Is Accident Insurance a Requirement in Thailand

[CharlieH]

 

When visiting Thailand, is it a requirement that you purchase some insurance? It’s a complicated question and very much depends on your travel plans. If you are concerned, do visitors need vehicle insurance while in Thailand? The short answer is no. This is because if you plan to rent a car, car rental companies are required by law to ensure that rental vehicles have car insurance coverage. However, that is not to say that you shouldn’t look for additional insurance coverage to protect you, especially if you intend to live, work, study, or enjoy a long holiday in Thailand. Sure, your travel insurance will cover you if you plan on staying for a month or less, but if you are planning to stay for three months or more and have a Thailand resident address, the travel insurance policies can get quite expensive If you were to get hurt while long term holidaying in Thailand, you would want to be sure that you have some kind of accident insurance to cover any medical treatment while visiting a local hospital. This is especially true if you plan to engage in any extreme sports or activities that would increase your chances of getting an injury.

Why should you seek out additional personal accident insurance coverage in Thailand?

While you may feel comfortable enough with the standard auto insurance that comes with a typical car rental in Thailand, it is always worth considering additional protection that will protect you personally from any unexpected medical costs especially if you plan on riding a motorcycle. Here’s why:

You’re traveling to unfamiliar places: You can be the most experienced traveler in the world and feel like you’ve gotten to know the roads after being here for a month. That doesn’t change the fact that you’re still in an unfamiliar location — no matter how strong or skilled — the rules and norms are different from your home country or what’s in the guidebooks. As such, it is not uncommon for people to get a personal injury while on a long holiday and require a visit to the local hospital.

You are riding on unfamiliar roads

Another important consideration when planning to stay in Thailand, is whether you plan to rent a motorcycle or motorbike? Unlike renting a car that automatically comes equipped with auto insurance, when you rent a motorbike in Thailand, in some cases, your motorbike will not have an insurance policy. There are many reasons as to why this is and the intricacies of the legalities are a whole different subject. While it may not be possible for foreigners to purchase motorcycle insurance because they aren’t the owners of the vehicle, it is possible to buy accident insurance according to the conditions of each insurance company at a low cost, which can cover you for a whole year and save you significantly more than getting long term travel insurance. Here’s why it’s a good idea: you will be riding in a foreign country and doing so on unfamiliar roads with different driving customs. Sure, Google Maps or SatNav will certainly help you find your way around, but that doesn’t change the fact that you will be unfamiliar with your surroundings. As such, it is important that you are completely covered for every eventuality, including potential road accidents. Having adequate insurance coverage is essential to protect yourself in case of unforeseen circumstances on the road.

Thai roads aren’t the safest in the world

This isn’t to put fear in you and put you off driving or crossing the street in Thailand. The roads are safe enough provided that you pay attention to your surroundings and don’t run through traffic after a night out. However, you may come across your fair share of roads that have fallen into disrepair or a large number of motorbikes on the roads that seem to follow their own legal system. So much so that even the sidewalks could be used by motorbikes when traffic congestion hits peak time. Whether you’re a driver, a pedestrian or even just a passenger on a motorbike taxi, your chances of getting a personal injury are higher on Thai roads than the roads back home.

The annual road accidents in Thailand are comparatively high

 In 2020 and 2021, there were approximately 97,000 minor injuries caused by road accidents in Thailand; with a further 32,000 accidents that resulted in moderate injury as claimed by the Thai Transport Ministry. This is compared to 27,450 in 2020 as reported by the UK government. As such, it is important to be completely covered in the event of a road accident whether in a rented vehicle or a passenger on a motorcycle taxi.

Things to do and activities in Thailand

No doubt that while you are in Thailand, you will not sit in a hotel the entire time and will want to go out and partake in some additional activities that are less commonly found in your home country. While it may depend on your interest, certain activities may increase your risk of personal accidents. A significant number of foreigners decide to have a long term stay in  Thailand for the pristine blue waters and white sand beaches and many choose to go kayaking or renting jet skis. While kayaking could be a relatively safe pass time, if you fall off in shallow water, chances are high that you would step on a sea urchin or sharp coral. That is not an injury you would want to leave untreated because you didn’t want to spare a bit of cash on an insurance policy. Additionally, many other activities in Thailand may not appear as ‘extreme’ but are still considered as ‘extreme sports’ because they increase your level of risk for a personal accident. Some higher risk activities for foreigners in Thailand would include jet skiing, rock climbing at Railey beach, ziplining around the hills of Chiang Mai, water rafting the River Kwai, hiking around Doi Inthanon or even riding a bicycle around Bang Krachao in Bangkok. If you plan to stay busy while on holiday, definitely consider topping up your coverage with some basic PA insurance.

