Health Insurance

[Neddy]

I work for a Thai company. I have a work permit, and I pay taxes. However I do not have any private health insurance, and I am not sure if I can convince the company to enroll in a company health scheme. My age makes it almost impossible to buy good insurance on my own.

Am i covered under the Thai health system? If so, can I upgrade that for a nominal cost?

Any wisdom will be appreciated.

[jaiyenyen]

I am in the process of getting health insurance.

I went along for the medical, and gave them all my medical notes from UK.

I am on medication for High Blood Pressure, so no cover for that, fine.

They said i am a little overweight, fine.

They will not give me cover because my notes say that i have had a heart condition since i was a child, not true.

Nor will they give me cover, because i have lived in Thailand less than six months.

I can argue about the Heart Condition, but is living in Thailand less than six months, reason to refuse cover?

Are all companies the same, in this respect?

BTW They said "Come back in October, and we will give you cover"

Also, while i'm here, can anyone recommend a good company.

[jaiyenyen]

Sorry for hijacking your post neddy, i meant to start a new topic.

[peter416]

For difficult health insurances (and every other type of insurance ) try AA Insurance Brokers down in Pattaya - very helpfull - ask for Wanna or Neng both speak English 038 415 795

[Who, me ?]

I have bought one with Goodhealth. They won't cover my back condition before 2 years after enrolling.

I pay about 40,000 baht a year for a maximum coverage of 1.6 million USD per condition / year

Seems they are good

[ballbreaker]

BUPA Thailand another source of health insurance.

[tonydabbs]

I work for a Thai company. I have a work permit, and I pay taxes. However I do not have any private health insurance, and I am not sure if I can convince the company to enroll in a company health scheme. My age makes it almost impossible to buy good insurance on my own.

Am i covered under the Thai health system? If so, can I upgrade that for a nominal cost?

Any wisdom will be appreciated.

No. You are not covered under the Thai health scheme. Foreigners must work for an employer enrolled in the scheme to be covered. The employer pays half the cost for your coverage and you pay the other half. There is no "upgrading."

I would have to know how old you are to recommend any options. But, if you are under 75 you are not too old for health insurance in Thailand.

If there are 5 or more people like yourself employed by the company who are interested, you can form your own group and qualify for group rates if your employer refuses to cover you. Of course, you each would have to pay the full premium yourselves without help from your employer - but it would still be cheaper than personal coverage.

Another option would be to have the employer get the coverage and the employees offer to split the cost.

Edited July 8, 2007 by tonydabbs

[tonydabbs]

I am in the process of getting health insurance.

I went along for the medical, and gave them all my medical notes from UK.

I am on medication for High Blood Pressure, so no cover for that, fine.

They said i am a little overweight, fine.

They will not give me cover because my notes say that i have had a heart condition since i was a child, not true.

Nor will they give me cover, because i have lived in Thailand less than six months.

I can argue about the Heart Condition, but is living in Thailand less than six months, reason to refuse cover?

Are all companies the same, in this respect?

BTW They said "Come back in October, and we will give you cover"

Also, while i'm here, can anyone recommend a good company.

It sounds like you tried to buy health insurance from a life insurance company. If you had gone to a real health insurance company like AXA, BUPA, LMG, MSIG, NZI, PIH or THI, all good companies, you wouldn't have had that problem. If you are 60 or older, though, LMG will require a physical. The is no six month waiting period and health insurance companies don't require work permits. Life insurance companies do because of the life insurance.

[JAS21]

I am in the process of getting health insurance.

I went along for the medical, and gave them all my medical notes from UK.

I am on medication for High Blood Pressure, so no cover for that, fine.

They said i am a little overweight, fine.

They will not give me cover because my notes say that i have had a heart condition since i was a child, not true.

Nor will they give me cover, because i have lived in Thailand less than six months.

I can argue about the Heart Condition, but is living in Thailand less than six months, reason to refuse cover?

Are all companies the same, in this respect?

BTW They said "Come back in October, and we will give you cover"

Also, while i'm here, can anyone recommend a good company.

