Health Insurance In Thailand

[walker600]

So after reading through another post about cheap living in Phuket, and watching it turn into a fight over health insurance, it got me wondering.....

What options are there when it comes to health insurance available in Thailand and what is their associated premiums/cover/limits etc...?

I was with bupa a few years ago, but I let it lapse last year while re-organising my budget, now im thinking about picking it up again... I'm only really interested in being covered for serious illnesses and the like and I'm not looking for a discussion on whether or not health insurance is a good/bad idea at any level, just different providers,cost and service.

Welcoming your responses

[KarenBravo]

Cost is very dependent on age and pre-existing conditions.

[Guest]

What is buba?

I'm paying something like 15.000 + 4000B / year for my insurance. Covers the inpatient fees as well as accident until some limit.

Reason to edit: hubbabubba

Edited May 3, 2012 by Guest

[lavender19]

What is buba?

I'm paying something like 15.000 + 4000B / year for my insurance. Covers the inpatient fees as well as accident until some limit.

Reason to edit: hubbabubba

Don't know buba is but bupa is an insurance company.

so what is the name of your company?

[Guest]

What is buba?

I'm paying something like 15.000 + 4000B / year for my insurance. Covers the inpatient fees as well as accident until some limit.

Reason to edit: hubbabubba

Don't know buba is but bupa is an insurance company.

so what is the name of your company?

Ok, thanks. That's a company I have never noted.

I'm using AIA.

[Pinot]

Runs about 50k a year for a 60 year old. I think you need to have it if your country doesn't have a medical program you can return to if you have to (like the US). Bupa won't let you sign up if your over 59. There are alternatives.

[LivinginKata]

Runs about 50k a year for a 60 year old. I think you need to have it if your country doesn't have a medical program you can return to if you have to (like the US). Bupa won't let you sign up if your over 59. There are alternatives.

That sounds like the platinum plan = 2 million baht cover. There are cheaper plans with less cover value. I think you can sign up after 59 but but cover stops at 65 if you where 60 when signing up age, if 59 when start they insure for life. There are no claims discounts on offer in following years.

[stevenl]

Runs about 50k a year for a 60 year old. I think you need to have it if your country doesn't have a medical program you can return to if you have to (like the US). Bupa won't let you sign up if your over 59. There are alternatives.

That sounds like the platinum plan = 2 million baht cover. There are cheaper plans with less cover value. I think you can sign up after 59 but but cover stops at 65 if you where 60 when signing up age, if 59 when start they insure for life. There are no claims discounts on offer in following years.

Yes, there are way too many variables to answer the OP's question here. He needs a good insurance agent to sort this out for him.

[choppychugger]

Runs about 50k a year for a 60 year old. I think you need to have it if your country doesn't have a medical program you can return to if you have to (like the US). Bupa won't let you sign up if your over 59. There are alternatives.

That sounds like the platinum plan = 2 million baht cover. There are cheaper plans with less cover value. I think you can sign up after 59 but but cover stops at 65 if you where 60 when signing up age, if 59 when start they insure for life. There are no claims discounts on offer in following years.

Yes, there are way too many variables to answer the OP's question here. He needs a good insurance agent to sort this out for him.

I have my two kids and my partners mum and dad covered with bupa, not the best and certainly not the worst covers for 55k for the year, they even gave us the option to pay in installments per month.

[walker600]

So to help narrow it down, im 28 with no dependants and im from the UK so can always go back for free healthcare if needed, altho I really am not that interested in going back... You guys are probably right, best bet might be to speak with an agent...

[grumpyoldman]

At the corner of Viset and Sai Yuan is Phuket Pesonal Services, step in there, they can get you quotes from a number of different insurance companies.

In the other thread, a well known poster here who has gone by a number of nics claims as "fact", you are always going to be cheated by these companies. I can tell you after 3 years of paying 40K a year for my plan, I ended up having some surgery that cost close to 200K (THB). Not sure if said poster can do math but that debunks his "fact".

You should have insurance here, it's not expensive and for sure worth it. ThaiVisa actually has some pretty good insurance used them before my current.

[stevenl]

In the other thread, a well known poster here who has gone by a number of nics claims as "fact", you are always going to be cheated by these companies. I can tell you after 3 years of paying 40K a year for my plan, I ended up having some surgery that cost close to 200K (THB). Not sure if said poster can do math but that debunks his "fact".

Uhuh, that is not what was said there. According to that person in that thread you have just beaten the fruitmachine. But he is right of course, it is about the numbers, and the insurance companies always win because of the big numbers. But that is no argument to an individual.

[grumpyoldman]

In the other thread, a well known poster here who has gone by a number of nics claims as "fact", you are always going to be cheated by these companies. I can tell you after 3 years of paying 40K a year for my plan, I ended up having some surgery that cost close to 200K (THB). Not sure if said poster can do math but that debunks his "fact".

Uhuh, that is not what was said there. According to that person in that thread you have just beaten the fruitmachine. But he is right of course, it is about the numbers, and the insurance companies always win because of the big numbers. But that is no argument to an individual.

O.K. whatever, semantics, but his fact was "law of averages says you are going to lose". My point is I did not lose, am not losing.

Also, that's no way to think when considering personal safety here.

[HongKongPhooey]

O.K. whatever, semantics, but his fact was "law of averages says you are going to lose". My point is I did not lose, am not losing.

Also, that's no way to think when considering personal safety here.

If you are going to reply to my posts (which of course you haven't read ) then please don't miss quote me.