Travel safely!

Whether you are a long term holiday stayer wanting to bump up your protection, or you are an expat living in Thailand and looking for comprehensive insurance coverage on a new vehicle, Roojai is always there when you need us.

Don’t waste your time sifting through different comparison websites; Find out why locals choose Roojai and save up to 30% on their insurance premiums. Check your quote with Roojai.com and allow us to cut through all of the nonsense and get straight to protecting you and yours!

 

Definitions:

SatNav	navigation system that is based on satellite data
Extreme sports	sporting events or activities that have common characteristics of high speed and high-risk
Personal injury	a form of injury affecting a person’s body as defined in the personal accident insurance policy

 

Author by

Roman S Rybiy

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[expat_4_life]

On 10/4/2024 at 12:30 PM, CharlieH said:

When visiting Thailand, is it a requirement that you purchase some insurance? It’s a complicated question and very much depends on your travel plans.

The travel insurance question is not complicated.  You're basically uninsured if you visit Thailand as a tourist.  Yes, you may have some sort of travel or other insurance but be prepared to pay "out of pocket" until you can be reimbursed later (or not) by whatever insurance you may have.  This holds true whenever or wherever you travel.

[Burma Bill]

Is Accident Insurance a Requirement in Thailand?

 

No, but advisable. Travel Insurance - yes IMO. 

 

I could never get Travel/Medical/Life Insurance being an insulin dependent Type 2 Diabetic.

However I did qualify for Accident Insurance. For several years during my retirement in Lanna and Isaan,  Bangkok Bank covered me. It had a range of variously priced policies to select from. Fortunately I only had to claim once after an accident in my hotel bathroom - no bath mat provided whilst taking a shower standing in the bath. The hotel admitted liability but paid nothing towards my hospital expenses (only a basket of fruit).  After 2 weeks in hospital, Bangkok Bank paid just over half of my hospital bill - 30,000 baht whilst I paid 25,000 baht. This was a private hospital but not a rip-off RAM or Bangkok Hospital.

 

 

 

[Andycoops]

If you don't and have a accident, I hope you have very deep pockets to find your hospital treatment.

 

I for one won't be contributing to your crowd funding because of your negligence.

[Callmeishmael]

Don't most accident insurance policies have conditions that invalidate coverage?  Like riding a motorcycle without a proper license?

[john donson]

better be safe then sorry...  no bike rides, no crazy wild 'parks' with no insurance...

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, Andycoops said:

If you don't and have a accident, I hope you have very deep pockets to find your hospital treatment.

 

I for one won't be contributing to your crowd funding because of your negligence.

As soon as the hospital see a white face, the cost for treatment etc, goes right up, and not just in private hospitals.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

Don't most accident insurance policies have conditions that invalidate coverage?  Like riding a motorcycle without a proper license?

They use legal jargon and possibly small print to try and avoid paying out.

[BKKKevin]

Check out Roojai.com for Accident Insurance…

They sell a small benefit accident policy that can also include motorcycle…

 

The benefit is only 100 or 200,000 baht (This is NOT catastrophic insurance) but the premiums are only a few thousand baht for a years coverage and you can apply online without needing to speak to a salesperson…

 

Again the coverage is relatively small but you have at least a minimum coverage that any Thai hospital will recognize… So the hospital you go to is put on notice that any charges will be reviewed but a Thai insurance carrier… Also Roojai will persue an at fault party to pay your medical bills on your behalf… This will prevent price gouging by the hospital and make other at fault parties pay before you... And this small amount will cover many of the little accidents that most people end up in an emergency room for…

[jivvy]

Nah, it's not required. But seriously, get travel insurance before you go.

[BusyB]

I would say it's an essential requirement though not a legal one.

