On 1/26/2026 at 8:17 AM, cooked said:

My Thai insurance went up by 50% when I got to age 70. I could just about afford it. I found out it was going to increase again at ages 75 and 80 (at which point they might decide not to renew), so I said to hell with it. All I worry about now, at age 78, is whether I can get palliative care if I get seriously ill, and not running up a huge debt for my family to pick up.

Public hospitals have, up to now, served me well and remained affordable.

even now you can buy an Health Insurance for an affordable premium

5 minutes ago, D Peter said:

even now you can buy an Health Insurance for an affordable premium

It depends on the definition of affordability.

This year's premium for me is not due until August, typically the notice would be out around May.

Last year, increase was 17.8%.

I also have April France policy, but not "Comfort", it is the level below that (I forget the term, Basic or Essential?). And I have a $500 deductible.

Premiums do increase with age, and more so at older ages. There are also inflationary increases.

You might like to consider downgrading plan slightly, I know when i analyzed it the added cost of "Comfort" plan was not worth it. Also, a $500 deductible pretty much pays for itself.

I have Cigna and turned 70 so it went up 'sort of'. I say 'sort of' as the premium went up but I take the 10% discount offered for one payment-full pay and also last year the exchange rate was 35-36 and now it was around 32 when I paid. The bottom line was I actually paid a little less even thought I jumped into a high premium bracket at age 70.

On 1/26/2026 at 11:58 AM, newbee2022 said:

Change the insurance company !

Great suggestion. Which one will take me on, with pre-conditions, at age 78? I'm hardly going to make it worth their while paying, say even ฿150 000 a year if I need a million Baht operation or treatment, am I?

I never had Private Insurance until I moved to Thailand aged 62.

A friend introduced me to his Agent and I took out a policy but the following year they increased the premium even though I didn’t make a claim! So I cancelled it.

At 70 I got another policy in error. Thinking that I needed it for my retirement visa, but later found out that I didn’t. The Agent was dishonest.

But I kept renewing it for 2 years and again as the premiums kept increasing. I cancelled.

I then found another company, cheaper and got a 10% reduction in my premium when I renewed it for the first time last October.

I have since had a hospital admission in last December and they paid the bill for 25K THB.

The policy covers me for Emergency Admissions only.

Company is Coris. D.O.O. Ages 0-100 years old they cover. There is no ‘ deductible’ unlike the previous Company (Axa)

Next year I will see how much increase there is! In my late 70,s now.

2 hours ago, cooked said:

Great suggestion. Which one will take me on, with pre-conditions, at age 78? I'm hardly going to make it worth their while paying, say even ฿150 000 a year if I need a million Baht operation or treatment, am I?

Correct, insurance companies aren't stupid, the only way for them to make money is with lots of exclusions and high premiums, if they aren't doing that then it stinks of fish 🐠

6 hours ago, cooked said:

Great suggestion. Which one will take me on, with pre-conditions, at age 78? I'm hardly going to make it worth their while paying, say even ฿150 000 a year if I need a million Baht operation or treatment, am I?

Exactly. Of course you can get an Insurance with 78. Not a problem at all. An Insurance up to your last day. I reckon you did not try, did you?

8 hours ago, msbkk said:

It depends on the definition of affordability.

True. How much YOU can afford, or willing to pay?

Nonsense comment removed

@newbee2022

12% never made a claim and get 20% no claim discount. Insurance company blame rising healthcare expenses and inflation☹️

Felt

22 hours ago, henryford1958 said:

I find that hard to believe. So the premiums you pay for health insurance will stay the same at age 60,65,70,75,80+?

Mine do. No claim, no increase...

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

Mine do. No claim, no increase...

Mine too.

19 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Correct, insurance companies aren't stupid, the only way for them to make money is with lots of exclusions and high premiums

I was told years ago, by life insurance company interests, that they only try to break even on premiums and claims. They make their money on the investment of their reserves.

15 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Exactly. Of course you can get an Insurance with 78. Not a problem at all. An Insurance up to your last day. I reckon you did not try, did you?

Start again. Of course you can get insurance, stop being so judgmental. Pre-existing conditions excluded? By the age of 75, the thing that's going to kill you will probably have manifested itself. Second: can I afford double the premium? No, I can't. And when they augment the premium by another 50% or 100% at age 90, no, f*** off. So now we get to the bit where you call me a cheap Charlie or tell me to go back home. F*** off, I want to die here,

24 minutes ago, cooked said:

Start again. Of course you can get insurance, stop being so judgmental. Pre-existing conditions excluded? By the age of 75, the thing that's going to kill you will probably have manifested itself. Second: can I afford double the premium? No, I can't. And when they augment the premium by another 50% or 100% at age 90, no, f*** off. So now we get to the bit where you call me a cheap Charlie or tell me to go back home. F*** off, I want to die here,

All of your statements you are wrong.

