Health Insurance For Long Term Abroad For Over 60's

[nong38]

You could have a look at CIGNA who's ad is on the page to give you an idea.

No ads on my pages

Comes up on mine all the time www.cignaglobal.com

[nong38]

If you are between the ages of 60 and 65 there are 4 companies in Thailand that will insure you. (5, if you include AXA IE)

If you enroll with Bupa at age 60, the coverage is renewable for life. If you enroll beteween the ages of 61 to 65 the coverage is renewable to age 70. You can't enroll with Bupa at age 66 or beyond.

One Thai owned company will allow you to enroll to age 65 and will insure you to age 80.

One Thai-based company from the USA will insure you for life, but, if you enroll at age 60 and above, you have to take a physical.

One Thai-based company out of New Zeland will insure you for life and won't require a physical.

If you are age 66 and older, only these last 2 Thai-based companies will insure you.

But, there are still a number of International companies you can still apply with.

You need to look how steeply the premiums rise and when you hit 80 you are on your own again, might as well be on your own at 60, have your slush fund, lead a healthy life style and hope for the best, we all need a bit of luck!

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Are you just passing through or will you be living here ?

I purchased a home, (even though they some say you can't) live here full time and am covered under the government program

I have wonderful care when needed. Alive to talk about it. and Happy with no cost out of my pocket monthly or yearly except the small cost when I do see a Doctor. (usually 30 baht)

[nong38]

Are you just passing through or will you be living here ?

I purchased a home, (even though they some say you can't) live here full time and am covered under the government program

I have wonderful care when needed. Alive to talk about it. and Happy with no cost out of my pocket monthly or yearly except the small cost when I do see a Doctor. (usually 30 baht)

I am assuming you have the Blue book or the Yellow book which in some areas appears to give you free accesss to the Govt Hospitals. The downside is that you need to get there early to register umpteen times before anything happens, in an emergency that might not work to well.

[o2eZy]

I contacted cigna global health service and was given a quote of over $300 a week

responded I could fly back home and free medical

[sylvieg]

Hi, Axa is the best i found for my father 65 years old

[AgentYoghurt]

William Russell enrols people aged up till 60 something, while A+ International enrols up to 70 y.o. You can check them out in most online insurance broker websites. Cheers.

[nong38]

As you probably are aware I am for self insurance, late 60's I not seen as good risk, just a source of income.

What Iam currently doing is this, every time my self insurance fund reaches 10,000bts I squirrel it away in one of those 6 month funds at currently about 2.8%, so in time I hope to have a few and maturing throughout the year and making me a bit on the principal, I am of the opinion that should you need it back in a hurry it would not be a problem bu worth checking it out. One of mine overran and I was paid for the extra time so I think that perhaps if you needed it quickly the interest would be for the time in the fund, previously I had been expecting to lose the interest completely.

[nong38]

A report today in the UK about private health insurance concluded that there was too little competition and the public paying over the odds. It all seemed to revolve around 5 multi national companies, 2 were British. It does not make good reading and re inforces my view that at an age of 60+ you should self insure rather than pay over the odds for something that might not give you what you think should get. Insurance plays on your fear.

[koeman]

Hi, I am 65 and planning to stay in Thailand for some time, 3 month, 1 year, to the end...? I am from Austria, retired and covered by general austrian heath care system. I wonder if an additional healt care insurance is necessary when in Thailand, I just could pay the bills and reclaim it from my insurance at home. Is there anybody from austria or similarly organised countries (Germany, Sweden, Norway, etc.) living in Thailand and how they handle this? thanks for your inputs

[JLCrab]

Self-insurance and establishing a reserve to cover possible medical costs are not the same thing; self insurance means retaining the nominal or expected costs oneself and purchasing an insurance policy to cover the catastrophic outliers. One can establish a reserve to pay for any contingency but that is not 'insurance' as there is no element of probability in paying a small fixed cost to cover a possible large loss.

Or more bluntly, as referenced above, you are not self-insured; you just have no insurance.

[AgentYoghurt]

Hi, I am 65 and planning to stay in Thailand for some time, 3 month, 1 year, to the end...? I am from Austria, retired and covered by general austrian heath care system. I wonder if an additional healt care insurance is necessary when in Thailand, I just could pay the bills and reclaim it from my insurance at home. Is there anybody from austria or similarly organised countries (Germany, Sweden, Norway, etc.) living in Thailand and how they handle this? thanks for your inputs

Hi koeman.

The medical costs in SEA are low and I don't think it would be necessary to get luxurious insurance plans to get yourself covered. However you sound like you are retiring to Thailand. When you get older, it might be too expensive or even impossible for you to be enrolled into any health insurance plans. If I were you, I would definitely look for insurance asap. You might wanna check our William Russell and A+ International. They offer tailored plans to SEA countries, which are obviously cheaper. And their enrolment age limit is quite high. It's your health, well-being and life we are talking about. I highly recommend you to invest in your own health now.

