Recommendations for Health Insurance permanent stay in Thailand

[Sparkling]

Best wishes for a nice day,

 

my wife (Thai) and me (German) will move to Thailand this year. We like to have health insurance.

 

My wife of course is eglible to what they call the 30 Baht sheme, but not me (or am I?)

This seems to be rather basic, even for her.

 

If any of you may recommend a way to get a health insurance, company, experience will be appreciated.

 

We also consider a coverage by the SSO and may top it up with a bit of private insurance.

But i have red on the net the SSO only comes into consideration, if you work for a thai company (of course with a work permit),

or if you have been in and paid for at least 12 months.

Is it mandatory to start that with a job or are there other legal options to use the SSO?

 

Feel free to ask for more information.

kind regards

[flyingtlger]

Liberty Mutual Group

[Sparkling]

Thank You flyingtiger. I will check

[BKKKevin]

I have a $100k/2500 Deductible policy from Atlas Travel…

https://quote.worldtrips.com/AtlasTravel/Home

[msbkk]

28 minutes ago, BKKKevin said:

I have a $100k/2500 Deductible policy from Atlas Travel…

https://quote.worldtrips.com/AtlasTravel/Home

This is a travel insurance, not a comprehensive health insurance and therefore not suitable for a permanent stay the OP has asked for. Travel insurance is for short term emergencies during a holiday. 

[Sheryl]

You cannot get SS. It is only available to people employed in the Thai private sector (and retired persons formerly employed).

 

It is also nto that much different from the "30 baht" scheme which your wife will have, but which you cannot get.

 

I would hardly call the "30 baht" scheme "rather basic". It is quote comprehensive. The main limitation is that she has to use only the government hospital which covers the area where she lives, or a higher level facility that it refers her to. It therefore makes sense to choose where you live very carefully.  Try to be in the catchment area of  at least a regional level government hospital.

 

For you -- how old are you? Do you have any pre-existing conditions?

 

 

[Sparkling]

flyingtiger I could not find health insurance on the LMG website.

 

BKKKevin i got a travelinsurance before (very well), but not for permanent stay.

 

Thank you Sheryl: There is no choice where to live, but we are fine with Buriram - closest hospital 13km just renovated, anaother one the foreigners recommend 25 km, big ones 60 km in Buriram town. My wife does not really know yet, what the 30 Baht sheme includes, so maybe it is better then she thinks.

 

I will be 60 when we arrive, preconditions are removed thyrox (everything cool, just need the hormones (around 15 - 19 € for 100 and even cheaper online) - can cover that, if necessary and a slightly up blood pressure (can also cover the pills, if necessary). In rather good health in total, despite some doctors focus on risks, which i don't.

[Sheryl]

11 hours ago, Sparkling said:

flyingtiger I could not find health insurance on the LMG website.

 

 

 

Thank you Sheryl: There is no choice where to live, but we are fine with Buriram - closest hospital 13km just renovated, anaother one the foreigners recommend 25 km, big ones 60 km in Buriram town. My wife does not really know yet, what the 30 Baht sheme includes, so maybe it is better then she thinks.

 

I will be 60 when we arrive, preconditions are removed thyrox (everything cool, just need the hormones (around 15 - 19 € for 100 and even cheaper online) - can cover that, if necessary and a slightly up blood pressure (can also cover the pills, if necessary). In rather good health in total, despite some doctors focus on risks, which i don't.

Renovation of the hospital building is not important. It is the level of the hospital that is important. If you will be 60 km from the town then this will be a small community hospital so capacities limited, few if any specialists, doctors very junior/new graduates.  Fine for routine things but for anything at all complex or specialized she will have to be referred on to Buriram Hospital.  How readily that happens varies with the hospital. With some it is just a small formality, with others it is difficult to get them to refer.

 

From the standpoint of an insurer (who look at statistical risk) your pre-existing hypertension, even if well-controlled, will be an issue as will the fact of prior thyroid cancer (increases risk of other cancers, statistically speaking). Some will refuse cover altogether. Between that and your age, it may take some doing to find an insurer willing to cover you. Definitely unlikely any Thai company would, but Thai insurers are best avoided in any case and their rates become absurdly higher at older ages. You want to find an internationally based expatriate policy.