It sounds like you tried to buy health insurance from a life insurance company. If you had gone to a real health insurance company like AXA, BUPA, LMG, MSIG, NZI, PIH or THI, all good companies, you wouldn't have had that problem. If you are 60 or older, though, LMG will require a physical. The is no six month waiting period and health insurance companies don't require work permits. Life insurance companies do because of the life insurance.

I dont know where you are from but my wife and I use PPP International Health plan...we organised it before we left the UK

[Huw]

BUPA Thailand another source of health insurance.

Indeed so. best of the bunch when I did the sums on about 6 insurers last year, then again this year.

H

[tonydabbs]

BUPA Thailand another source of health insurance.

Indeed so. best of the bunch when I did the sums on about 6 insurers last year, then again this year.

H

Hi H, It sounds like you have a very close relationship with someone who is BUPA agent. "Best of the bunch?" If you compared them with health plans sold through life insurance companies, you may be right. But among health insurance companies there really is no "best of the bunch" that fits all insurance buyer's needs and pocket books. It depends on the kind of coverage you are looking for and the amount of money you are willing to pay.

As a rule, I find that THI Wealth Healthy and AXA Executive Plus offer a better value than BUPA Personal in tems of price and coverage, but not always and not for all needs. BUPA Platinum, though, can be "best of the bunch" for many insurance buyers who can afford the premium. Again...it is just a matter of what you are looking for in coverage, and what you are willing to pay

[Huw]

BUPA Thailand another source of health insurance.

Indeed so. best of the bunch when I did the sums on about 6 insurers last year, then again this year.

H

Hi H, It sounds like you have a very close relationship with someone who is BUPA agent.

Not at all. Perhaps you mean you cannot understand why I bought BUPA instead of one of the policies you wanted me to buy from you?

I made the decision only on the basis of the numbers, after rejecting a proposal from a close family friend and a number of plans proposed by yourself. Also I did not deal through an agent like yourself, I dealt directly with BUPA and was very happy with the information and the service I received. Remember that this is Thailand and it matters not if you have a cheap plan. What matters is whether or not you get good service or Thai service.

"Best of the bunch?" If you compared them with health plans sold through life insurance companies, you may be right. But among health insurance companies there really is no "best of the bunch" that fits all insurance buyer's needs and pocket books. It depends on the kind of coverage you are looking for and the amount of money you are willing to pay.

The decision was based on the numbers and the reputation of the company as perceived by me. By 'Best of the Bunch' I meant 'Best of the Bunch' - for me. I am uninterested in what might be the 'Best of the Bunch' for anyone else. So far as I was concerned BUPA was best for me otherwise I would not have taken the policy. I actually bought the policy last year and reviewed that decision carefully this year. For me, there certainly was a 'Best of the Bunch' and BUPA was it.

As a rule, I find that THI Wealth Healthy and AXA Executive Plus offer a better value than BUPA Personal in tems of price and coverage, but not always and not for all needs. BUPA Platinum, though, can be "best of the bunch" for many insurance buyers who can afford the premium. Again...it is just a matter of what you are looking for in coverage, and what you are willing to pay

I have BUPA Platinum and no close relationships with anyone at or connected with BUPA. I am very happy with them. I will review the policy again next year and my decision will again be based on numbers and service. And I doubt I will have a 'very close relationship' with a BUPA agent then either.

H

[tonydabbs]

BUPA Thailand another source of health insurance.

Indeed so. best of the bunch when I did the sums on about 6 insurers last year, then again this year.

H

Hi H, It sounds like you have a very close relationship with someone who is BUPA agent.

Not at all. Perhaps you mean you cannot understand why I bought BUPA instead of one of the policies you wanted me to buy from you?

I made the decision only on the basis of the numbers, after rejecting a proposal from a close family friend and a number of plans proposed by yourself. Also I did not deal through an agent like yourself, I dealt directly with BUPA and was very happy with the information and the service I received. Remember that this is Thailand and it matters not if you have a cheap plan. What matters is whether or not you get good service or Thai service.