Cheers

[koeman]

Hi, I am 65 and planning to stay in Thailand for some time, 3 month, 1 year, to the end...? I am from Austria, retired and covered by general austrian heath care system. I wonder if an additional healt care insurance is necessary when in Thailand, I just could pay the bills and reclaim it from my insurance at home. Is there anybody from austria or similarly organised countries (Germany, Sweden, Norway, etc.) living in Thailand and how they handle this? thanks for your inputs

[koeman]

Hi, I am 65 and planning to stay in Thailand for some time, 3 month, 1 year, to the end...? I am from Austria, retired and covered by general austrian heath care system. I wonder if an additional healt care insurance is necessary when in Thailand, I just could pay the bills and reclaim it from my insurance at home. Is there anybody from austria or similarly organised countries (Germany, Sweden, Norway, etc.) living in Thailand and how they handle this? thanks for your inputs

Hi koeman.

The medical costs in SEA are low and I don't think it would be necessary to get luxurious insurance plans to get yourself covered. However you sound like you are retiring to Thailand. When you get older, it might be too expensive or even impossible for you to be enrolled into any health insurance plans. If I were you, I would definitely look for insurance asap. You might wanna check our William Russell and A+ International. They offer tailored plans to SEA countries, which are obviously cheaper. And their enrolment age limit is quite high. It's your health, well-being and life we are talking about. I highly recommend you to invest in your own health now.

Cheers

thanks, AgentYoghurt, just saw your replie after I posted my request again - sorry... actually I am fully covered at home, the only inconveninece is that in case of accident/illness I need to pay upfront and reclaim the cost (usually they pay 80%) later at home - an additional travel insurance would pay directly upfront and they reclaim the 80% from my ASVG insurance.- anyhow, just wanted to know, how other austrian fellows are handling this.

[stevenl]

Hi, I am 65 and planning to stay in Thailand for some time, 3 month, 1 year, to the end...? I am from Austria, retired and covered by general austrian heath care system. I wonder if an additional healt care insurance is necessary when in Thailand, I just could pay the bills and reclaim it from my insurance at home. Is there anybody from austria or similarly organised countries (Germany, Sweden, Norway, etc.) living in Thailand and how they handle this? thanks for your inputs

Hi koeman.

The medical costs in SEA are low and I don't think it would be necessary to get luxurious insurance plans to get yourself covered. However you sound like you are retiring to Thailand. When you get older, it might be too expensive or even impossible for you to be enrolled into any health insurance plans. If I were you, I would definitely look for insurance asap. You might wanna check our William Russell and A+ International. They offer tailored plans to SEA countries, which are obviously cheaper. And their enrolment age limit is quite high. It's your health, well-being and life we are talking about. I highly recommend you to invest in your own health now.

Cheers

thanks, AgentYoghurt, just saw your replie after I posted my request again - sorry... actually I am fully covered at home, the only inconveninece is that in case of accident/illness I need to pay upfront and reclaim the cost (usually they pay 80%) later at home - an additional travel insurance would pay directly upfront and they reclaim the 80% from my ASVG insurance.- anyhow, just wanted to know, how other austrian fellows are handling this.

You're probably far better of asking your question on a national Thailand forum, if there is no Thailand forum in Austria I'm sure there are several in Germany so you can converse in German. Or check a Swedish, Dutch etc. forum and converse in English.

[cooked]

Go to a hospital that suits you/fills you with confidence. Ask them which insurance they recommend. I use http://www.thaihealth.co.th/product_simply.php

Entry available up to the age of 65. I paid 10 000 this year, will be paying 15 000 a year until I am 70 from next year. Minimal coverage but as someone suggested above, useful for initial emergency care, I also have a local agent who will look after me. ALSO: saving 6 500.- a month, and am looking at repatriation insurance with the same company next year.

[Billy The Kid]

I am 65 and I pay 139,000 bhat a year with a 30,000 excess with NZI a New Zealand company in Thailand. It covers me for only Major medical has all the odds and sods I would need. had it for 5 years lucky never claimed as yet

139,000 bt is bit too much in my own opinion , does that include your wife ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

NZI is an international company, whereas some of the other insurers are Thai only companies.

But in the end, it comes down to what kind of coverage and terms you're getting for the money you pay.

How much per day for inpatient hospital benefit? What kind of exclusions? Per incident/year/lifetime limits on the policy? Inpatient and outpatient coverage?

And, just as importantly, renewal policy once a policy holder gets older, reaches 60 or 65 or 70. A lot of insurers in the Thai market will not renew policy holders once they get older... So you've paid and paid in earlier years, and then suddenly you're dropped.

This is one of those areas where the details really matter, and customers who don't pay attention to them might find themselves in trouble.

[Teddy1]

What is the best health insurance and cheapest that covers medical, dental and vision in Miami, FL?

[JLCrab]

From BUPA Thailand website:

Guarantee lifetime renewal

You can renew your policy with us for lifelong if you apply your health insurance before 60 years old. It guarantees you that you will always be protected by Bupa even if you are at your old ages.

