Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone know what I would need to do to get health insurance for the wife when she stays here. Just so that if she gets sick and needs to go to the doctors or hospital I will be covered.

Can anyone recommend any websites that offer this?

Cheers

Al

Hi Al

I would not worry too much. No one is refused access to a doctor or hospital in the UK and there is no requirement to produce insurance

documents in a hospital prior to treatment. She is your wife and that's all you need to tell the local medical practice. My wife lived in the UK

for 12 years before we bothered to get a NI number. Although she has a UK passport we have never been asked for it.

I'd certainly get her registered to your local practice and she'll be allocated a medical card.

There are hundreds of thousands of people in the UK with no right to remain but none are denied medical treatment.

Assuming your wife is visiting the UK on a tourist visa she is only entitled to emergency treatment from the NHS, any ongoing treatment will be charged for.

There will always some people who will tell you that they have beaten the system, and nobody ever checks, that is no longer the case. in these austere times NHS hospitals now ensure that only entitled people receive ongoing treatment.

I'm a British Citizen and I always purchase insurance when I visit as I no longer qualify for ongoing treatment.

World Nomads are a good company and you can book online from Thailand, the code NEWYEAR13 will get you a 10% discount.

Hi Al

I would not worry too much. No one is refused access to a doctor or hospital in the UK and there is no requirement to produce insurance

documents in a hospital prior to treatment. She is your wife and that's all you need to tell the local medical practice. My wife lived in the UK

for 12 years before we bothered to get a NI number. Although she has a UK passport we have never been asked for it.

I'd certainly get her registered to your local practice and she'll be allocated a medical card.

Your wife is/was a resident; as theoldgit explains, the rules are different for non residents.

Most, if not all, GPs these days will want to see some proof of residence and entitlement to NHS treatment before registering a new patient.

BTW, having a NI number or not has nothing to do with one's entitlement to NHS treatment.

Hi Al

I would not worry too much. No one is refused access to a doctor or hospital in the UK and there is no requirement to produce insurance

documents in a hospital prior to treatment. She is your wife and that's all you need to tell the local medical practice. My wife lived in the UK

for 12 years before we bothered to get a NI number. Although she has a UK passport we have never been asked for it.

I'd certainly get her registered to your local practice and she'll be allocated a medical card.

Your wife is/was a resident; as theoldgit explains, the rules are different for non residents.

Most, if not all, GPs these days will want to see some proof of residence and entitlement to NHS treatment before registering a new patient.

BTW, having a NI number or not has nothing to do with one's entitlement to NHS treatment.

Correct. But for a local doctors practice all you need is a bank statement or bill addressed to your place of residence. Joint statements are the norm and so easy to organise.

Emergency treatment is given without documentation. The UK is not like the USA or Thailand where proof of insurance is needed before they scrape you off the road and put the bits back together.

As its only going to be for 6 months for now I will just look at getting her some insurance just to be safe. If we eventually gain a settlement visa then I would look at more realistic options. I will give that website a go mentioned above, thanks to all who replied.

May we suggest Travel Insurance? Quite straightforward and not expensive ?

May we suggest Travel Insurance? Quite straightforward and not expensive ?

We used LMG Insurance arranged through AA Insurace Brokers. It cost 6,500 BHT for 140 days "Gold" cover for Travel, Sickness and Accident cover.

Hi !

This The best insurance of all!

http://www.mondial-assistance.com/

Have every where in the word!

More expensive then others, but coverage is high!

Last year got exident in thailand the brought me home

By bisness class airline

and payed for everything include operation and payed 20000€

The product what your wife need is called visitor insurance !

For every month around 100€!

Make sure you cover the full time during the stay at one time payment for have year!

It's not possible make extension ,when you are abroad not in your home country and insurance running out then is no possibility to extend, must everything payed in total before the journey begin !

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One word about covering maximum amount for thai insurance , this is ok when you travel inside Thailand or Asia because the maximum coverage is enough for this countrys,because hospital coasts are lower!