"Best of the bunch?" If you compared them with health plans sold through life insurance companies, you may be right. But among health insurance companies there really is no "best of the bunch" that fits all insurance buyer's needs and pocket books. It depends on the kind of coverage you are looking for and the amount of money you are willing to pay.

The decision was based on the numbers and the reputation of the company as perceived by me. By 'Best of the Bunch' I meant 'Best of the Bunch' - for me. I am uninterested in what might be the 'Best of the Bunch' for anyone else. So far as I was concerned BUPA was best for me otherwise I would not have taken the policy. I actually bought the policy last year and reviewed that decision carefully this year. For me, there certainly was a 'Best of the Bunch' and BUPA was it.

As a rule, I find that THI Wealth Healthy and AXA Executive Plus offer a better value than BUPA Personal in tems of price and coverage, but not always and not for all needs. BUPA Platinum, though, can be "best of the bunch" for many insurance buyers who can afford the premium. Again...it is just a matter of what you are looking for in coverage, and what you are willing to pay

I have BUPA Platinum and no close relationships with anyone at or connected with BUPA. I am very happy with them. I will review the policy again next year and my decision will again be based on numbers and service. And I doubt I will have a 'very close relationship' with a BUPA agent then either.

H

H, as I said earlier, BUPA Platinum is very good coverage. You were right to choose it. In fact, it was one of the choices I must have offered you. We don't push any particular plan. We present plan comparison spreadsheets to prospective buyers (expats), showing all of the (non-life) plans available in Thailand and the cost of each plan for the buyer's age. They choose the plan or plans that best fit their budget and then we answer any questions they have about the plans they selected. It's as simple as that. It costs exactly the same to deal through us as it costs to deal directly with the insurance company. The type of service we provide isn't for everyone, though. Obviously, our service wasn't for you. But, again, I agree with your choice of coverage. I've tried to be careful about using this forum to promote our service. I just drop in from time to time to answer serious concerns and debunk any myths I see brewing. That is why I focused in on your statement. Now, I feel that it's best that I back away for awhile.

[lotus eater]

But, if you are under 75 you are not too old for health insurance in Thailand.

It sounds like you tried to buy health insurance from a life insurance company. If you had gone to a real health insurance company like AXA, BUPA, LMG, MSIG, NZI, PIH or THI, all good companies, you wouldn't have had that problem. If you are 60 or older, though, LMG will require a physical. The is no six month waiting period and health insurance companies don't require work permits. Life insurance companies do because of the life insurance.

I am surprized to be reading this. I had previously read umpteen statements in forums and po'd just decided to chance it. So there is hope for me?

[coldcrush]

For those interested your Bupa insurance if working for a company covers you and your family overseas depending on the level you have....mine does anyways, something to look in to.

[lotus eater]

Don't know what happened to the text of my previous post. I was asking if health insurance for someone over 60 can really still be obtained at less than ridicu;lous prices, or at all. Will check Khun Wana, who has been recommended as a good broker

[Theo007]

For difficult health insurances (and every other type of insurance ) try AA Insurance Brokers down in Pattaya - very helpfull - ask for Wanna or Neng both speak English 038 415 795

Yes, agree, I too use AA for health insurance, good to jopin the Pattaya Expats' Club and join the group insurance via AA.

[barryofthailand]

I also have Bupa. We pay 41,800 Baht a year for family of three. I will be 63 this year and Bupa will cover me for life, where the other Thai companies will cover to age 65. The way it works out with the coverage we have Bupa pays about 80% and the remainder is a 30% discount by the hospital and we pay the balance. for instance our son had Dengue fever. He was in BHP for five days. the bill came to 50,000 Baht. Bupa paid 35,000 Baht we paid 9600 Baht and the remainder was discounted. Very good value for ur family.

Barry

[lotus eater]

For difficult health insurances (and every other type of insurance ) try AA Insurance Brokers down in Pattaya - very helpfull - ask for Wanna or Neng both speak English 038 415 795

Yes, agree, I too use AA for health insurance, good to jopin the Pattaya Expats' Club and join the group insurance via AA.

Don't understand. Is doing it by joining the Patt Expat Club scheme iwhich s arranged through AA an alternative scheme to one I would get by simply approaching AA direct? If so which is the better route to get the better insurance/deal for someone who's 63 and presently without insurance - though in good health (touch wood).

