Health insurance for my son

[flip]

Hello!

I would like to get a health insurance for my 4 year old son... Any recomendations?

Would be more than happy if "only" can use/go to Mission hospital for example as I was there always happy with the service. (maybe will ask there at the hospital too and maybe they can offer me an insurance as well?)

I guess, a local thai insurance cannot be that expensive too!!?

Thnks a lot

[falkan]

thai or foreigner?

[flip]

thai (has 2 citizenships actually..)

[madmitch]

Try a scheme from the local bank or AIA. And have a look in the insurance forum. You are not looking for high limits and a 4 year old will not be too expensive.

[stevenl]

Try a scheme from the local bank or AIA. And have a look in the insurance forum. You are not looking for high limits and a 4 year old will not be too expensive.

I would check Bupa, much better value IMO than AIA.

But: kids are more expensive than (young) adults.

[flip]

Hi!

I'm actually looking for a "local/thai" insurance for Thai people... As I wrote I'm fine/happy with Mission hospital for example! Don't need one of these expensive BUPA or AIA "farang/expat" insurance, absolutely not necessary..!

Thnks

[LivinginKata]

If you want a local Thai insurance then I would guess you need to use something like the Siam Commercial Bank health insurance. Years ago I tried to find a 'Thai' health insurance company, hard to find, all wanted to link with life insurance. I found one company but they stopped providing heath only insurance (for new customers) about 4 years ago.

[stevenl]

Hi!

I'm actually looking for a "local/thai" insurance for Thai people... As I wrote I'm fine/happy with Mission hospital for example! Don't need one of these expensive BUPA or AIA "farang/expat" insurance, absolutely not necessary..!

Thnks

Bupa Thailand is a typical example of a local Thai insurance for Thai people.

[LivinginKata]

Bupa Thailand is a typical example of a local Thai insurance for Thai people.

Yes, I agree with you stevenl that BUPA Blue Cross is a Thai registered company, but they 'seem' to charge western style premiums, or at least higher premiums than say the SCB. Not knocking BUPA, I have our health insurance with BUPA.

[NamKangMan]

Hi!

I'm actually looking for a "local/thai" insurance for Thai people... As I wrote I'm fine/happy with Mission hospital for example! Don't need one of these expensive BUPA or AIA "farang/expat" insurance, absolutely not necessary..!

Thnks

"farang/expat" insurance, absolutely not necessary..!" - I would suggest otherwise, but each to their own.

[stevenl]

Bupa Thailand is a typical example of a local Thai insurance for Thai people.

Yes, I agree with you stevenl that BUPA Blue Cross is a Thai registered company, but they 'seem' to charge western style premiums, or at least higher premiums than say the SCB. Not knocking BUPA, I have our health insurance with BUPA.

Bupa Thailand? No, far from western premiums, and a lot cheaper than the international ones like Bupa International, Allianz, LMG, AIA, etc.

SCB etc, make sure you get health insurance and not accident insurance.

Edited July 15, 2013 by stevenl

[Sheryl]

Yes, BUPA Thailand is the most commonly used insurance by Thais who have private insurance...which is a distinct minority of Thais since there is free universal health care here. Which your son is eligible for, though it won't cover him at Mission or other private hospitals, only at government hospital. If you feel it worth paying for private insurance so that he can be treated in private hospitals then I would suggest BUPA. But you may find that the OPD option costs more additional than it is worth given the relative affordability of outpatient visits. (You can get it for inpatient only at lower rates).

[LivinginKata]

Bupa Thailand? No, far from western premiums, and a lot cheaper than the international ones like Bupa International, Allianz, LMG, AIA, etc.

SCB etc, make sure you get health insurance and not accident insurance.

Yes, sure BUPA Blue Cross, Thailand. I had BUPA International before I settled in Thailand. Premiums back then were horrendous, but did I really need millions of UK pounds cover if I was settling in Thailand. No ...

[madmitch]

BUPA Thailand (Blue Cross) is OK. AIA is aimed at Thais and not farangs. LMG have a reasonably priced family plan, but not sure they will accept a 4 year old without any other family members. But my original suggestion was use the bank and someone else mentioned SCB. But take their advice and make sure you are getting the right coverage.

Premiums may well go down when your child reaches the age of five or six. And don't buy out-patient coverage for a child as it can be very pricey.

[NamKangMan]

I am single, and rather than research it myself, for which there will be no need, I'll simply ask the question.

Do these insurance companies offer "family cover?"

If so, why wouldn't you just purchase an insurance product that covers yourself, your child and your wife?

If you are insured, and you want to insure your child, why not a family plan for all of you?

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

Premiums may well go down when your child reaches the age of five or six. And don't buy out-patient coverage for a child as it can be very pricey.

