Expat Health Insurance

[machesta]

Anybody have any recommendations for health insurance? I have moved here, and here I stay.

[madmitch]

Do a search. There must be 100 threads asking the same.

[Lite Beer]

Moved to the Insurance Forum.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Find a good English speaking insurance broker who can advise you on what some of the different companies have to offer.

A lot depends on what your needs are, how your health and health prospects are, whether or not you have a lot of pre-existing conditions that likely will be excluded by any Thai insurer, whether you want insurance just for yourself or a family, etc etc. And also on your budget -- how much you want to spend/how much you can spend.

There are Thai based insurers who a lot of us use, and then there are international/non-Thai based plans/companies that many use. It seems to me that the Thai companies generally have better prices, but they also may have more limitations/caps/exclusions on their coverage. Just depends on what you need and what you expect.

Whomever you end up with, you also want to make sure you know upfront how that/any company handles their payments with hospitals and which hospitals you can use. Most local insurers have a list of hospitals that are eligible to use under their plan. Make sure you see that list and check it against the area where you are living. Also make sure you know how they handle billing, as in, will the hospitals accept direct payment by the insurer (better), or, you will have to pay upfront and then file for reimbursement from your insurer (worse).

Some of the competitively priced/better reputation Thai health insurers are LMG (Liberty Mutual) and BUPA. I'm not sure on whom to mention among the international insurers.

Here's one place you can contact for further info:

http://www.e-insurethailand.com/health