[wineman]

For difficult health insurances (and every other type of insurance ) try AA Insurance Brokers down in Pattaya - very helpfull - ask for Wanna or Neng both speak English 038 415 795

Yes, agree, I too use AA for health insurance, good to jopin the Pattaya Expats' Club and join the group insurance via AA.

Don't understand. Is doing it by joining the Patt Expat Club scheme iwhich s arranged through AA an alternative scheme to one I would get by simply approaching AA direct? If so which is the better route to get the better insurance/deal for someone who's 63 and presently without insurance - though in good health (touch wood).

Pattaya Expats Club members get a special deal from AA. If you're in Pattaya I suggest you go to the next club meeting, it's always at the Grand Sole Hotel every Sunday and starts at 11.30a.m. Best to get there about 30 minutes before, it'll cost you 100Bt entrance fee which includes breakfast.

[Gary A]

I originally bought mine from a broker. At that time he recommended LMG Pacific or BUPA. He said they were both good companies but that LMG Pacific was more coverage for the same money. Neither cover pre existing conditions. I went with the LMG Pacific. I had appendicitis and the bill was about 49,000 baht. LMG paid all except 15 baht. I am now 62 years old and my premium for 1,250,000 baht per admission is about 22,000 baht per year.

[lotus eater]

I originally bought mine from a broker. At that time he recommended LMG Pacific or BUPA. He said they were both good companies but that LMG Pacific was more coverage for the same money. Neither cover pre existing conditions. I went with the LMG Pacific. I had appendicitis and the bill was about 49,000 baht. LMG paid all except 15 baht. I am now 62 years old and my premium for 1,250,000 baht per admission is about 22,000 baht per year.

Was your broker in Thailnd - who? At what age did you start your insurance with them?

Would you, or anyone else, reckon that I as someone over 60 could do better than join the group insurance through the Patt expats club as recommended above?

I'd be content to have just the big emergency costs covered and look aafter the other things myself. Right now I'm entirely uncovered and becoming worried about that - though all is ok so far with my health.

[Gary A]

I originally bought mine from a broker. At that time he recommended LMG Pacific or BUPA. He said they were both good companies but that LMG Pacific was more coverage for the same money. Neither cover pre existing conditions. I went with the LMG Pacific. I had appendicitis and the bill was about 49,000 baht. LMG paid all except 15 baht. I am now 62 years old and my premium for 1,250,000 baht per admission is about 22,000 baht per year.

Was your broker in Thailnd - who? At what age did you start your insurance with them?

Would you, or anyone else, reckon that I as someone over 60 could do better than join the group insurance through the Patt expats club as recommended above?

I'd be content to have just the big emergency costs covered and look aafter the other things myself. Right now I'm entirely uncovered and becoming worried about that - though all is ok so far with my health.

I started at age 59 and used PCD International in Pattaya. They have a web page. LMG has offices all over Thailand and I now use an agent in Loei because of convenience.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I originally bought mine from a broker. At that time he recommended LMG Pacific or BUPA. He said they were both good companies but that LMG Pacific was more coverage for the same money. Neither cover pre existing conditions. I went with the LMG Pacific. I had appendicitis and the bill was about 49,000 baht. LMG paid all except 15 baht. I am now 62 years old and my premium for 1,250,000 baht per admission is about 22,000 baht per year.

Was your broker in Thailnd - who? At what age did you start your insurance with them?

Would you, or anyone else, reckon that I as someone over 60 could do better than join the group insurance through the Patt expats club as recommended above?

I'd be content to have just the big emergency costs covered and look aafter the other things myself. Right now I'm entirely uncovered and becoming worried about that - though all is ok so far with my health.

I have two friends here who deal with Exeter out of the UK.  One of them, an American, is 72, got this insurance after he turned 65.  The other guy, a Canadian, is about 70 and has had it for about 10 years.