 

The arguments FOR are scattered all through the AN forums in the form of multiply mutated unfortunates who have to resort to gofundme because they didn't think it was needed. Until it was.

[chiang mai]

UOB has a savings account called V-Care that pays a decent rate of interest (easy access). As a bonus, account holders are provided with accident insurance to the value of 20x the balance in the account. My wife and I have an either/or account with a 1 million baht balance, that gives us accident insurance to the value of 20 mill. each (or 70% of that amount, because I'm over 70)

[KannikaP]

On 11/26/2024 at 12:01 PM, NoshowJones said:

As soon as the hospital see a white face, the cost for treatment etc, goes right up, and not just in private hospitals.

I pay exactly the same as Thais at Nauresan University Hospital in P'lok, for both Doctors and medications.

 

[NoshowJones]

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I pay exactly the same as Thais at Nauresan University Hospital in P'lok, for both Doctors and medications.

 

That's probably because they know you.

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

That's probably because they know you.

They didn't the first time I went there.

[NoshowJones]

42 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

They didn't the first time I went there.

Was the first time you went there before the Chinese Virus? This Virus created lots of millionaires in the medical profession, and not just in Thailand. I could be wrong but it is since then especially that the medical profession, in Thailand anyway, that they see the white face as a chance to get even richer.

[chiang mai]

4 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Was the first time you went there before the Chinese Virus? This Virus created lots of millionaires in the medical profession, and not just in Thailand. I could be wrong but it is since then especially that the medical profession, in Thailand anyway, that they see the white face as a chance to get even richer.

Its at the hospitals discretion, whether or not to charge different rates to different groups of people. Most hospitals in tourist areas do, most others do not. My local government hospital doesn't surcharge me, neither did the University Hospital the previous poster mentioned.

[KannikaP]

44 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Was the first time you went there before the Chinese Virus? This Virus created lots of millionaires in the medical profession, and not just in Thailand. I could be wrong but it is since then especially that the medical profession, in Thailand anyway, that they see the white face as a chance to get even richer.

Yes, well before Covid.

[KannikaP]

39 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

Its at the hospitals discretion, whether or not to charge different rates to different groups of people. Most hospitals in tourist areas do, most others do not. My local government hospital doesn't surcharge me, neither did the University Hospital the previous poster mentioned.

Nauresun is a very good, affordable hospital. Bht 40k for gall bladder removed by keyhole, 2 nights, food was a bit dodgy so I had pizza delivered.

[Kerryd]

Insurance is not a requirement in Thailand (except for the mandatory gov't insurance for vehicles which provides very limited coverage - for you - in the event of an accident).

But if you travel anywhere in a foreign country - or operate motor vehicles - or engage in "risky" behaviours (not just unprotected sex with Beach Rd freelancers) then you are an idiot if you do not have medical insurance.

How many "GoFundMe" appeals do we see almost every month (some of which may actually be authentic) about people having accidents or getting sick and not having medical insurance.

Or they supposedly had insurance - but their claim was denied because (insert justifications here but usually are entirely the fault of the injured person - like not wearing a helmet, not being licensed for the vehicle or driving while drunk and so on).

Or they "assumed" that they were covered by their home country's healthcare (like NHS in the UK or their provincial healthcare plan from whatever Canadian province they came from).

I was like that when I first visited here. I just assumed that, being in the Army, I was covered anywhere I went. And later on as a civilian, I just assumed that my company's medical coverage would cover me even when on holiday. After all, if they covered me while I was in a war zone, why not while in a party zone ?

Luckily I never had to find out the hard way how wrong those assumptions were. 

 

[Kerryd]

I have the usual gov't insurance on my scooter and Harley. I also have a 3rd party, Class 3 policy for the Harley (it's old so I can't get a better policy).
As well, I have a pretty good medical insurance polict (with MTL) that should cover me for anything short of full organ and brain transplant, and that policy has additional coverage in the event of a motorcycle accident (on scooter or Harley).

And yes, hospitals in "tourist areas" DO charge foreigners more, especially if they have insurance. They know what the maximum rates the Insurers pay and charge you/them that full amount.

The fact that it will result in you having to pay higher premiums in the future is not their problem. Trust me, I have found out that "the hard way" after an accident a few years ago.

