Stuck with a Health insurance

[insurancegreenlife]

I have done a healt insurance but not hot happy with this insurance.With out compare this insurance with outher policies i buy it.I can't stop it.So what should i do now??...

[cooked]

Wait one year, not forgetting to give in notice in due time of wishing to discontinue and try not to get over 60 years old in the meantime

[oogster8]

are you a native thai speeker?

[gcbruk]

I have no health insurance and recently had to face a fairly hefty hospital bill. I want to get some but not sure what's best. Any advice anyone? I am over sixty, does that make a difference?

[thailandbeachisland]

Please tell us which one to take or not to take ?

[oogster8]

I have no health insurance and recently had to face a fairly hefty hospital bill. I want to get some but not sure what's best. Any advice anyone? I am over sixty, does that make a difference?

OBAMACARE was made to order for guys like you. kind of like buying fire insurance after your house burns down. good luck 2 u.

[movsrus]

Avoid any health insurance policy from Bangkok Life Assurance Ltd. I bought a policy for my girlfriend and her son and they were glad to take the money saying there was a 90 day wait period before they would cover any expenses. That was OK with me but six months into the policy she got sick and was admitted to a hospital in Chiang Mai. When it came time for discharge the insurance company refused to pay and I had to pay out-of-pocket for everything, I spent the better part of a month trying to get information about why the claim was refused but all I got was the run around.

Eventually I told them I wanted the bill paid or my money back. It took almost a month to get the money as well as me going into the main office and creating a disturbance that got everyone's attention. I certainly contributed to the crazy falang attitude among many Thai's but I did eventually get my money back. I really do try and avoid being an a$$hole but there are times I just have to draw the line and say enough is enough.

From my jaded experience I would offer the following suggestions:

1. Require that everything you get from the insurance company be written in English. I had a policy in Thai and was foolish enough to take the word of the salesman that everything was kosher. That was a big mistake on my part.

2. Require that the insurance company pay for a doctor administered physical before the policy goes into effect. The insurance company used the excuse that the reason my girlfriend was hospitalized meant that she had a pre-existing condition that was not identified when the policy was written despite the agent saying at the time that no physical was required.

3. Get an agent that is fluent in English when you negotiate the policy. If the agent isn't fluent, require that someone from the company accompany them and ensure that what you think they are saying is in fact what they mean. Funny how they can understand you when they want then clam up when there is a hassle.

4. Be sure and inquire as to what hospitals are covered in the plan. Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok is not included in many insurance plans as it is considered a "luxury" hospital. Some will cover none of the costs there while others will only pay a percentage of costs and leave you with out of pocket expense that may be significant. Check and ensure which hospitals are covered and which are not.

5. Ask around to some of your mates who have gotten insurance and see which companies they use and why they use them. I have heard that AXA has a good policy although it is expensive when one gets to 60+ years of age.

6. Consider getting a travelers health insurance policy in your home country. There are many available and it may be cheaper to get a six month policy that will pay for emergency medical costs and then a repatriation to your home country if there is a significant injury.

7. If you are a diver, DAN (Divers Alert Network) has a policy that seems affordable and covers diving related injuries as well as non-diving events. It pays for emergency medical care and repatriation with limits depending on how much coverage you want. There are many other plans that do the same thing and may be more cost effective for older people rather than trying to buy health care coverage here in Thailand.

As with many things here, it was a learning experience for me. I eventually got my money back but was out of pocket for a considerable sum for hospitalization costs. My take away from this event was that it is better for me to use the DAN insurance to pay for hospitalization here then get repatriated to the US and use Medicare and my Medigap insurance for anything that requires significant medical intervention.

(Note to moderator- I don't know if there is a prohibition about mentioning specific companies when posting on TV. If so, please delete any offending references as I am not trying to slander or defame any company here in Thailand.)

[belg]

get a 25 year old wife working for the governement, would that not cover her family (you) also ? if you are 60 and she works till 55, than you are safe for the next 30 years

just kidding off course

[JCD]

BUPA

[Balance]

I have no health insurance and recently had to face a fairly hefty hospital bill. I want to get some but not sure what's best. Any advice anyone? I am over sixty, does that make a difference?

I purchased health insurance from AIA about a year ago just after they started selling to farangs. There are 4-5 plans. I got the most highest cost one and it costs me 6,500 THB a month. It also includes 400,000 THB of whole life insurance, which is bundled with the health insurance (you have to buy it). It is pretty good coverage with no deductible or co-pays or life time limit.

You have to be 69 or younger and you can not get coverage after you are 80. I still have Medicare in the U.S., but I don't plan to return.

You should also look into the Thai government insurance that is/was being offered to farang. See attachment.

_ Foreigner Health Insurance Program MOPH Directive.pdf

[mrfaroukh]

If you become a member of Pattaya Expats Club http://pattayaexpatsclub.info/ that cost 600 Baht life time you will have access to few companies offering discounted insurance for the members. They have meetings every Sunday in Merrcure Hotel the road behind the Avenue from 10:30 Am.

I heard BUPA is a good insurance but then you have to be careful to get a good coverage. The cheap one is not always the best. The offer global health insurance that will cover you everywhere in the world.

I always get a 6 months travel insurance and I can call them and extend it for another 3 months. The coverage is quite good and cost me around 10 000 Baht for a 9 months travel insurance which not only cover health but many other things as well.

Try to find the same from your country, you may even pay little extra but then you are cover for all kind of problems.

[Colabamumbai]

Bupa offers health only, in Thailand with a few different plans starting about $500. u.s a year, good till 70 years I think. AIA offers only life not health, from my experience.

Have the forms here for Bupa if anyone is interested can forward PDF.

Another firm contacted me and they wanted 85,000 Baht for a one year policy. A litle pricey as is one of the foreign firms that advertises here.