One apparently good thing with Exeter is that they seem to cover pre-existing conditions AFTER two years of being signed up with them and no reoccurance.

http://www.exeterfriendly.co.uk/interplan_worldwide.htm#3

Mac

[zzSleepyJohn]

I have two friends here who deal with Exeter out of the UK. One of them, an American, is 72, got this insurance after he turned 65. The other guy, a Canadian, is about 70 and has had it for about 10 years.

One apparently good thing with Exeter is that they seem to cover pre-existing conditions AFTER two years of being signed up with them and no reoccurance.

http://www.exeterfriendly.co.uk/interplan_worldwide.htm#3

Mac

Yes, Exeter do seem to offer one of the best deals if you are over 60 and looking for long-term international cover, but don't forget that their premiums will necessarily reflect the cost of hospital treament in their home country (UK) with a element of the costs in other countries thrown in.

Alternatively if you're expecting to be in Thailand long term and any hospital treatment you need is likely to be in Thailand, where costs are a lot less, then consider using a Thai based insurance.

Of course it's possible you could end up with a serious problem requiring (or you thought you needed) treatment overseas, in which case Thai based insurance would be unlikely to cover it. On the other hand, you could live to be 100 and never need hospital. It's all a bit of a gamble.

Whilst better specialist skills are available in overseas hospitals, overall care can be a lot better in Thai hospitals, so it's a case of 6 of one an half-a-dozen of the other.

But what is no gamble is the fact that medical insurance is commercial business with quite expensive overheads, and statistically they will make money out of their customers.

If you were to put aside and invest as savings the equivalent of medical insurance insurance premiums over a period of several years, then the chances are that those savings would more than cover your hospital costs. But that's not guaranteed. It's still a gamble!

In our case my wife and I compromise and hedge our bets with a modest local cover from Thai Life. They've just recently signed me up for extended cover from age 65 to 70. I know they wouldn't fly us to America for treatment even in a life and death situation, but I also know I'm not a multi-billionaire able to afford the premiums for that sort of cover. Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice!

+ SJ

[lotus eater]

...

Alternatively if you're expecting to be in Thailand long term and any hospital treatment you need is likely to be in Thailand, where costs are a lot less, then consider using a Thai based insurance.

...

But what is no gamble is the fact that medical insurance is commercial business with quite expensive overheads, and statistically they will make money out of their customers.

If you were to put aside and invest as savings the equivalent of medical insurance insurance premiums over a period of several years, then the chances are that those savings would more than cover your hospital costs. But that's not guaranteed. It's still a gamble!

In our case my wife and I compromise and hedge our bets with a modest local cover from Thai Life. They've just recently signed me up for extended cover from age 65 to 70. I know they wouldn't fly us to America for treatment even in a life and death situation, but I also know I'm not a multi-billionaire able to afford the premiums for that sort of cover. Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice!

+ SJ

I'm not a zillionaire either.

If I went the self-insurance route, what do you think would be a sensible amount to put aside keeping in mind the sort of premiums I would have paid to a commercial insurance, and the fact I'm over 60 - though in good health. I'd probably go on putting aside the amount indefinitely, but for curiosity what sort of lump sum - if I did reach it - would be a safe enough level at which to stop?

Given, as you said yourself, that all this is a gamble and there are no guarantees.

[tonydabbs]

I originally bought mine from a broker. At that time he recommended LMG Pacific or BUPA. He said they were both good companies but that LMG Pacific was more coverage for the same money. Neither cover pre existing conditions. I went with the LMG Pacific. I had appendicitis and the bill was about 49,000 baht. LMG paid all except 15 baht. I am now 62 years old and my premium for 1,250,000 baht per admission is about 22,000 baht per year.

Was your broker in Thailnd - who? At what age did you start your insurance with them?

Would you, or anyone else, reckon that I as someone over 60 could do better than join the group insurance through the Patt expats club as recommended above?

I'd be content to have just the big emergency costs covered and look aafter the other things myself. Right now I'm entirely uncovered and becoming worried about that - though all is ok so far with my health.

I have two friends here who deal with Exeter out of the UK. One of them, an American, is 72, got this insurance after he turned 65. The other guy, a Canadian, is about 70 and has had it for about 10 years.

