Do i need more than travel insurance

[swbloke]

Hello TV members

I'm planning six months in the north of Thailand.

I've just booked travel insurance for six months, that includes emergency medical care of 2 million GBP and repatriation of a silly amount. If i get very seriously ill or have an accident i will return home for treatment. This seem sufficient to me, am i missing something? This may seem like a stupid question but previously I've only travelled for a month or so at the longest.

Thanks for your help, on this thread (and the great help I've had on other questions).

[DoctorG]

I have done trips up to a year at a time on travel insurance. I cannot imagine what else you need. I do not really understand the question.

[Dogbarker]

Hi ,

You seem well covered .. I am here for 7 months using backpacker insurance .

I have placed a link here someone may find it useful .

http://www.worldnomads.com/?gclid=CPOp7J6CjL0CFapU4god_3wAWA#axzz2viLFEJka

One other tip .. if you are leaving your HOME residence unattended check out your insurance there .

oh and remember visa duration :-)

Regards

Pat

[seedy]

If you plan on renting a bike or car, make sure that this is covered in your medical policy.

Accident coverage with some companies does not cover what they call ' Dangerous recreation ' like motorcycle riding, bungee jumping, white water rafting, etc.

Altho' bungee jumping accidents do not usually result in any medical treatment - other than that provided by the squegee crew.

[ThaidDown]

If you rent or ride a motorbike without a valid motorcycle licence (home country or Thai) you will not be covered in case of accident.

[buzzz51]

Hello TV members

I'm planning six months in the north of Thailand.

I've just booked travel insurance for six months, that includes emergency medical care of 2 million GBP and repatriation of a silly amount. If i get very seriously ill or have an accident i will return home for treatment. This seem sufficient to me, am i missing something? This may seem like a stupid question but previously I've only travelled for a month or so at the longest.

Thanks for your help, on this thread (and the great help I've had on other questions).

[buzzz51]

May be worth mentioning to the insurance co the amount of time you will be out of the UK as most standard travel/holiday insurance cos stipulate that you can only be out of the uk for 60 or 90 days in one trip, you clearly will be out longer, just a thought as this tripped me up, thankfully I didn't need to use the policy, all the best of luck

[davejones23]

Personally I'd rather have medical treatment at a good hospital in Bangkok than back in the UK. Much better. UK hospitals are often on a par with developing world hospitals. The best Bangkok hospitals are like 5* hotels for a fraction on the price.

Don't forget that if you're out on the UK for over 90 days that you're not entitled to free NHS treatment. You might get away with it, but legally you won't be entitled to it. NHS treatment is residency based (not citizenship based).

[tango]

If you rent or ride a motorbike without a valid motorcycle licence (home country or Thai) you will not be covered in case of accident.

If you are hospitalized because of an accident with a m/c as rider or as passenger, even with a proper license, you may well NOT be covered, or only partly covered. Best read the fine print!

[iamariva1957]

If you rent or ride a motorbike without a valid motorcycle licence (home country or Thai) you will not be covered in case of accident.

Nonsense.

[seedy]

NHS treatment is residency based (not citizenship based).

This is being discussed in Canada now too - the time you spend out of the country versus your coverage.

Now - in Yukon - if you spend the 'majority' of your time, 183 days, in residence you are covered by health care. Talk now is to drop this back to 90 days. No decision yet, but I fear the worst.

Will put a real dent in travel insurance, from Canada anyway, where your provincial or territorial health care insurance must be valid for your travel insurance to be valid.

There are many people - retired - who travel south for the winter, and this will effect them the worst.

My solution - buy health care insurance here.

[GordonP]

I used similar insurance for many trips without problems. Yes, check the m/c clause, policies do vary.

Although not evidently relevant in this case, be careful of the six month residency clause in some UK policies, which in the very small print state that you have been in the UK for six months prior to embarking on the trip for which the policy relates. It caught me out a couple of years ago as the periods that I stay in Thailand got longer and time in UK shorter. Fortunately when I pointed this out to my broker who had sold me all the other policies he was able to cancel and refund me

[swbloke]

Thanks for the helpful responses in particular checking motorcycle cover and the the issue that HNS is residence based.

[humqdpf]

Be very careful with the conditions imposed on travel insurance. Some will restrict the number of months spent on one trip. Many will only reimburse after the fact whereas most of us would prefer not to have to negotiate a loan while getting treatment for a head injury or malaria or some other debilitating illness! And most of these travel insurance policies will only invoke the repatriation or evacuation benefits after very restrictive conditions are met - it would be no fun to have to pay for that up front and be reimbursed later.

I agree with a previous contributor - better to get yourself real health insurance from a well-known international health insurer that would be recognised by a quality Thai hospital. I use BUPA International which is not cheap but is recognised worldwide - the hospital makes a phone call and gets pre-authorization for the treatment (unless you are in some countries in Africa).