What I said was:

the law of averages says you are far more likely to lose money by being insured than you will save it.

And:

Some people will win some will lose, but more people will lose than will win that's a FACT

You have decided to interpret that as "the law of averages says you are going to lose". Does that sound like the same thing to you? When did I ever say you would be cheated by these companies?? Why is it 'Stevenl' can understand my words exactly as they were meant and people like you and 'NKM' can't? English isn't even his first language!!! Perhaps you two are looking to pick holes for personal reasons and he isn't??

My point was and always has been nothing to do with whether insurance is beneficial or not but the ON TOPIC point that a persons budget doesn't have to include insurance as some posters suggested it did. Lots of people through choice or budget live perfectly comfortable lives without being insured for every little thing that may or most likely won't go wrong. So to insinuate that their budget is inaccurate because of the lack of insurance premiums is nonsense IMO.

Edited May 5, 2012 by HongKongPhooey

[HongKongPhooey]

At the corner of Viset and Sai Yuan is Phuket Pesonal Services, step in there, they can get you quotes from a number of different insurance companies.

In the other thread, a well known poster here who has gone by a number of nics claims as "fact", you are always going to be cheated by these companies. I can tell you after 3 years of paying 40K a year for my plan, I ended up having some surgery that cost close to 200K (THB). Not sure if said poster can do math but that debunks his "fact".

You should have insurance here, it's not expensive and for sure worth it. ThaiVisa actually has some pretty good insurance used them before my current.

3 years x 40k = 120k

surgery = 200k

3 more years x 40k= 120k

There is a good chance in 3 years time you will be out of pocket by 40K compared to someone who didn't have insurance but had 200K in his bank to use for emergencies. My math is just fine.

We all know how insurance works and how it can be beneficial. I have not tried to convince anybody that insurance isn't good but it isn't a necessity for every body and it shouldn't be said that it is, and the things I have said were 'FACTS' are 'FACTS' and that's a FACT.

[petercallen]

Insurance is like gambling, you insure things including yourself in case of a major claim

The insurance company insures you because they do not think you will have

a major claim or they will not insure you

[Jake829]

My insurance has lapsed so can any one tell me how much a CT scan is at patong hospital?

[bubblegum]

At the corner of Viset and Sai Yuan is Phuket Pesonal Services, step in there, they can get you quotes from a number of different insurance companies.

In the other thread, a well known poster here who has gone by a number of nics claims as "fact", you are always going to be cheated by these companies. I can tell you after 3 years of paying 40K a year for my plan, I ended up having some surgery that cost close to 200K (THB). Not sure if said poster can do math but that debunks his "fact".

You should have insurance here, it's not expensive and for sure worth it. ThaiVisa actually has some pretty good insurance used them before my current.

Is this personal service opposit the 7-11 ?? at the traffic lights?

Edited May 21, 2012 by bubblegum

[glassdude007]

" I have my two kids and my partners mum and dad covered with bupa, not the best and certainly not the worst covers for 55k for the year, they even gave us the option to pay in installments per month."

Good info exactly what i need minus mum and dad ...cheers

How did you set this up via internet or Bhuppra offices in phuket or do they come to your house as some companies do ???

[walker600]

" I have my two kids and my partners mum and dad covered with bupa, not the best and certainly not the worst covers for 55k for the year, they even gave us the option to pay in installments per month."

Good info exactly what i need minus mum and dad ...cheers

How did you set this up via internet or Bhuppra offices in phuket or do they come to your house as some companies do ???

Is that 55k for the whole family or per individual?

[choppychugger]

" I have my two kids and my partners mum and dad covered with bupa, not the best and certainly not the worst covers for 55k for the year, they even gave us the option to pay in installments per month."

Good info exactly what i need minus mum and dad ...cheers

How did you set this up via internet or Bhuppra offices in phuket or do they come to your house as some companies do ???

I was put onto them and visited there offices near the big tesco lotus. Very helpful and ran by a couple of farrang expats who are also fluent in written and spoken Thai. They went through ALL possible options with us with multiple companies and we settled on Bupa. Am on my I-pad at the 'mo, will PM the contact details when I'm back on my computer.

[choppychugger]

" I have my two kids and my partners mum and dad covered with bupa, not the best and certainly not the worst covers for 55k for the year, they even gave us the option to pay in installments per month."

Good info exactly what i need minus mum and dad ...cheers

How did you set this up via internet or Bhuppra offices in phuket or do they come to your house as some companies do ???

Is that 55k for the whole family or per individual?

That was the total price for my two kids (5 and 3) and my in laws (mid 50's). The in laws Package also included accidental death cover of 400k, and I think my partners mum had an additional cancer cover too, although I can,t quite remember.

There are many different packages, which the company I went with we're very helpful in helping us pick.

[madmitch]

Go to an insurance broker. If you have a budget the broker will help you find the best available plan and is in theory not biased towards one company or another. If you go directly to an insurance company or an agent for that company they will have a more limited number of available policies.

You can also tailor policies to an extent, excluding or including out-patient, adding a deductible, territorial limitations, co-insurance etc.

BUPA are fine but so are a number of other companies. I would avoid the companies that concentrate on the Thai market (e.g. AIA) as they will not provide the cover that most Westeners require and the policy will be only in Thai.

[Theboy]

Dear Walker,

You can contact SFS Thailand, a Broker based in Bangkok (02 61 31 745, [email protected])

You will receive a comparative table of the best Health Insurance Solutions on the Market.

Best Regards.

See my other post, be weary of financial brokers !