If there would be a expensive operation in europe I think the cheap thai insurance has lower total coverage!

Mondeal offer if I remember right up to 130000€ for all medical care need!

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Correct. But for a local doctors practice all you need is a bank statement or bill addressed to your place of residence. Joint statements are the norm and so easy to organise..

So you are suggesting defrauding the NHS? And lying to your bank about your address?

Emergency treatment is given without documentation. The UK is not like the USA or Thailand where proof of insurance is needed before they scrape you off the road and put the bits back together.

Correct; but only for the initial emergency treatment in A&E. Any follow up treatment, or if admitted to a ward, will be charged for.

If visiting the UK; get insurance; don't rely on being able to con the NHS.

Travel insurance is an option but under EU law your wife is entitled to free medical care as she is your wife.

Much as hospital managers may wish to recover money from foreign patients the legal system

prevents chasing those patients back to their home countries.

The whole business of free access to medical facilities in the UK is a mess.

This from a recent news story

Illegal immigrants must be given free treatment by GPs, under a hugely controversial edict handed down by NHS managers.

The doctors will be paid £64 a year for each migrant they put on their books – the same amount they receive for all new patients.

The guidance, which was slipped out in July, states that an overseas visitor can register with a doctor provided they are in the area for more than 24 hours.

A GP’s appointment cannot be withheld on the grounds that the patient does not have personal identification or proof of residence.

The instruction also says that past or present payment of taxes or National Insurance is not to be taken into account.

Last night, Whitehall sources said Jeremy Hunt was ‘concerned’ by the edict, which was issued before he became Health Secretary in September.

Officials said a review of the rules is under way to see if they need to be tightened. Two senior MPs have also written to the Prime Minister demanding the instruction – designed to protect the human rights of foreign visitors – be withdrawn immediately.

Thai hospitals want the money or insurance details before they touch you however grave the condition.

Don't take the chance! Insure. The NHS will check if there is expensive work to be done.

My wife was insured and visited the local 'drop in' clinics a couple of times over the years and there were no questions asked. The NHS seems happy to offer this to all, visitors or not. Fine for minor ailments but not a big emergency.

If you end up with a big bill and fail to pay it there can be major repercussions for future visas.

Morally a visitor has no right to free NHS treatment either!

May we suggest Travel Insurance? Quite straightforward and not expensive ?

What would I be looking at for 6-9 months in europe price wise?

May we suggest Travel Insurance? Quite straightforward and not expensive ?

What would I be looking at for 6-9 months in europe price wise?

Our LMG insurance for the UK was 6,505 Baht for 140 days arranged thru AA Brokers.

For the Gold plan:-

1st 30 days 1,500 Baht

then 455 Baht per 10 days thereafter

You can calculate your 6 - 9 months from that...

I'd advise getting insurance for yourself as well. UK expats are not entitled to free NHS care according to this story.

Expatriate Britons have been caught up in a major crackdown on ' health tourists' announced by the Government yesterday.

Under new restrictions, people who fly to Britain to exploit the NHS will be denied free care.

The ban preventing visitors and failed asylum seekers from milking the system is likely to come into force by next April.

Health Minister John Hutton warned that health tourism was a 'significant' problem and swift action was needed to safeguard the NHS for taxpayers.

The new rules may lead to all patients being asked for proof of residence, such as a passport or electricity bill.

However, pensioners from the UK who live abroad for more than half the year will be denied free treatment.

No matter how much they have paid in tax and National Insurance over the years, such expatriates will now have to pay for NHS care back in Britain.

Only treatment for emergencies - such as heart attacks, accidents or sudden illness - will still be free.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-204961/UK-expats-fall-victim-health-tourism.html#ixzz2F1F7gR8f

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I have only lived in thailand for 2 years, during that time I was back in england but only for 1 month. We will be living here eventually once I can sort a settlement visa out.

Is it cheaper going with a thai company for travel insurance or go with a UK company if its possible?

I think I am going with BUPA health insurance, the package and prices look reasonable.

Look on mondial insurance site.

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