Health Insurance

[keestha]

International Hospital also offers a health insurance package, there should be people here who have looked into this or have experience with it?

[stevenl]

International Hospital also offers a health insurance package, there should be people here who have looked into this or have experience with it?

AFAIK they offer health check up packages, just as BPH, not insurance.

[madmitch]

Not telling your travel insurance you are basically living in thailnd means they accepted you on false information. You living in thailand significantly increases the risk, and gives the insurance a reason not to pay in case of a claim.

What you're implying is that people have to be "living" somewhere to have travel insurance, the clue is in the name.

Lloyds TSB offer a maximum of 6 months, which is fine as I always exit regularly and renew when the six months is up. They have no problem with this as nothing is being falsely stated when applying for it and each time they're more than happy to take half the maximum payout per lost / stolen item per year as a premium

Insurance companies are more than happy to take your premium but if you are 'living' in Thailand on a long term visa then you are not travelling to Thailand but residing there. The insurers are perfectly entitled to look at your passport and if you are not travelling as such then the insurers may well deny any claim.

We would all use travel insurance if we could as it is so much cheaper and often contains wider coverage and fewer exclusions than a full health policy. But many of us cannot.

This isn't the first thread on this subject and probably won't be the last.

You might get away with it but you won't know until you need to make a claim.

[LivinLOS]

Insurance companies are more than happy to take your premium but if you are 'living' in Thailand on a long term visa then you are not travelling to Thailand but residing there. The insurers are perfectly entitled to look at your passport and if you are not travelling as such then the insurers may well deny any claim.

We would all use travel insurance if we could as it is so much cheaper and often contains wider coverage and fewer exclusions than a full health policy. But many of us cannot.

This isn't the first thread on this subject and probably won't be the last.

You might get away with it but you won't know until you need to make a claim.

While I sort of agree with you.. This discussion with my mate had him get his insurers to put it in writing, and they were very clear that it didnt matter how many days per year he was in Thailand, or how many times he came here as long as he had been incountry for less then 90 days at that start of any claim he was covered.

[madmitch]

Insurance companies are more than happy to take your premium but if you are 'living' in Thailand on a long term visa then you are not travelling to Thailand but residing there. The insurers are perfectly entitled to look at your passport and if you are not travelling as such then the insurers may well deny any claim.

We would all use travel insurance if we could as it is so much cheaper and often contains wider coverage and fewer exclusions than a full health policy. But many of us cannot.

This isn't the first thread on this subject and probably won't be the last.

You might get away with it but you won't know until you need to make a claim.

While I sort of agree with you.. This discussion with my mate had him get his insurers to put it in writing, and they were very clear that it didnt matter how many days per year he was in Thailand, or how many times he came here as long as he had been incountry for less then 90 days at that start of any claim he was covered.

I don't quite understand the terms of coverage that you have tried to explain but getting your insurers to agree in writing is one way around it.............. if they agree!

However, without such an agreement in place, I still believe that anyone relying on travel insurance whilst living in Thailand is playing a dangerous game.

[stevenl]

I don't quite understand the terms of coverage that you have tried to explain but getting your insurers to agree in writing is one way around it.............. if they agree!

However, without such an agreement in place, I still believe that anyone relying on travel insurance whilst living in Thailand is playing a dangerous game.

Also make sure it is the insurers that do the writing, not the broker.

I think with the mentioned clause they mean that as long as the claim occurred within 90 days of entering the country it is covered. If the claim occurred after 90 days after entering the country it is not covered. So have an accident on the 90th day and you're ok, have it on day 91 and you're on your own.

[napalm]

International Hospital also offers a health insurance package, there should be people here who have looked into this or have experience with it?

I would never get my health insurance through a hospital, simply because they would not give me the best treatment as they are paying for it......

[LivinLOS]

I don't quite understand the terms of coverage that you have tried to explain but getting your insurers to agree in writing is one way around it.............. if they agree!

However, without such an agreement in place, I still believe that anyone relying on travel insurance whilst living in Thailand is playing a dangerous game.

Also make sure it is the insurers that do the writing, not the broker.

I think with the mentioned clause they mean that as long as the claim occurred within 90 days of entering the country it is covered. If the claim occurred after 90 days after entering the country it is not covered. So have an accident on the 90th day and you're ok, have it on day 91 and you're on your own.

Yes thats correct.. I maybe explained it badly.. But his multi tip travel insurance covered him year round, simply by doing a visa run, which reset his counter each time.