 

I suggest you start as follows:

https://www.aoc-insurancebroker.com/  

 

https://www.cignaglobal.com/quote/pages/quote/PersonalInformationLiteV5.html

 

https://app.william-russell.com/health-quote/about-you/

 

https://application.globality-health.com/?locale=en#!/

 

https://morgan-price.com/individual/

(choose the Evolution Health Plan Asia Pacific option)

 

https://expat.acs-ami.com/en/form-step-2

 

The first one listed is a biorker so will likely provide you with a a number of possible policy options. The others are actual insurance companies.  So there may be some overlap in the info you get.

 

With Cigna and Globality you will see the quote online and can then play around with it by adjusting the excess and copay options. At age 60 onward it is usually best to accept at least a modest excess. I am not sure with the others if you will see quote online or only get it by email. Note that any quotes you get are just illustrative and do not mean the insurer would cover you as that would come out only when/if you apply, which is the point at which health history is obtained and any issues related to same will arise.

 

Also be aware that putting in your actual phone number on these sites may lead to being inundated with phone calls from agents. Definitely will in the case of Cigna, I have no experience with the others. (And what the sales agents tell you is often unreliable).  If the web pages  do not let you leave phone number  blank then maybe put in just a series of 9's as the number. If you want to talk with them, you call them but bets to avoid letting them have your number unless you are prepared to be under siege from agents working in commission (might not be true of all but definitely the case with some).

 

You should select only hospitalization cover, including outpatient will virtually double premium costs and outpatient  visits in Thailand are inexpensive. But make sure the in-patient cover includes day surgeries and outpatient cancer care and dialysis (most do) as these  obviously are more costly.

 

If you are able to get a policy it will certainly exclude anything related to thyroid cancer but that is probably not important since you have had the surgery already. For the medication it is extremely cheap in Thailand and easily bought at a pharmacy with no prescription (ditto most blood pressure medications-- in fact most medications, period).

 

There may also be some insurers based in Germany who provide expatriate policies for Germans living abroad. I have no way of identifying these but suggest you ask around. There may for example be options whereby you maintain your health insurance in Germany and pay something additional to cover you in Thailand. Maybe call your current insurance provider and ask them.

 

As you are planning to settle in Thailand permanently, make sure any policy you get guarantees lifetime renewal. And ask for a chart showing current rates at various ages to get some idea of how high future premiums will be.

 

When you get to the point of actually buying a policy it is definitely best to go through a broker as they can help with any claims issues later but no harm in doing some initial research on your own first.

 

[Sparkling]

Sheryl, thank you so much for your effort.

 

The 60 km far hospital is the Buriram hospital. The small ones are closer. There was no cancer.

I will check the links. There are some insurers, i wouldn't know of. I checked Cigna,  As they advertise so much, already and am not especially convinced.

 

Actually, as i find also in your info, lots of services are not expensive, the insurance is mostly for accidents, unexpected issues and common stuff for the time we get older, like yearly checks to prevent further conditions.

 

(trying to still sound confident: i will never trust in an only spoken "info" of a agent without binding form)

 

the german companies seem to offer only travel insurances or if you call it expatriate insurance they still ask for residence in germany. otherwise it gets really expensive yet it covers the whole world which is no benefit to me.

My current insurer for germany does not cover thailand at all, despite it would be cheaper...

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Sparkling said:

Sheryl, thank you so much for your effort.

 

The 60 km far hospital is the Buriram hospital. The small ones are closer. There was no cancer.

I will check the links. There are some insurers, i wouldn't know of. I checked Cigna,  As they advertise so much, already and am not especially convinced.

 

Actually, as i find also in your info, lots of services are not expensive, the insurance is mostly for accidents, unexpected issues and common stuff for the time we get older, like yearly checks to prevent further conditions.

 

Annual check ups are not that expensive (and would not be covered by most insurance policies anyhow).

 

What you need insurance for, is serious accidents and major illnesses (heart attack, cancer, stroke, kidney failure etc). These can easily run into millions of baht. 

 

Most policies offer options whereby you accept an excess (deductible) in exchange for a lower premium.  They also usually offer about 10% saving if you pay premium annually rather than monthly. 

