Health Insurance in Ubon Ratchathani

[Mike45]

I've begun my search to purchase a health insurance policy. We live in Ubon Ratchathani and I would like to hear what insurance companies members have used in Ubon and to find out if they were satisfied with them.

[Martyjustice]

We bought AIA for the wife. $600 a year. Never needed to use it

[Mike45]

We bought AIA for the wife. $600 a year. Never needed to use it

A Thai citizen has the government health system to fall back on if necessary. At least that system will keep them from going bankrupt because of medical expenses and gives them medical treatment when its required. I'm sure it's not perfect.

We foreigners need something for ourselves.

[Martyjustice]

True. AIA will write for us big white boys too.

[SantiSuk]

Depends on which country you come from and your residential status. Quite a few Brits (with a semi-free or free healthcare system) retain their UK residential status so that they can use that system as a fallback for major expense, paying their way for the other stuff, some coping with the crowded wards of public hospitals.

I have private insurance in the UK with Simply Health, continuing on a policy (at preferential rates since I am pooled with all the young gals and guys still working) that I had with my firm when I was working. I must have paid over $100k in premiums since I took it up age 35 and 'got back' less than a third of that in actual bills reimbursed. Time for payback now I'm 64 - this is the first year that the bills paid have exceeded the premiums (by double). The insurer must be hoping I die soon!

Health insurance is the only insurance I pay willingly - I much prefer to self-insure where I can as I have been a saver all my life and could stand the extreme loss of most insurable risks without going into penury (I'm thinking of self-insuring on motor here in Thailand - the 650 baht government insurance is a legal requirement of course; why should I pay for other's poor driving and rip-offs). A very bad run on health though could run up say $½ - that would be an ouch!

Edited October 3, 2015 by SantiSuk

[IsaanAndy]

All OK if you keep your UK residential status but for those you've moved here for good and are still paying income tax to support the NHS, it's abit galling to say the least. About time the system was changed from being a resident to being a taxpayer as you can be a resident and not pay a penny in tax and get it all for nowt.

While the ex-pat taxpayer funds it and gets nothing back.

Scandalous really in my opinion.

[SantiSuk]

Not really on subject but I think you may be being unfair on UK taxation authorities

Surely if you are paying tax in the UK that's either because:

1. Your pensions were built up there and you got tax relief for any contributions that were made (effectively you got tax relief on the company contributions also because the company got relief which enabled them in the broad scheme of things to be able to pay in more). The principle of pensions is that you are getting an untaxed benefit from building up a pool of money from your gross earnings and the UK wants that benefit back when the pension is in payment. Seems fair to me. If you are getting state pension rather than a personal/company pension it is unlikely to generate a UK tax liability by itself - the personal tax allowance exceeds the gross pension.
   
2. You choose to earn income from savings/investment (or employment) that arises in the UK. Many countries would want their share of taxation on any income you make within their country.

Not trying to diss you and maybe there is some form of taxation that you suffer that is unfair. Just thought I would add my two-pennyworth on the principles of taxation.

When I die I may suffer a significant death tax on my assets that would not arise if I passed them to my Thai wife which would not arise if I passed them to an EU wife. Seems pernicious, but there is even an arguably fair rationale behind that. Joe punter thinks the tax man is just out to get them, but taxation is usually pretty well thought through from a public interest perspective.

[Michael Hare]

Mike45, the OP, wants to know answers to these questions:

I've begun my search to purchase a health insurance policy. We live in Ubon Ratchathani and I would like to hear what insurance companies members have used in Ubon and to find out if they were satisfied with them.

I live in Ubon Ratchathani and have had for many years health insurance with AIA. To date, I have been satisified with them. Only once, in 2007, have I used their insurance and they were great. My local AIA reps checked me into the hospital, surgery was done, an overnight stay and 100% paid by AIA. I also have accident insurance with AIA.

However, there are drawbacks with AIA. Firstly, they do not insure one after the age of 80, even if one has taken out their insurance for years and years. That really annoys me as I think from that age onwards, is when one may well start to need health insurance. Secondly, one must take out their health insurance before the age of 65 in order to take it to age 80.

Therefore one should look at other companies.

Bupa Health Insurance offers a wide range of policies. If one takes out a health insurance policy before the age of 65, then one can continue annual insurance for whole-of-life. Bupa Health Insurance do not, as far as I know, have agents in Ubon. One can contact them on line through their Bangkok Office.