I didnt think it was true.. He proved me wrong.

[petercallen]

I don't quite understand the terms of coverage that you have tried to explain but getting your insurers to agree in writing is one way around it.............. if they agree!

However, without such an agreement in place, I still believe that anyone relying on travel insurance whilst living in Thailand is playing a dangerous game.

Also make sure it is the insurers that do the writing, not the broker.

I think with the mentioned clause they mean that as long as the claim occurred within 90 days of entering the country it is covered. If the claim occurred after 90 days after entering the country it is not covered. So have an accident on the 90th day and you're ok, have it on day 91 and you're on your own.

Yes thats correct.. I maybe explained it badly.. But his multi tip travel insurance covered him year round, simply by doing a visa run, which reset his counter each time.

I didnt think it was true.. He proved me wrong.

His travel insurance will also cover him for having his appendix removed in a emergency, which is not covered in some recommended health insurance policies here.

[stevenl]

His travel insurance will also cover him for having his appendix removed in a emergency, which is not covered in some recommended health insurance policies here.

Good to hear you have seen his policy and know the conditions, clauses, inclusions and exclusions. How did you come to know this (one of many) mates of LOS?

[petercallen]

His travel insurance will also cover him for having his appendix removed in a emergency, which is not covered in some recommended health insurance policies here.

Good to hear you have seen his policy and know the conditions, clauses, inclusions and exclusions. How did you come to know this (one of many) mates of LOS?

I know i am covered with my policy, and since having your appendix removed is usually a emergency operation i believe most travel insurance policies would cover it.

No i am not a mate of LOS and i am not a mate of yours either

[madmitch]

His travel insurance will also cover him for having his appendix removed in a emergency, which is not covered in some recommended health insurance policies here.

Good to hear you have seen his policy and know the conditions, clauses, inclusions and exclusions. How did you come to know this (one of many) mates of LOS?

I know i am covered with my policy, and since having your appendix removed is usually a emergency operation i believe most travel insurance policies would cover it.

No i am not a mate of LOS and i am not a mate of yours either

Most travel insurance policies would cover this FOR BONA FIDE TRAVELLERS ONLY.

Peter, I know you believe you have cover and I believe you may not but I don't want to reopen the previous discussion on this.

[petercallen]

If anyone purchases health insurance here they should make sure the have a copy of the policy in a language they understand and read it before signing up.

Never believe everything your told by a salesperson.

One of the insurance companies which was recommended on this forum excludes operations to have your appendix or tonsils removed for the first

6 months and after that will only pay 50% of the cost.

I asked the sales lady if you were covered if stepped on by a rampaging elephant which she did not find very amusing

When i told her we would get back to her after checking elsewhere she offered me a 20% discount and then a 500 baht gift voucher for anyone else who was insured with them who i nominated as as having recommended me to the company.

We purchased the health insurance elsewhere at a lot better price with better cover

[WorldTraveler]

I have BUPA Platinum coverage. Two months ago, I had a necessary surgery at Bumrungrad in BKK. I was in the hospital for 8 days. The total bill was 600,000 baht. I submitted the claim to BUPA. Within 2-3 weeks, they wired 600,000 into my account. No deductions at all. I could not have been more pleased with the result.

[madmitch]

I have BUPA Platinum coverage. Two months ago, I had a necessary surgery at Bumrungrad in BKK. I was in the hospital for 8 days. The total bill was 600,000 baht. I submitted the claim to BUPA. Within 2-3 weeks, they wired 600,000 into my account. No deductions at all. I could not have been more pleased with the result.

And that is the way it should be. A genuine claim, a respected insurance company, claim paid no problem.

You have paid for a quality product. Though maybe it helps that the COO of Bumungrad used to be the head of BUPA Thailand!

You get what you pay for. This applies in the insurance world as much as any other.

[snorkelador]

I have BUPA Platinum coverage. Two months ago, I had a necessary surgery at Bumrungrad in BKK. I was in the hospital for 8 days. The total bill was 600,000 baht. I submitted the claim to BUPA. Within 2-3 weeks, they wired 600,000 into my account. No deductions at all. I could not have been more pleased with the result.

What was there reason for Bumrungrad not billing BUPA directly and asking you to pay up instead? Not everybody has 600,000.- THB available to pay for a surgery and hope to get their money back from the insurer later.

[jfchandler]

I had that same question... LMG always does direct billing with most farang type hospitals... I was under the impression BUPA did as well, particularly with places like Bumrungrad.

