurance offered here from the TGIA.

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

 

 

This list is very helpful. I plan to exit Thailand in November and return within a couple of weeks, (to effect the continuation of PR status in Hong Kong). Can I apply for the insurance before leaving, or do I have to do it whilst abroad? I believe it's only effective from the date of arrival back in Thailand, and should be valid until the expiry of my Extension of Stay. I note that the coverage period is fixed, as in 90, 180 days 1 year etc; if my Extension of Stay expiry is 25 May 2022, and I return just over 180 days ahead of that, I will have to buy the 1 year coverage? Obviously best to reduce the time to within 6 months, and halve the premium.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by samtam

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, samtam said:

This list is very helpful. I plan to exit Thailand in November and return within a couple of weeks, (to effect the continuation of PR status in Hong Kong). Can I apply for the insurance before leaving, or do I have to do it whilst abroad? I believe it's only effective from the date of arrival back in Thailand, and should be valid until the expiry of my Extension of Stay. I note that the coverage period is fixed, as in 90, 180 days 1 year etc; if my Extension of Stay expiry is 25 May 2022, and I return just over 180 days ahead of that, I will have to buy the 1 year coverage? Obviously best to reduce the time to within 6 months, and halve the premium.

You can purchase the insurance before leaving the country.

Not sure why don't have anything between 6 months and a year.

You could do your trip a little later to only have 6 months remaining.

[kiwikeith]

21 hours ago, samtam said:

This list is very helpful. I plan to exit Thailand in November and return within a couple of weeks, (to effect the continuation of PR status in Hong Kong). Can I apply for the insurance before leaving, or do I have to do it whilst abroad? I believe it's only effective from the date of arrival back in Thailand, and should be valid until the expiry of my Extension of Stay. I note that the coverage period is fixed, as in 90, 180 days 1 year etc; if my Extension of Stay expiry is 25 May 2022, and I return just over 180 days ahead of that, I will have to buy the 1 year coverage? Obviously best to reduce the time to within 6 months, and halve the premium.

 

 

Hi, Joe. Thanks for all your previous advice, I just got the COE through for my friend we talked about.

I got rejected first go, because of insurance, did not know why, then looked at the application process, stage  1-2-3 ect. When I filled out the first stage I did not have the exact travel dates so I put an approximate date, they then pre- approved COE. and said now you can book your tickets and upload them with insurance ect.

Then I submitted stage 2 and it rejected, so I looked at it, and edited the application and the travel date in stage one, which did not correspond with the actual ticket dates and insurance dates so they knocked me back.

Nor did the quarantine dates align.

Then to top  that off, the insurance, they knocked back as they said also it did not show 100k USD.

Nor did the cover dates, align with stage one date, but it did with the actual ticket dates, all due to you can not put the actual travel date in stage one until you get pre approval to the next stage, then you can buy everything.( the insurance for covid 19 was from a link you and the embassy provided and the company is fine and they accepted the policy once they figured out how much 6.4 million Bhat was in USD for cover)

 

So I corrected stage one, wrote on the copy of the insurance that it covered 6.4 million Bhat, which was approx 179k USA. SO then they were happy with that, they then approved my application and I have downloaded the COE.

SO make sure you edit stage one when you upload tickets ect to stage 2.

 

One problem to be aware of is-- when you browse files to put an attachment on your application, -- you click open on your file and then on the application the file pic shows, and you think its uploaded.

It has not--- you have to click on the little box(up-load file)on the application when the file shows up, to upload it to the form.

Then with, The Additional Info box--- make sure you put anything you want to explain into  a file in that box as the other boxes will only let you download 2 attachments.

You  can include letters, tickets ect just put them into one file. 

 

Question Joe? Any advice as to travel from BK to your home province, once BK quarantine is finished, my friend enters on the 15-08 and today the news says all domestic flights are cancelled.

And People in the Sandbox were going to be sent to Suvarnabhumi by Bus.

I was thinking along the lines of a private Taxi, he has a house in Chiang Mai but has not been using it, I put that address on the T8 with proof of address docs.

He has a rental agreement for a place he has been staying at in Sakon Nokhon, over 5 years.

Would he be able to get out of BK, to Sakon Nakhon using a private Taxi and the rental agreement,or get to Chiang Mai  on his Chiang mai docs ,and then go on to Sakon Nakhon using rental agreement as proof of address ? as it looks like Air Travel may be out of the question??

Can you send message to me as before- to Keithwilly 2002, thanks Joe .

 

[ubonjoe]

39 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

Question Joe? Any advice as to travel from BK to your home province, once BK quarantine is finished, my friend enters on the 15-08 and today the news says all domestic flights are cancelled.

And People in the Sandbox were going to be sent to Suvarnabhumi by Bus.

I was thinking along the lines of a private Taxi, he has a house in Chiang Mai but has not been using it, I put that address on the T8 with proof of address docs.

He has a rental agreement for a place he has been staying at in Sakon Nakhon, over 5 years.

Would he be able to get out of BK, to Sakon Nakhon using a private Taxi and the rental agreement,or get to Chiang Mai  on his Chiang mai docs ,and then go on to Sakon Nakhon using rental agreement as proof of address ? as it looks like Air Travel may be out of the question??

Private transport is about all that is available at this time. Perhaps their will be more choices when gets out of quarantine.

It would of been better to of used his address in Sakon Nakhon. He should be able to change it from Chiang Mai to there.

I cannot predict what he can do at this time.

[jflawyer]

On 8/2/2021 at 10:37 PM, ubonjoe said:

I have never recommended any insurance other than the insurance offered here from the TGIA.

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

 

1. Where is the description of coverage you posted for download show it covers covid 19 treatment.

Did you what you provided on the COE application specifically state that it covered covid 19 from the day you enter the country. Does it cover care if you are asymptomatic when you get a positive infection result.

2. The $700 is shown on this page for visa exempt on the consulate website.

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa-exemption/

3. Use your girlfriends address. They want a address in Thailand after the ASQ hotel stay.

The TGIA "Official" insurance provides THB 3.2 Million coverage.  With the change in the exchange rate, this "official" coverage is below $100,000 (now about $95,000).  Will this be rejected by Thai Embassy or at arrival in Thailand for being less than the USD $100,000 amount?  Do you still recommend this insurance despite this factor?

 

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, jflawyer said:

The TGIA "Official" insurance provides THB 3.2 Million coverage.  With the change in the exchange rate, this "official" coverage is below $100,000 (now about $95,000).  Will this be rejected by Thai Embassy or at arrival in Thailand for being less than the USD $100,000 amount?  Do you still recommend this insurance despite this factor?

 

I am sure it will still be accepted. The 3.3 million coverage will still be accepted since it is a baseline number for the coverage. If you exchanged $100k USD at 33 baht to the dollar it is 3.3 million.

[jflawyer]

48 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I am sure it will still be accepted. The 3.3 million coverage will still be accepted since it is a baseline number for the coverage. If you exchanged $100k USD at 33 baht to the dollar it is 3.3 million.

I will try it and let you know once I hear back from Thai embassy here in Washington DC.

[jflawyer]

25 minutes ago, jflawyer said:

I will try it and let you know once I hear back from Thai embassy here in Washington DC.

As a side note, the final certificate issued after payment includes a reference to "US Equivalent of $100,000", so feeling a bit more confident now.