And remember the story (earlier this year ?) about the Thai woman who was in a hospital in Bangkok and had a disagreement with the hospital over her bill as she thought they overcharged her.
Turns out, the hospital admitted they thought she was "Swiss", not Thai, and agreed to knock 100,000 baht off her bill after she went to the media about it.

I watched a "finance clerk" at a well known hospital talk to a doctor on the phone about a procedure I was going to have to remove a plate from my wrist. She wrote down 500 baht/3 for the 3 nights I'd be in the hospital as well as the cost of the procedure and regular daily costs.
Then she called someone else and started changing the numbers. Suddenly it was 5,000 baht a night for 3 nights in the hospital which, by no coincidence, was the maximum amount my insurance policy covered. She also amended so of the other prices to match the coverage in the policy.

Total quote - 180,000.

I went to a smaller, lesser known private hospital and had the procedure done there.
Total price - 90,000.

(When I had the accident 3 1/2 years ago, my "friends" drove me from hospital to hospital looking for the "best deal" for me. We went to that well known hospital in Pattaya and they quoted us a price of about 520,000. We went to a hospital in Sri Racha (lord knows why) and they were too busy (lots of covid patients) so we went to another private hospital who quoted a price of 280,000 so they stuck me in that one.)
(I was woozy from the morphine shot I was given at the little regional "hospital" near where the accident was and all I wanted was to lay down and sleep for a few hours. I even told my friends to just take me home and I'd go to the hospital myself the next day.)

My gov't motorcycle insurance covered part of the cost and my medical insurance covered most of the rest though I did have to pay some out of my own pocket for some reason.

About 10 years ago I tore a rotator cuff (shoulder muscle). Went to the hospital and after spending a whack on "steroid" shots and other non-invasive treatments, we did an MRI and they could see the torn muscle ligaments and a bone spur that was acting like a thorn and tearing the muscle every time I moved my arm.

Talked to the doctor and he was quoting me the costs for the operation. I told him I was paying cash. It was going to cost something like 220,000 baht.

Went to the bank to get a bank draft (or transfer or whatever) to pay the hospital and the accounts clerk asked my why my insurance wasn't covering it.
I had a policy with the bank but I thought it was one of those "Life Assurance" policies and not "Health Insurance".

Went back to the hospital and told the doctor that I actually did have insurance. The look on his face was not a happy one as they would have charged me (or my insurance) a lot more than if I was paying cash.

And remember - if you are in an accident there's a VERY real chance you won't be in any condition to negotiate anything with anyone - or access your bank to pay for anything. Or argue with the healthcare provider in your home country.

So pretending that you have enough "cash in the bank" to cover any unforeseen medical expenses is just retarded.

And if you don't have insurance you could end up in far worse condition and be facing some very steep bills afterwards.

Imagine being in an accident in a remote corner of Thailand like in parts of Bueng Khan or Nan, where no one speaks English and no one knows you, where you're from or who to contact in an emergency and all you have is (maybe) an International Drivers Permit and 500 baht in your wallet.

Basically, you are screwed.

But when they look in my wallet they see my Medical Insurance card, my "Bangkok Hospital - Pattaya" admittance card (with my blood type on the plastic envelope) as well as the business card from my lawyer and 3rd party (motorcycle) insurance provider (as well as drivers license and other stuff of course).

At least that way people will be able to find out where I live and ransack my place after I die !

 

[crazykopite]

No but I strongly advise you to cover yourself Thais drink from the time they wake up 

[BritManToo]

On 12/11/2024 at 7:11 AM, Kerryd said:

Imagine being in an accident in a remote corner of Thailand like in parts of Bueng Khan or Nan, where no one speaks English and no one knows you, where you're from or who to contact in an emergency and all you have is (maybe) an International Drivers Permit and 500 baht in your wallet.

Basically, you are screwed.

Nope, hit and run got me, taken to SanSai government hospital, no money required until I left the hospital. Total bill for 3 nights + 4 months outpatient 13,500bht. Paid by gov min m/c insurance.

[JimHuaHin]

Can driver's over 70 years of age get comprehensive vehicle accident insurance?

[chiang mai]

4 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Can driver's over 70 years of age get comprehensive vehicle accident insurance?

Yes