[barka]

I had that same question... LMG always does direct billing with most farang type hospitals... I was under the impression BUPA did as well, particularly with places like Bumrungrad.

If you read BUPA INSURANCE POLICY..details it tells you what hospitals they recomend and if i remember correctly..BUMRUNGRAD and PHUKET BANGKOK are not on that list...this is probably why you have to pay first

.. but LMG dont have that policy..they pay direct.

[stevenl]

Bupa will normally pay direct, also to bph.

I'm also curious to learn why that was not the case here. My guess would be the op did not inform the hospital about the insurance.

[snorkelador]

My guess would actually be the hospital suggesting to do so, so they can get their money straight away and without any fuss. They often like to come up with any kind of crap to avoid the hassle of pre-approval, then filing a claim and waiting until the insurer pays up. Seems like they are successful with not being too helpful.

[WorldTraveler]

Regarding your questions, before I was admitted, I requested that Bumrungrad bill BUPA directly but BUPA informed me that for my first 2 years of coverage, any major claim must be paid by the insured then submitted to BUPA for reimbursement. I put all of the Bumrungrad charges on my credit card then paid it off after BUPA reimbursed me.

[jfchandler]

I don't have a BUPA policy, so I don't have their documents to show which hospitals they do direct billing with and which they don't... Back when I considered them a couple years back, I had the impression from the materials I reviewed that they'd do direct billing with most any of the BKK hospitals I'd likely use.

On the other hand, I do have and have had an :LMG policy. And each year with renewal, I get a one page printed sheet in small type will all the hospitals they have direct billing arrangements with... It's a double column long list, broken out by BKK places and then others upcountry... In BKK, it includes most all the farang type hospitals, certainly including Bumrungrad, Samitivej, BNH, St. Louis, Phyathai, BKK General, etc.

BUPA informed me that for my first 2 years of coverage, any major claim must be paid by the insured then submitted to BUPA for reimbursement.

That's interesting... I never remember seeing a provisions like that in the BUPA policy info I reviewed...

Edited January 27, 2011 by jfchandler

[WorldTraveler]

BUPA does accept direct billing from Bumrungrad but because this was my first year with BUPA, they required that I paid the claim then submitted it for reimbursement. Bumrungrad did not cut me any slack on the payments either. I had to pay 330000, (which was their initial estimate of charges) at time of admit and another 1500000 the next day because my surgery was three hours longer than expected and further payments every 1-2 days thereafter until I was discharged.

[WorldTraveler]

Sorry, in my above post it should be 150000 NOT 1500000.

[jfchandler]

Seems like it's the insurance company's kind of snarky way of saying...we want to make sure you're not trying to con us into paying for something related to a pre-existing condition that wasn't disclosed at the time of underwriting...

[madmitch]

Seems like it's the insurance company's kind of snarky way of saying...we want to make sure you're not trying to con us into paying for something related to a pre-existing condition that wasn't disclosed at the time of underwriting...

As Meatloaf said, you took the words right out of my mouth!

I don't know which other insurers operate the same policy but it's not a bad one (wearing my underwriter's hat).

[jfchandler]

Just for the record, I wasn't endorsing that kind of a policy by an insurance provider, or suggesting any misdeed by the poster...

Rather, I was concluding that had to be the likely motivation of the insurance company... What other explanation could there be for having that kind of policy during the first two years for a new policy holder?

[WorldTraveler]

I agree with madmitch and jfchandler. It is also quite a deterrent to having an unnecessary surgery as there are no guarantees of reimbursement. It my case, the surgery was necessary.

[HDRIDER]

who is LMG, are they good? have you guys tried them?

i need a new insurance soon

[jfchandler]

LMG Pacific Healthcare is one of the principal expat-oriented health insurance providers based in Thailand, along with AXA and BUPA...

They offer a couple of different health insurance plans for expats in Thailand that are competitive in terms of both pricing and coverage...

I believe you can deal with the directly, but most expats go thru a Thailand-based insurance broker, since that tends to smooth the process and shouldn't add anything to your costs...

http://www.lmgpacific.com/

Rather, a good insurance broker can help you look at the different plans that fit your needs, give you info on whichever ones you're interested in, and then process your application for whichever one you choose.

Here's a link to one of LMG's brochures and rate sheets... I'm not sure if it's the most current one or not....

http://www.lmgpacific.com/download/Downloadable_PDFs/Brochures/Brochure%20LMG%20MEGA%20Series.pdf