Expat medical insurance

[BaldPlumber]

Hi All

I'll be moving to Jomtien later this year and need to understand what my options & choices are regarding medical insurance.

I'm currently 54 and am quite healthy, but I am concious that I need at least basic cover.

I am not sure what my choices are regarding levels of cover, excesses, exclusions etc.

As I will be, like everyone else, on a budget I am quite cost concious and don't need palatial private rooms with en suite nurses etc.

Does anyone have any current recommendations and contact details of reputable companies that won't leave me high and dry in my hour of need? any guestimates on cost would also be welcome.

Many thanks.

[rainwater]

http://www.thaihealth.co.th/2012/product_wealthy_eng.php

[AAInsuranceBrokers]

You will very near our Pattaya office when you move so you are always welcome to call in when passing but in the mean time for different options/quotes please go HERE

[KittenKong]

"I'm currently 54 and am quite healthy, but I am concious that I need at least basic cover."

I'm not sure.

I'm a bit older than you, healthy but overweight and on (common) medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Personally I self-insure because I can afford it and because insurance policies often seem to pay for things I just would never claim for. I also suspect that people with insurance tend to see the doctor more often, which can result in more costs for tests and medicine than are strictly necessary, which of course just puts the price of the insurance up. This is especially applicable to out-patient costs as these can often be reduced by a factor of 5 or 10 here by buying outside a hospital (tests, scans, medicines). And of course the insurance premium has to cover the agents' fees and company management costs and profit also.

One thing you do need to consider is that as you get older some companies will no longer take you on as a new client (or if they do it will be at much higher rates). Ages 60, 65 and 70 seem to be common ages at which eligibility changes. One more thing to consider is that some (many? all?) companies wont insure you at all over a certain age (usually when you most need it, of course). This last annoys me.

Another thing you need to consider is that insurance often excludes existing conditions.

I think that when I am 59 I will think about trying to find some cover for inpatient treatment only with a very large excess as this should keep premium costs down to something sensible. Until then I will do nothing.

[rainwater]

I'm a bit older than you, healthy but overweight and on (common) medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Personally I self-insure because I can afford it...

Health care costs are low compared to costs in my home country of America, but can still be very expensive without insurance in Thailand if you have any kind of major illness or accident. If you have a heart attack and need bypass surgery you're looking at a half million baht, maybe more, depending on the hospital etc (I'm not exactly sure but from what I've been told this is in the price range). I'm 59 and very serious about finding some kind of coverage asap. After my back injury it's been a wake up call, I don't want to risk spending another 300K on medical bills without some kind of in-patient emergency major medical & accident coverage. The Wealthy Healthy plan on Thai Life looks like you can get 400-500K worth of coverage for between 2000-3000 baht a month in my age range, and the best deal I've been able to find.