Renewing My Thaivisa Health Insurance

[OJAS]

I am presently feeling extremely hacked off with AA Insurance Brokers for the following reasons:-

(1) It wasn't until last Monday (17th) that I heard from them regarding the premiums due from 1st September (just a fortnight before the expiry of this year's policy).

(2) It no longer appears possible to use Krung Thai or Kasikorn savings account debit cards & ATM's at any rate in transferring premium payments to their current account with Bangkok Bank, based on my unsuccessful attempts to do so this morning. Instead I had to make the necessary transfer physically in person at my local Krung Thai branch.

(3) Finally, all my attempts to email them to confirm the transfer of my premium payment have proved unsuccessful because their email address has suddenly taken a strong dislike to Hotmail addresses like mine for some mysterious reason.

Is anyone else experiencing similar difficulties?

[ThaivisaInsurance]

I am presently feeling extremely hacked off with AA Insurance Brokers for the following reasons:-

(1) It wasn't until last Monday (17th) that I heard from them regarding the premiums due from 1st September (just a fortnight before the expiry of this year's policy).

(2) It no longer appears possible to use Krung Thai or Kasikorn savings account debit cards & ATM's at any rate in transferring premium payments to their current account with Bangkok Bank, based on my unsuccessful attempts to do so this morning. Instead I had to make the necessary transfer physically in person at my local Krung Thai branch.

(3) Finally, all my attempts to email them to confirm the transfer of my premium payment have proved unsuccessful because their email address has suddenly taken a strong dislike to Hotmail addresses like mine for some mysterious reason.

Is anyone else experiencing similar difficulties?

We are obviously very sorry to hear of your difficulties but there are simple explanations to your three points.

1) The insurance company provides us with the renewals between two and three weeks before the expiry date for group medical policies as any earlier the Underwriters could not calculate and allow for the claims being submitted - may we ask what time period you would suggest people need ?

2) We have had other clients transfer from these two banks successfully to Bangkok Bank. Possibly were you were trying to use one banks ATM card in a different bank to transfer to a third bank ?

3) We have not received your email, but have checked sending from hotmail there appears to be no issues now.

Thai Visa Insurance

[OJAS]

We are obviously very sorry to hear of your difficulties but there are simple explanations to your three points.

1) The insurance company provides us with the renewals between two and three weeks before the expiry date for group medical policies as any earlier the Underwriters could not calculate and allow for the claims being submitted - may we ask what time period you would suggest people need ?

2) We have had other clients transfer from these two banks successfully to Bangkok Bank. Possibly were you were trying to use one banks ATM card in a different bank to transfer to a third bank ?

3) We have not received your email, but have checked sending from hotmail there appears to be no issues now.

Thai Visa Insurance

Many thanks for your reply, on which I would comment as follows:-

(1) I would have thought at least 1 month ideally since, otherwise, people who are paid monthly at the end of each month (in accordance with general practice) might not be able to pay their premium before 1st September - i.e. after the existing policy has expired.

(2) I can confirm that I was using my Krung Thai card in a Krung Thai ATM & my Kasikorn card in a Kasikorn one.

(3) I have now, in fact, received a reply from Da to 1 of the emails which I thought had bounced but which, in the event, did not do so, contrary to the error messages which I received.

Anyway, it seems, in view of the deafening silence from other Thaivisa members, that my difficulties are isolated!

[ThaivisaInsurance]

We appreciate your understand and to clarify your points :

A renewal time of 2 weeks is normal for group plans and interestingly we have found if renewals are sent out before a couple of weeks people tend to loose/forget about the renewal and that causes even more problems.

Again with reference to your ATM woes, we have customers all over Thailand transfer premiums using those banks without problems.

Bounced emails – sorry but for the past couple of days the internet seems to have gone astray. Again all we can do is apologize but the internet is out of our hands.

[jazzbo]

...internet gone astray. I'm sure the off-topic police will have a field day with this, but just to back-up K. BAZ:

Damaged undersea Internet cables to be fixed soon

By Dan Nystedt

August 19, 2009 12:14 AM ET

IDG News Service - Six undersea fiber-optic cables damaged by Typhoon Morakot as it swept past Taiwan will be repaired by the middle of September, according to a statement from the island's largest telecommunications provider.

The cables carry Internet and communications traffic from the U.S. and North Asia to Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and parts of Southeast Asia. Typhoon Morakot churned up ocean waters as it passed Taiwan, causing undersea landslides that damaged cables on both the East and West coasts of southern Taiwan. One cable was knocked out on Aug. 9 as Morakot hit Taiwan's east coast and the others were damaged after the typhoon passed to the other side of the island, causing disruptions to Internet and voice services in China and Southeast Asia.

[OJAS]

...internet gone astray. I'm sure the off-topic police will have a field day with this, but just to back-up K. BAZ:

Damaged undersea Internet cables to be fixed soon

By Dan Nystedt

August 19, 2009 12:14 AM ET

IDG News Service - Six undersea fiber-optic cables damaged by Typhoon Morakot as it swept past Taiwan will be repaired by the middle of September, according to a statement from the island's largest telecommunications provider.

The cables carry Internet and communications traffic from the U.S. and North Asia to Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and parts of Southeast Asia. Typhoon Morakot churned up ocean waters as it passed Taiwan, causing undersea landslides that damaged cables on both the East and West coasts of southern Taiwan. One cable was knocked out on Aug. 9 as Morakot hit Taiwan's east coast and the others were damaged after the typhoon passed to the other side of the island, causing disruptions to Internet and voice services in China and Southeast Asia.

A-ha, so now I understand why I was unable to transfer my insurance premium by ATM yesterday. The ATM links between Ban Phe & Pattaya obviously go the pretty way via Taiwan. So it's all down to Typhoon Morakot then

[anthoma]

I also just got an email from this insurance-company regarding renewal of my 1 mill bath health insurance. I am 51 years old and last year i payed about 14 900 bath for this insurance. This year they will charge me 21 753 for the same coverage. A raise in premium at 45 i repeat 45 %???. They explaine that they now separate premium for people under and over 45 years old. Whatever reason. For me it is a raise on premium at 45% from one year to another. Anybody knows what a health insurance with 1million bath cover in another company costs?

[Smile4u]

Search bupa thailand and I bet you find lower prices. I checked out the expats club group policy and their premium was 3.000 more than Bupa (similar coverage). Thaivisa health insurance is (similar) too expensive due to average high age of members, and many claims (so they told me).

Bupa has a wide range of plan / coverage. Been with them many years, they raise premium according to age, never more than 20%.

Raise 45% ??? = you know what to do.

[JoePai]

Crossed checked BUPA and the nearest plan they do to the Thai Visa plans is their Diamond. Problem is even that with a max payout of 600k Baht, it is not up to the lowest Thai Visa plan with a total payiout of 790k (390k + 400k) Now at my age the Thai Visa plans are still much better - then I am old !

[jazzbo]

A-ha, so now I understand why I was unable to transfer my insurance premium by ATM yesterday. The ATM links between Ban Phe & Pattaya obviously go the pretty way via Taiwan. So it's all down to Typhoon Morakot then.

Sorry for delay -- have been out of town. Such is the nature of the Internet that you can send an email to your friend across the Soi and it --or an ATM link -- can be routed through Cleveland or the Isle of Man.