The company I think that offers a wide range of good health health insurance in Thailand is Pacific Cross. One can obtain their health insurance anytime, regardless of age. However, before signing up, one must undergo a very strigent health check-up. Pacific Cross does not have agents in Ubon. Apply on-line through their office in Bangkok. I know people in Ubon who have Pacific Cross health insurance and they think they are great. But be prepared to pay anything between 38,000 baht to 70,000 baht per year per person.

The older one gets, the more expensive health insurance becomes. If one lives to more than 90 years of age, annual permiums are at least 100,000 baht.

[Mike45]

Depends on which country you come from and your residential status. Quite a few Brits (with a semi-free or free healthcare system) retain their UK residential status so that they can use that system as a fallback for major expense, paying their way for the other stuff, some coping with the crowded wards of public hospitals.

I have private insurance in the UK with Simply Health, continuing on a policy (at preferential rates since I am pooled with all the young gals and guys still working) that I had with my firm when I was working. I must have paid over $100k in premiums since I took it up age 35 and 'got back' less than a third of that in actual bills reimbursed. Time for payback now I'm 64 - this is the first year that the bills paid have exceeded the premiums (by double). The insurer must be hoping I die soon!

Health insurance is the only insurance I pay willingly - I much prefer to self-insure where I can as I have been a saver all my life and could stand the extreme loss of most insurable risks without going into penury (I'm thinking of self-insuring on motor here in Thailand - the 650 baht government insurance is a legal requirement of course; why should I pay for other's poor driving and rip-offs). A very bad run on health though could run up say $½ - that would be an ouch!

I'm from the USA. No national health care. I worked for a big international company but they offer nothing for a retiree insurance for outside the USA...that was a big surprise to me.....hence my search for health insurance.

[Mike45]

Mike45, the OP, wants to know answers to these questions:

I've begun my search to purchase a health insurance policy. We live in Ubon Ratchathani and I would like to hear what insurance companies members have used in Ubon and to find out if they were satisfied with them.

I live in Ubon Ratchathani and have had for many years health insurance with AIA. To date, I have been satisified with them. Only once, in 2007, have I used their insurance and they were great. My local AIA reps checked me into the hospital, surgery was done, an overnight stay and 100% paid by AIA. I also have accident insurance with AIA.

However, there are drawbacks with AIA. Firstly, they do not insure one after the age of 80, even if one has taken out their insurance for years and years. That really annoys me as I think from that age onwards, is when one may well start to need health insurance. Secondly, one must take out their health insurance before the age of 65 in order to take it to age 80.

Therefore one should look at other companies.

Bupa Health Insurance offers a wide range of policies. If one takes out a health insurance policy before the age of 65, then one can continue annual insurance for whole-of-life. Bupa Health Insurance do not, as far as I know, have agents in Ubon. One can contact them on line through their Bangkok Office.

The company I think that offers a wide range of good health health insurance in Thailand is Pacific Cross. One can obtain their health insurance anytime, regardless of age. However, before signing up, one must undergo a very strigent health check-up. Pacific Cross does not have agents in Ubon. Apply on-line through their office in Bangkok. I know people in Ubon who have Pacific Cross health insurance and they think they are great. But be prepared to pay anything between 38,000 baht to 70,000 baht per year per person.

The older one gets, the more expensive health insurance becomes. If one lives to more than 90 years of age, annual permiums are at least 100,000 baht.

Thanks for the info Mike.

I definitely won't be getting AIA due to the age prejudice.

Many of the policies I've read have fixed maximums for each category. That means that with inflation overtime you will exceed the maximums, when used, so you'll end up paying the 100,000 baht premium AND paying for the overages in each category of claim (surgeon fee, room fee, etc)

I can afford most medical expenses..... I'm just looking for a way to limit the damage in an extreme circumstance (ICU for a month, heart surgery, brain injury, stroke, etc)

So a plan that will cover me for life, has a deductible (excess) to make it affordable and pays "In full" in each category after the deductible (excess) is met would be a good policy for me.

I haven't found it yet.

[SantiSuk]

Try ThaiV's insurance broker sponsor AA Insurance? I see some reference in another thread that they do health as wells the usuals like motor. Have not seen anyone posting any adverse comments about them (would they be removed by mods?!) and some members obviously use them.

That comment may at least you get you PM feedback!

[Mike45]

Try ThaiV's insurance broker sponsor AA Insurance? I see some reference in another thread that they do health as wells the usuals like motor. Have not seen anyone posting any adverse comments about them (would they be removed by mods?!) and some members obviously use them.

That comment may at least you get you PM feedback!

I am in contact with them and they are showing me policies. I haven't digested them all yet.