Policy change to Non Imm O-A (Long stay) ‘retirement visa’ allows foreigners to self insure

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, Bogbrush said:

The change to the government rules raising the requirement to 3,000,000 Baht also allows for overseas insurance to be utilised, thereby amending the previous requirement that only Thai based companies could be used.

I would like to read the Immigration 'proof' requirements surrounding such a amendment.  I am very much from Missouri wrt its practicality (in my case).

 

If it requires a custom Thai form to be filled in with director's signatures, I am pretty certain the Insurance company (that the pension and insurance organisation I receive my pension from) will not sign it.  Further, if it requires an entry in a custom Thai database wrt the Insurance information (from said foreign insurance company) I am pretty certain also that will not be completed by the Insurance organisation I receive my pension and Insurance from.

 

Do you have any specifics on this amendment that you would be able to point to?

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by oldcpu

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, Bogbrush said:

The change to the government rules raising the requirement to 3,000,000 Baht also allows for overseas insurance to be utilised, thereby amending the previous requirement that only Thai based companies could be used.

Further to this, I read:

 

       In the case of non-Thai health insurance, the applicants shall follow the following conditions:

     (a) The foreign insurance certificate shall be certified by a government organization which is an embassy in Thailand, or
     (b) Coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country to sign the notary by the authorised person.

 

My Health Insurance comes with my pension from a European organisation of multiple European governments. There  is no embassy associated in Thailand. Further there is no MFA associated.   So for me, those clauses can not be followed.

 

I also recall for those who get pensions from different countries, where the countries will no longer certify the pensions with a letter (some will - some won't) and hence proving one's monthly pension is a lot harder for some in Thailand. I wonder as to how many Embassies (or foreign country MFA's) will 'certify' or 'sign the notary'?  My suspicion is very few - although I would be happy to be proven wrong on this.

 

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

37 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I would like to read the Immigration 'proof' requirements surrounding such a amendment.  I am very much from Missouri wrt its practicality (in my case).

 

If it requires a custom Thai form to be filled in with director's signatures, I am pretty certain the Insurance company (that the pension and insurance organisation I receive my pension from) will not sign it.  Further, if it requires an entry in a custom Thai database wrt the Insurance information (from said foreign insurance company) I am pretty certain also that will not be completed by the Insurance organisation I receive my pension and Insurance from.

 

Do you have any specifics on this amendment that you would be able to point to?

 

 

I faced the same issue back when the OA insurance was mandated. My I strange company in the US (Anthem Blue Cross) would not sign the necessary document and so I ended up buying a Thai policy with PCH. Now what my PCH policy will nit cover my insurance from the west will cover the rest but I must pay first and then submit the claim for the reimbursement....

[Bogbrush]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

I would like to read the Immigration 'proof' requirements surrounding such a amendment.  I am very much from Missouri wrt its practicality (in my case).

 

If it requires a custom Thai form to be filled in with director's signatures, I am pretty certain the Insurance company (that the pension and insurance organisation I receive my pension from) will not sign it.  Further, if it requires an entry in a custom Thai database wrt the Insurance information (from said foreign insurance company) I am pretty certain also that will not be completed by the Insurance organisation I receive my pension and Insurance from.

 

Do you have any specifics on this amendment that you would be able to point to?

 

 

 

44 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I faced the same issue back when the OA insurance was mandated. My I strange company in the US (Anthem Blue Cross) would not sign the necessary document and so I ended up buying a Thai policy with PCH. Now what my PCH policy will nit cover my insurance from the west will cover the rest but I must pay first and then submit the claim for the reimbursement....

I’ve just Googled it and you can find the ‘proof’ that foreign policies can be used on Thailand-construction.com (and no doubt many other sources) where it stated The Health Ministry says that insurance policies can be purchased from their home country or domestically within Thailand, but stipulate that the coverage must maintain that minimum of 3 million baht or the equivalent if the policy is issued in a foreign currency.. Trust this clarifies…

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, oldcpu said:

I would like to read the Immigration 'proof' requirements surrounding such a amendment.  I am very much from Missouri wrt its practicality (in my case).

Immigration has not issued any order for extension of stay yet since their part of it does no start until September 1st.

Only the MFA has issued a order for new OA visa applications at a embassy or official consulate.

[Harveyboy]

On 2/1/2022 at 12:58 PM, Harveyboy said:

then its not insurance its a loan...not the same eh

just in case you don't fully understand.. insurance companies pay for accidents ect and don't ask you to pay it back Thats why its called INSURANCE..if you have to pay it back ..its just the same as a loan  hope that's cleared it for you

[oldcpu]

On 2/7/2022 at 11:49 PM, Bogbrush said:

 

I’ve just Googled it and you can find the ‘proof’ that foreign policies can be used on Thailand-construction.com (and no doubt many other sources) where it stated The Health Ministry says that insurance policies can be purchased from their home country or domestically within Thailand, but stipulate that the coverage must maintain that minimum of 3 million baht or the equivalent if the policy is issued in a foreign currency.. Trust this clarifies…

With respect ... that does not provide the specifics.   I am skeptical that one can just show a foreign health insurance company name and number and have it accepted by any Thai immigration office for an extension of one's permission to stay in Thailand. 

 

Also, I suspect the eventual proof needed (to show Thai immigration or to show Thai Embassy staff) will be different from each other Thai organisation, dependent on whether one is showing proof of foreign insurance when applying for a Visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate outside Thailand, as opposed to (ie different when) applying for an "extension on one's permission to stay" at a Thailand Immigration office inside Thailand.

 

That is the detail I am most curious about.  ...

 

From my own perspective, it would be great if anyone could just show they have 3-million baht in a Thai bank account, and have that accepted as self insurance, but even that new 3-million self insurance rule is having clauses put around it, limiting it to only those who can prove they were denied Health Insurance from a Health Insurance company.  I am too healthy to be denied Health Insurance (even thou in my late 60s).

 

I fear the 'devil is in the details' and so all may not be as easy as many of us hope could eventually be the case. 

 

In my case, I have elected this time around to go for an extension on my permission to stay (with a Type-OA visa) based on marriage.  Neither the money I have in the bank (no issues getting the 3-million THB), nor my superior European Health Insurance coverage that is part of my pension (exceeding the 3-million Thai baht), is acceptable to the local immigration office.  Hence an extension based on marriage (given I did not want to leave the country at present time) appeared to me to be the best approach ( in my case).  I prefer not to pay for double Health Insurance.

 

I do hope the 'detailed proof' requirements for Health Insurance does get easier with time for those of us expats looking for 'extensions on our permission to stay'.