Of course there are insurances which will NOT increase the premiums with rising age.

Also pre-existing conditions are included.

On 1/27/2026 at 6:08 AM, Sheryl said:

This year's premium for me is not due until August, typically the notice would be out around May.

Last year, increase was 17.8%.

I also have April France policy, but not "Comfort", it is the level below that (I forget the term, Basic or Essential?). And I have a $500 deductible.

Premiums do increase with age, and more so at older ages. There are also inflationary increases.

You might like to consider downgrading plan slightly, I know when i analyzed it the added cost of "Comfort" plan was not worth it. Also, a $500 deductible pretty much pays for itself.

"Premiums do increase with age, and more so at older ages. There are also inflationary increases".

NO, they don't !!

Maybe in your personal case. But in general your statement is WRONG. Facts are different!

On 1/25/2026 at 6:54 PM, gargamon said:

All the money he spent on tobacco did him no good either.

It an evil addiction.

A good friend been trying to quit for 7 years. He just can't quit no matter what.

End of the day it's a death sentence that you pay for literally.

Cigs in Australia are what, $22 a packet now? Imagine it's similar in other CW countries.

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

I was told years ago, by life insurance company interests, that they only try to break even on premiums and claims. They make their money on the investment of their reserves.

Not according to Deepseek, below is a summary

AS you say, life insurance companies are unique for investing premiums. But in Thailand per OIC 70-80% of private health insurance policies are life insurance riders.

And while maybe not a central role as you state, but all insurers profit to some extent on the ability to invest reserves.

On 1/26/2026 at 7:06 AM, henryford1958 said:

3 million buys a lot of health care

Depending on what it is, it really doesn't.

I asked AI Gemini if: the only way for health insurance companies to make money is with lots of exclusions and high premiums

Actually, health insurance companies have several levers beyond just premiums and exclusions. While premiums are the primary revenue source, their profitability relies on a more complex financial model:

The "Float" (Investment Income): Insurers collect premiums upfront and pay claims later. During this gap, they invest that cash in stocks, bonds, and real estate to generate additional profit. For some large firms, investment income is more consistent than profit from actual insurance operations.

Operational Efficiency: Companies focus on lowering their "expense ratio"—the cost of administration, marketing, and processing claims. Reducing these overhead costs directly pads the bottom line.

5 hours ago, JerryM said:

I asked AI Gemini if: the only way for health insurance companies to make money is with lots of exclusions and high premiums

Actually, health insurance companies have several levers beyond just premiums and exclusions. While premiums are the primary revenue source, their profitability relies on a more complex financial model:

The "Float" (Investment Income): Insurers collect premiums upfront and pay claims later. During this gap, they invest that cash in stocks, bonds, and real estate to generate additional profit. For some large firms, investment income is more consistent than profit from actual insurance operations.

Operational Efficiency: Companies focus on lowering their "expense ratio"—the cost of administration, marketing, and processing claims. Reducing these overhead costs directly pads the bottom line.

Ask Gemini about wrlife, how they can offer premiums with no preexisting conditions excluded and premiums not rising with age

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Ask Gemini about wrlife, how they can offer premiums with no preexisting conditions excluded and premiums not rising with age

OK.

But I remember people posting TrustPilot WrL complaints on here that they were denied claim because of some heretofore unknown pre-existing condition .

9 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

"Premiums do increase with age, and more so at older ages. There are also inflationary increases".

NO, they don't !!

Maybe in your personal case. But in general your statement is WRONG. Facts are different!

Premiums do definitely increase with age. We all know that except you.

13 hours ago, JerryM said:

OK.

But I remember people posting TrustPilot WrL complaints on here that they were denied claim because of some heretofore unknown pre-existing condition .

Follow-up to WrL "no pre-existing conditions excluded" from TrustPilot:

13 hours ago, JerryM said:

OK.

But I remember people posting TrustPilot WrL complaints on here that they were denied claim because of some heretofore unknown pre-existing condition .

Correct, i read the same thing, so maybe they will deny maybe not

15 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Follow-up to WrL "no pre-existing conditions excluded" from TrustPilot:

Kidney disease would be expensive, insurers would be running around the office trying to deny the claim, don't tell newbie2022 he thinks he's covered

6 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Correct, i read the same thing, so maybe they will deny maybe not

I checked with Gemini about no pre-existing conditions excluded and no policy increases (except for claims). They said:

No way. Fingers crossed.

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

Kidney disease would be expensive, insurers would be running around the office trying to deny the claim, don't tell newbie2022 he thinks he's covered

Kidney disease is a long term thing and really cannot be treated except with some medication up until dialysis is required. And most kidney disease is a by [product of diabetes.

And here's the kind of inside the office track that the insurers must use when running around trying to deny a claim: