Do you guys buy insurance when traveling to Thailand

[ultimate weapon]

Any of you guys totally skipped the insurance thing and come uninsured?

[kekalot]

I have but I am quite a young lad at 31. It might be a little bit riskier if you are older

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[ukrules]

No, always get insurance. Any accident and you will need insurance, even if it's not your fault.

[chrisinth]

Don't think I ever travelled anywhere in the world (when I was an active traveler) without insurance. I consider myself lucky that I never needed it, but it was worth having there as a cushion, IMHO.

Insurance in-country is covered (both medical & accident) by the company I am employed by, the family covered by the medical insurance.

[seajae]

before moving here to live I always took out travel insurance when I cam here, its not expensive and can save your butt, it is better to be safe than sorry.....

[steve187]

always best to have it, if your young then its a lot cheaper, accidents can happen to anyone, look how many westerners end up in hospital after a motorcycle accident here .

[ultimate weapon]

I have but I am quite a young lad at 31. It might be a little bit riskier if you are older

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HMMM well yes i suppose the very old above 70 would have difficulty but age isn't the factor it's just a form of protection.

[ToddWeston]

I always always always purchase travel insurance.

I once did a day trip to the USA from Canada and had an accident in a Target store, the bill was in excess of $18,000 for 2 days in hospital and a few broken bones, my annual out of country insurance premium at the time was $89 for unlimited trips up to 7 days.

[Cats4ever]

You bet. Mine is through a credit card. It also assesses pre-existing conditions and covers mine (quadruple by pass).

[NeverSure]

There is a big difference between travel insurance and insurance for long stays. That is hard to get for seniors.

My idea of insurance in Thailand is several Visa cards with limits totaling over US$100,000. What else can you do? (I sure as heck wouldn't trust that much money to a Thai bank if for no other reason than it might be hard to repatriate - JMO)

[CharlieH]

If visiting for a holiday, you would be daft not to buy it.

For the relatively small cost, the peace of mind and benefit it provides its well worth it.

[craigt3365]

Insurance is cheap. Don't forget that most policies don't cover riding a scooter here. Sooooo many stories of foreigners here stuck with massive bills after a bike accident. And you aren't allowed to leave the country until you pay.

[xen]

I have always bought Travel insurance for well over 30 years and never claimed but now with pre-existing medical conditions i am not covered for certian things unless i pay a massive premium and a couple of companies will not insure me for any medical at all - because i take Warfarin as a blood thinner. Some companies will not insure even if you take aspirin if perscribed by the doctor. I still buy Travel insurance and accept that i am not covered for certian things and hope for the best. .

[Dogbarker]

At any age travel insurance is a must to anywhere.If you are long term ill then it can be expensive to buy.

If you are old it is difficult so credit cards are a must.If you are long term you need to consider your options.I am here for 7months and have nomads back packers insurance...even though I am not a back packer it suits all my needs. But no use when I reach 60. Please be careful of bank or credit card insurance as they usually have duration clauses. Remember if you are away from home for a long period you can invalidate that insurance too!

Never get on a motorcycle insurance in thailand.

Have a happy trip!

[NoshowJones]

I have but I am quite a young lad at 31. It might be a little bit riskier if you are older

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I hope you don't ride or travel when you are in Thailand.

[DoctorG]

I always always always purchase travel insurance.

I once did a day trip to the USA from Canada and had an accident in a Target store, the bill was in excess of $18,000 for 2 days in hospital and a few broken bones, my annual out of country insurance premium at the time was $89 for unlimited trips up to 7 days.

Me too Todd. Always have it and have claimed twice, both times in USA. Broken tooth $1000. Kidney stone $7000 for a few hours in hospital without actually being admitted.

[ultimate weapon]

I always always always purchase travel insurance.

I once did a day trip to the USA from Canada and had an accident in a Target store, the bill was in excess of $18,000 for 2 days in hospital and a few broken bones, my annual out of country insurance premium at the time was $89 for unlimited trips up to 7 days.

Accident inside a store that involved broken bones and a hospital stay? What did do inside the store?

[craigt3365]

I always always always purchase travel insurance.

I once did a day trip to the USA from Canada and had an accident in a Target store, the bill was in excess of $18,000 for 2 days in hospital and a few broken bones, my annual out of country insurance premium at the time was $89 for unlimited trips up to 7 days.

Accident inside a store that involved broken bones and a hospital stay? What did do inside the store?

He got in the way of the Black Friday shopping nuts...err....crowds....err....shoppers. 555555

[NeverSure]

Insurance is cheap. Don't forget that most policies don't cover riding a scooter here. Sooooo many stories of foreigners here stuck with massive bills after a bike accident. And you aren't allowed to leave the country until you pay.

What amount do you consider "massive" in Thailand? How much money should a guy have?

Thanks.

[Jasun]

I pay for flights on an airline credit card that includes free travel/medical cover up to 3 months, then top up any extra months with emergency evac cover. Small visits to doctors I handle out of pocket. it works out very cheap and i'm covered 100% for at least half the time, and can at least get home if anything really bad happens.

[wooloomooloo]

I have but I am quite a young lad at 31. It might be a little bit riskier if you are older

Do your parents' own their own property, kekalot? If you required repatriation it would cost upwards of GBP 30,000.00 and that's just for the flight.

Your parents' could potentially have to sell their home or empty their life savings to bring you home. Worth thinking about.

Insurance is cheap. Don't forget that most policies don't cover riding a scooter here. Sooooo many stories of foreigners here stuck with massive bills after a bike accident. And you aren't allowed to leave the country until you pay.

I was talking to a guy on the flight to LOS ten-days ago about travel insurance and I asked him if he was covered for motorcycles and he said he'd never thought to check his policy and thanked me for bringing it to light.

[craigt3365]

Insurance is cheap. Don't forget that most policies don't cover riding a scooter here. Sooooo many stories of foreigners here stuck with massive bills after a bike accident. And you aren't allowed to leave the country until you pay.

What amount do you consider "massive" in Thailand? How much money should a guy have?

Thanks.

I think "massive" is relative. But from what I've seen, unless you have ready access to a minimum of 1 million baht, you "could" be in trouble. Bills in the range of 2 million baht are not unheard of.

Not sure of what the medical bill is for this guy, but it's just one example of what can happen here:

http://www.thephuketnews.com/b1-4-million-raised-for-phuket-bike-crash-victim-41958.php

[mickjn]

I just lent on the table that had sunk in the sand on the beach in Bali,blew a disc in my back.In hospital 13 days escorted back to Australia with a doctor and a nurse.If I didnt have insurance would have cost over $30000, this was many years ago.If you do not have or cannot afford insurance you cannot afford to go on holidays

[mickjn]

I just lent on the table that had sunk in the sand on the beach in Bali,blew a disc in my back.In hospital 13 days escorted back to Australia with a doctor and a nurse.If I didnt have insurance would have cost over $30000, this was many years ago.If you do not have or cannot afford insurance you cannot afford to go on holidays

[robertson468]

No, always get insurance. Any accident and you will need insurance, even if it's not your fault.

Totally agree. It has nothing to do with falling ill, it is the very high likely hood of getting injured on the roads, which are worse than the "keystone cops". Sadly in the last couple of years I have had two friends killed on motorcycle accidents and another who was standing at the side of the road, in broad daylight, waiting to cross and was hit by a motor cyclist and ended up with a broken leg and arm. Anyone who is stupid enough to contemplate staying here without insurance should stand outside A&E for a morning and just watch the volume of people being carted in on stretchers due to road accidents. Wise up folks. And if your riding a motor bike - GET YOUR HELMET ON!

[phitsanulokjohn]

Given that anything can happen at anytime here,you'd be a mug to be here uninsured.In 2004 I had incredible stomach pains,which was later diagnosed as an ulcer.I stayed in Bangkok-Pattaya hospital and later got transferred to a hospital in Bangkok to see a doctor,with a limousine to bring me back home to Pattaya where i was living at the time.The total bill for 8 days was 135,000 baht,no problem my insurance covered the lot, with no excess.

It was like staying in a 5 star hotel and the highlight of the stay was each morning,when one of the beautiful nurses in their white starched uniforms took me for a shower.I soon started to feel better,i can tell you.

NEVER EVER TRAVEL UNINSURED.

[khunPer]

Would be extremely unwise not to have travel insurance when visiting Thailand – lots of horrible stories about people who “forget” to make a travel insurance – I never dared to come without.

[ultimate weapon]

I always always always purchase travel insurance.

I once did a day trip to the USA from Canada and had an accident in a Target store, the bill was in excess of $18,000 for 2 days in hospital and a few broken bones, my annual out of country insurance premium at the time was $89 for unlimited trips up to 7 days.

Accident inside a store that involved broken bones and a hospital stay? What did do inside the store?

He got in the way of the Black Friday shopping nuts...err....crowds....err....shoppers. 555555

Oh man i saw that video. I wonder if anyone got seriously injured i mean everyone was just rushing to grab stuff.

[ultimate weapon]

Given that anything can happen at anytime here,you'd be a mug to be here uninsured.In 2004 I had incredible stomach pains,which was later diagnosed as an ulcer.I stayed in Bangkok-Pattaya hospital and later got transferred to a hospital in Bangkok to see a doctor,with a limousine to bring me back home to Pattaya where i was living at the time.The total bill for 8 days was 135,000 baht,no problem my insurance covered the lot, with no excess.

It was like staying in a 5 star hotel and the highlight of the stay was each morning,when one of the beautiful nurses in their white starched uniforms took me for a shower.I soon started to feel better,i can tell you.

NEVER EVER TRAVEL UNINSURED.

You sure you need someone to help you shower all cos of a stomach ulcer?

Did she shower you? Shower together? ROFL.

[krisb]

I have but I am quite a young lad at 31. It might be a little bit riskier if you are older

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Owww, seriously a mistake.

I used to not do it until that chap in his 30s from the uk think it was had a heart attack and was charged a crazy amount for hospital. Something like 30k baht a day for a long stay. The story was on here but google would have it. Since then and at a cost of a couple hundred dollars, I don't leave without it.