One apparently good thing with Exeter is that they seem to cover pre-existing conditions AFTER two years of being signed up with them and no reoccurance.

http://www.exeterfriendly.co.uk/interplan_worldwide.htm#3

Mac

Mac, all health insurance companies, Thai or international, cover pre-existing conditions after 2 years, if they don't get found before then. As a rule, health insurance companies have up to two years to discover any pre-existing medical conditions that you already had at the time of application, but neglected tell them about or didn't know you had. After that, they have to cover everything that they haven't already excluded.

But, if it was excluded before the 2 years were up, it will continue to excluded after 2 years. Some pre-existing conditions, though, can be healed and will be considered cured with time. For example, cancer. Once the doctor certifies that the cancer has been totally removed, there is about a 5 to 7 year cancer free waiting period, then treatment for cancer is no longer excluded. There is no cure yet for Diabetes and Hypertenshion so they will always continue to excluded - but starting with the third year into the coverage, treatment will not be excluded if it hasn't already been excluded.

[tonydabbs]

I originally bought mine from a broker. At that time he recommended LMG Pacific or BUPA. He said they were both good companies but that LMG Pacific was more coverage for the same money. Neither cover pre existing conditions. I went with the LMG Pacific. I had appendicitis and the bill was about 49,000 baht. LMG paid all except 15 baht. I am now 62 years old and my premium for 1,250,000 baht per admission is about 22,000 baht per year.

Was your broker in Thailnd - who? At what age did you start your insurance with them?

Would you, or anyone else, reckon that I as someone over 60 could do better than join the group insurance through the Patt expats club as recommended above?

I'd be content to have just the big emergency costs covered and look aafter the other things myself. Right now I'm entirely uncovered and becoming worried about that - though all is ok so far with my health.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that you can't join the expat club group scheme if you are in your 60s. Also, age 60 is the last year to get lifetime renewal through BUPA. After that, your best Thai based options are LMG, NZI InterGlobal and PIH-Generali.

[canopus1969]

For difficult health insurances (and every other type of insurance ) try AA Insurance Brokers down in Pattaya - very helpfull - ask for Wanna or Neng both speak English 038 415 795

Yes, agree, I too use AA for health insurance, good to jopin the Pattaya Expats' Club and join the group insurance via AA.

Don't understand. Is doing it by joining the Patt Expat Club scheme iwhich s arranged through AA an alternative scheme to one I would get by simply approaching AA direct? If so which is the better route to get the better insurance/deal for someone who's 63 and presently without insurance - though in good health (touch wood).

Pattaya Expats Club members get a special deal from AA. If you're in Pattaya I suggest you go to the next club meeting, it's always at the Grand Sole Hotel every Sunday and starts at 11.30a.m. Best to get there about 30 minutes before, it'll cost you 100Bt entrance fee which includes breakfast.

I agree - very good deal/price, cannot find one cheaper and Wanna very helpfull

[lotus eater]

For difficult health insurances (and every other type of insurance ) try AA Insurance Brokers down in Pattaya - very helpfull - ask for Wanna or Neng both speak English 038 415 795

Yes, agree, I too use AA for health insurance, good to jopin the Pattaya Expats' Club and join the group insurance via AA.

Don't understand. Is doing it by joining the Patt Expat Club scheme iwhich s arranged through AA an alternative scheme to one I would get by simply approaching AA direct? If so which is the better route to get the better insurance/deal for someone who's 63 and presently without insurance - though in good health (touch wood).

Pattaya Expats Club members get a special deal from AA. If you're in Pattaya I suggest you go to the next club meeting, it's always at the Grand Sole Hotel every Sunday and starts at 11.30a.m. Best to get there about 30 minutes before, it'll cost you 100Bt entrance fee which includes breakfast.

I agree - very good deal/price, cannot find one cheaper and Wanna very helpfull

I don't want to be difficult, but if it's a case of the expats club having got a special deal from AA Ins then presumably I'll get the same insurance from the club at a cheaper price than if I went to AA (Wana). Or maybe if I go to Wana first she will be honest enough to tell me to do it through the club if whe hasn't got something to better suit me.