Agree about OP cover. With BUPA the extra premium for OP make zero sense at all. I was amazed at how much out patient cover cost compared with the reality of actual cover/cost. Better to just pay direct yourself.

[flip]

i asked at mission hospital and they dont offer health insurances.... plus asked at SCB, no insurance for a 4 year old available as well...!

bupa around 13000 baht ++ per year but coverage is very basic...!

[madmitch]

I think LMG's Family Plan comes in at less than 10,000 baht for coverage up to 1.25m baht excluding outpatient. I'm not in Phuket right now so don't have access to the brochure but you can get a quote from their website.

[phuketsub]

I got an insurance "package" for my daughter from AIA shortly after she was born (she is almost 8 now) and I consider it a really sound investment as she has been hospitalized quite a few times for various things, mostly just fevers. I think it works out to about 10,000 baht/year, which includes extra accident insurance. Not a year has passed when we claimed less than 10,000 baht

It only covers in-patient treatment, which means there have been borderline times when I chose to admit her when I otherwise would not have, knowing that really all she needed was to stay home from school and rest up.

However, this also seems to work well for wage slaves like myself because it is easier to tell a boss you have to miss a day of work because your daughter is in the hospital, rather than 'she doesn't feel well'.

I always have her treated at Mission, where she was born. I am generally happy with their services, though I think they tend to over-prescribe medicine (obviously a key revenue stream at all hospitals) and I am not too fond of the bland food there.

Other good parts of the AIA "package" we use:

1. When she reaches 20 she will get back around 200,000 baht

2. If I pass away, she will still get all of the benefits without anyone having to continue the annual premiums, so it is sort of like a form of life insurance as well.

The agent we used is a really nice former neighbor who is also like an aunt to my daughter, so we never have any problems with filing all the paperwork. Send me a PM if you want her contact details.

[NamKangMan]

I got an insurance "package" for my daughter from AIA shortly after she was born (she is almost 8 now) and I consider it a really sound investment as she has been hospitalized quite a few times for various things, mostly just fevers. I think it works out to about 10,000 baht/year, which includes extra accident insurance. Not a year has passed when we claimed less than 10,000 baht

It only covers in-patient treatment, which means there have been borderline times when I chose to admit her when I otherwise would not have, knowing that really all she needed was to stay home from school and rest up.

However, this also seems to work well for wage slaves like myself because it is easier to tell a boss you have to miss a day of work because your daughter is in the hospital, rather than 'she doesn't feel well'.

I always have her treated at Mission, where she was born. I am generally happy with their services, though I think they tend to over-prescribe medicine (obviously a key revenue stream at all hospitals) and I am not too fond of the bland food there.

Other good parts of the AIA "package" we use:

1. When she reaches 20 she will get back around 200,000 baht

2. If I pass away, she will still get all of the benefits without anyone having to continue the annual premiums, so it is sort of like a form of life insurance as well.

The agent we used is a really nice former neighbor who is also like an aunt to my daughter, so we never have any problems with filing all the paperwork. Send me a PM if you want her contact details.

I asked this general question, but received no replies.

If you are insured, your wife/girlfriend is insured, and you have insured your daughter, wouldn't a family plan be cheaper and less paperwork?

[phuketsub]

I got an insurance "package" for my daughter from AIA shortly after she was born (she is almost 8 now) and I consider it a really sound investment as she has been hospitalized quite a few times for various things, mostly just fevers. I think it works out to about 10,000 baht/year, which includes extra accident insurance. Not a year has passed when we claimed less than 10,000 baht

It only covers in-patient treatment, which means there have been borderline times when I chose to admit her when I otherwise would not have, knowing that really all she needed was to stay home from school and rest up.

However, this also seems to work well for wage slaves like myself because it is easier to tell a boss you have to miss a day of work because your daughter is in the hospital, rather than 'she doesn't feel well'.

I always have her treated at Mission, where she was born. I am generally happy with their services, though I think they tend to over-prescribe medicine (obviously a key revenue stream at all hospitals) and I am not too fond of the bland food there.

Other good parts of the AIA "package" we use:

1. When she reaches 20 she will get back around 200,000 baht

2. If I pass away, she will still get all of the benefits without anyone having to continue the annual premiums, so it is sort of like a form of life insurance as well.

The agent we used is a really nice former neighbor who is also like an aunt to my daughter, so we never have any problems with filing all the paperwork. Send me a PM if you want her contact details.

I asked this general question, but received no replies.

If you are insured, your wife/girlfriend is insured, and you have insured your daughter, wouldn't a family plan be cheaper and less paperwork?

We are all insured under different plans with different agencies, mine through the government Social Security scheme which gives good healthcare for jut 365 baht/month, even though I have been technically unemployed for almost a year.