[Sparkling]

Actually i thought, the insurance wants annual check ups for they will know about the condition, but won't mind covering them by myself.

You are right about the need for serious accidents and major illnesses (heart attack, cancer, stroke, kidney failure etc).

And yes the discount for annually payment is good.

I just have to sort the offers.

regards to Sheryl

[brobro2424]

On 1/22/2024 at 11:09 AM, Sheryl said:

 

When you get to the point of actually buying a policy it is definitely best to go through a broker as they can help with any claims issues later but no harm in doing some initial research on your own first.

 

 

 

Excellent post, many thanks

 

Can you advise a good broker for cigna?

[bbi1]

On 1/21/2024 at 12:51 AM, msbkk said:

This is a travel insurance, not a comprehensive health insurance and therefore not suitable for a permanent stay the OP has asked for. Travel insurance is for short term emergencies during a holiday. 

What exactly is your classification of "short term"? Travel Insurance is suitable for any stays under 12 months.

[msbkk]

3 hours ago, bbi1 said:

What exactly is your classification of "short term"? Travel Insurance is suitable for any stays under 12 months.

Travel insurances will usually  pay for emergency treatments only and until you are able to return home to your home country.  There have been cases of travel insurers telling customers to return to their home country after initial life saving procedures have been paid to continue further treatment at home. And these further treatments are not covered. Also chronic deseases which requiere longer term treatment are not covered, e.g. cancer, rehabilitation...

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, msbkk said:

Travel insurances will usually  pay for emergency treatments only and until you are able to return home to your home country.  There have been cases of travel insurers telling customers to return to their home country after initial life saving procedures have been paid to continue further treatment at home. And these further treatments are not covered. Also chronic deseases which requiere longer term treatment are not covered, e.g. cancer, rehabilitation...

Exactly.

 

In fact, it is always at the discretion of the company whether to pay for treatment in Thailand or just facilitate a return home. Obviously the urgency of the situation and fitness to fly play a part in that decision. But definitely, one must be prepared to have to return home for treatment/follow up treatment if using a travel policy. And nothing non-urgent will be covered.

 

In addition, a travel policy may be invalidated if the company learns the person was in fact permanently resident in Thailand. And many require that the insured person have health cover in their home country.

[bbi1]

30 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Exactly.

 

In fact, it is always at the discretion of the company whether to pay for treatment in Thailand or just facilitate a return home. Obviously the urgency of the situation and fitness to fly play a part in that decision. But definitely, one must be prepared to have to return home for treatment/follow up treatment if using a travel policy. And nothing non-urgent will be covered.

 

In addition, a travel policy may be invalidated if the company learns the person was in fact permanently resident in Thailand. And many require that the insured person have health cover in their home country.

What if someone's planning to stay in Thailand for more than half a year? What type of insurance policy should they get if not a travel insurance policy? Surprised to hear this as a well-known broker of this forum recommends travel insurance policies for anything under a year's stay, in this case a WorldTrips.com policy.

[Sheryl]

32 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

What if someone's planning to stay in Thailand for more than half a year? What type of insurance policy should they get if not a travel insurance policy? Surprised to hear this as a well-known broker of this forum recommends travel insurance policies for anything under a year's stay, in this case a WorldTrips.com policy.

 

The issue is not so much length of stay (assuming less than a year) as it is: do you have ready access to free or affordable health care in your home country, and would you be willing & able to fly back unexpectedly for care? If so then travel policy is fine. If not -- it isn't.

[bbi1]

27 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

The issue is not so much length of stay (assuming less than a year) as it is: do you have ready access to free or affordable health care in your home country, and would you be willing & able to fly back unexpectedly for care? If so then travel policy is fine. If not -- it isn't.

I do have free healthcare under Medicare in Australia. If it was something very serious, then I would be willing to fly back, however, if it's not, I'd be looking at staying in Thailand for the full duration of the planned trip.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, bbi1 said:

I do have free healthcare under Medicare in Australia. If it was something very serious, then I would be willing to fly back, however, if it's not, I'd be looking at staying in Thailand for the full duration of the planned trip.

Presumably if it is not serious, it could wait until after your trip anyway.

 

The point of travel insurance is to assure immediate availability of emergency care.