The up-the-creek-without-a -paddle 'suddenly you're dropped' comments I would take with proverbial grain-of-salt as this is in the formal policy wording as well.

[JLCrab]

From BUPA Thailand website:

Guarantee lifetime renewal

You can renew your policy with us for lifelong if you apply your health insurance before 60 years old. It guarantees you that you will always be protected by Bupa even if you are at your old ages.

The up-the-creek-without-a -paddle 'suddenly you're dropped' comments I would take with proverbial grain-of-salt as this is in the formal policy wording as well.

Edited September 13, 2013 by JLCrab

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If you're referring to my prior post, I wasn't referencing BUPA at all, but rather, a lot of other health insurers in the Thai market who DO cease coverage for their policyholders once they reach certain ages.

From what I've gathered here, the health insurance companies in the Thai market that don't cancel for age are more the exception, whereas those that do seem to be more common.

[JLCrab]

Any health insurer in Thailand that advertised or claimed in its policy wording that it will guarantee renewal on persons who enroll before age 60 and who continuously pay their premiums or similar representations and then deny renewal without justifiable cause would be in violation of Section 31 of the Thai Non-Life Insurance Act of 1992 / 2008 -- I do not think any insurer in Thailand would risk such encounter with The Thai Insurance Commission just to dump some old farang.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

We must be talking about different things, JL....

I'm NOT talking about health insurers who promise lifetime renewals if premiums are paid, and then don't honor that.

I'm talking about a lot of Thai insurers who clearly state at the outset that they won't renew health insurance policies beyond some certain ages. Apparently, that's not at all uncommon here.

[JLCrab]

We must be talking about different things, JL....

I'm NOT talking about health insurers who promise lifetime renewals if premiums are paid, and then don't honor that.

I'm talking about a lot of Thai insurers who clearly state at the outset that they won't renew health insurance policies beyond some certain ages. Apparently, that's not at all uncommon here.

So if it is clearly printed in the policy wording that they are not guaranteed life time renewal, why the use of the word 'suddenly'? Why would anybody say in his 50s as referenced in Post #48 purchase health insurance from a company that could refuse to renew the policy without cause when one reaches age 60 etc. and then be surprised when the policy is cancelled regardless of claim history?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As I said, I wasn't referring to any specific prior post... Just talking the general health insurance market in Thailand...

For me, the issue of renewability was one of the first things I looked for when I chose an insurance policy for Thailand.

But a lot of people, younger and older too, may just check about the price and amount or type of coverage...and not even think ahead to what will happen with the policy 10 or 20 years in the future.

And frankly, with all the details that go into choosing health insurance, the detail about whether a policy is renewable for life or not often isn't anywhere near the top of all the info that the insurance companies present in their marketing materials.

Bottom line: if you are planning to want Thai health insurance in your older years, make sure you get a policy you like and can keep before you turn 55 or 60, which are common cutoff ages for writing new coverage here, and make sure it's renewable for as long as you're willing to make the premiums. Those are the exception, not the rule, here.

[JLCrab]

OK -- If lifetime renewal is part of the insurance (under the prescribed conditions) it will certainly say so in the marketing package or on the website even it is not in the top headline. If one cannot find it at all, maybe they should be looking elsewhere.

[RobFord]

OK. How's this for a strategy?

I'm over 60, thinking of retiring long term in Thailand and don't expect any company to provide health insurance under those circumstances.

1. Take out accident insurance incase I'm hit by a tuktuk and break an arm or a leg or otherwise have to spend a time in hospital (upset tummy).

2. If I'm diagnosed with a heart condition or cancer etc. take the next flight back to Canada, pay the $750 and make a doctors appointment to confirm the diagnosis and determine long term care.

If I have a sudden jammer it's likely over anyway and they can all fight over the spoils.

Whadda' ya' think?

[sms747]

I am 65 and I pay 139,000 bhat a year with a 30,000 excess with NZI a New Zealand company in Thailand. It covers me for only Major medical has all the odds and sods I would need. had it for 5 years lucky never claimed as yet

Don't you think it would have been as well to put the cash aside in case you need medical help? 139k is a lot of cash and there are bound to be things not covered for when you do need it

[harrry]

I took out BUPA at age 60, I am now 62 and my renewal premium for the Ruby plan (08RR) was 28,099 baht

Did another quote request on their website and got this for 5,000 quid excess and no repatriation... Mr donal d duck 14/02/1947 65 Male British United Kingdom No cover Your Worldwide Health Options plan

for cover starting on 24-Dec-2012 Change your options Mr donal d duck Worldwide Medical Insurance

(GBP 5,000.00 Deductible) GBP 2,318.54

That's about 115,000 baht per year

May be an idea to check after the 24 december, Ducks are high risk over the Christmas Dinner Period.

I think you ought to read the Affordible Health Care thread in the health forum. Although this new Government plan will not suit many it may be helpful in a catostophic situation.