A Guide to Social Security Hospitals, Local Health Insurance, and Offshore Insurance Plans

[namello]

A while back I wrote about cost of living here, and a lot of people asked about which health insurance I'm using (it's ACS, which I got from fellow ThaiVisa forum member AAInsure).

I've been based in Bangkok for close to 10 years. At first I still had my German insurance - but since it was limited to 3 years abroad, I had to find something local. I actually did find a good offer and that worked out for a while. However, at one point the insurance company hiked their rates by 30% - and of course right when the renewal date came up. A tad uncool in my opinion, but from what I gather a fairly standard practice. After that, I ended up at ACS where I'm still insured as of today.

Nevertheless, in order to avoid the scramble for information and last minute comparisons next time this happens (and for everyone else really), I've done an in-depth write-up of health insurance options for expats in Thailand.

You can find the full article here:

http://www.karstenaichholz.com/health/thailand-health-insurance/

Feel free to ask questions. I'm no insurance specialist (or lawyer, or broker, or doctor, or anything else really), but I'm happy to share my own experience.

[stevenl]

What is missing is information on the age until you can stay covered, a real issue for expat health insurance here and quite often a deciding factor in making a choice for an insurance company.

[namello]

The one I have now doesn't have an upper age limit. I don't have the data for all the other plans at hand, but that information is usually easy to find and compare.

[KittenKong]

They dont really need to have a maximum age limit: they can just increase the cost of premiums exponentially as you get older. At some point the premium will exceed the GDP of a small African nation and by then most people will have decided against renewal.

By the way, the reason your nameless French company increased your premiums by 30% is probably because you claimed too much in previous year(s). Most if not all of them work like this, as far as I know.

[stevenl]

They dont really need to have a maximum age limit: they can just increase the cost of premiums exponentially as you get older. At some point the premium will exceed the GDP of a small African nation and by then most people will have decided against renewal.

By the way, the reason your nameless French company increased your premiums by 30% is probably because you claimed too much in previous year(s). Most if not all of them work like this, as far as I know.

You may think they don't need it, the companies seem to differ.

[namello]

They dont really need to have a maximum age limit: they can just increase the cost of premiums exponentially as you get older. At some point the premium will exceed the GDP of a small African nation and by then most people will have decided against renewal.

By the way, the reason your nameless French company increased your premiums by 30% is probably because you claimed too much in previous year(s). Most if not all of them work like this, as far as I know.

The increase of premiums was plan-wide. I assume they underestimated the lifestyle and hospital choices of the average expat in Thailand (I believe they were fairly new to the market).

[KittenKong]

They dont really need to have a maximum age limit: they can just increase the cost of premiums exponentially as you get older. At some point the premium will exceed the GDP of a small African nation and by then most people will have decided against renewal.

By the way, the reason your nameless French company increased your premiums by 30% is probably because you claimed too much in previous year(s). Most if not all of them work like this, as far as I know.

You may think they don't need it, the companies seem to differ.

Some companies like to hedge their bets. My point is that regardless of whether they have a written limit or not they can easily get rid of anyone they dont fancy by other means.

[stevenl]

They dont really need to have a maximum age limit: they can just increase the cost of premiums exponentially as you get older. At some point the premium will exceed the GDP of a small African nation and by then most people will have decided against renewal.

By the way, the reason your nameless French company increased your premiums by 30% is probably because you claimed too much in previous year(s). Most if not all of them work like this, as far as I know.

You may think they don't need it, the companies seem to differ.

Some companies like to hedge their bets. My point is that regardless of whether they have a written limit or not they can easily get rid of anyone they dont fancy by other means.

And my point is that they may want healthy elderly with their higher premiums. So to potential customers it is important to know the maximum insured age, if any, and the maximum enrollment age, if any.

[topt]

The one I have now doesn't have an upper age limit. I don't have the data for all the other plans at hand, but that information is usually easy to find and compare.

Sorry I have not checked your link yet but presume that is ACS Asia Lifetime policy which you have to take out by age 60 to keep for life I believe?

This is as opposed to the ACS Asia scheme which has two "age" options - a expires at 65 and b at 75. This is not counting the other options of cover amounts/IP only and or OP benefits.

[namello]

The one I have now doesn't have an upper age limit. I don't have the data for all the other plans at hand, but that information is usually easy to find and compare.

Sorry I have not checked your link yet but presume that is ACS Asia Lifetime policy which you have to take out by age 60 to keep for life I believe?

This is as opposed to the ACS Asia scheme which has two "age" options - a expires at 65 and b at 75. This is not counting the other options of cover amounts/IP only and or OP benefits.

It's ACS Asia - has to start before age 65.