Irishman warns about proper health insurance after his ordeal in Thailand

[wombat1943]

1. I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

Can't let this pass. I arrived in Thailand 8 May 2013, woke up 10 May partially paralysed. (I was at that time 70) Ambulance called, taken to Bangkok Phuket hospital, I had Guillin Barre disease (look it up - a virus which paralyses the nerves, death within 48 hours if not treated.) Hospital advised I needed massive doses of immunoglobulin - takes 1000 litres of blood to make 1 litre immunoglobulin - so equivalent of 7,000 litres of blood. Cost 1 million baht (+/-) They phoned Covermore, my insurance company, they phoned back within an hour and said "Go ahead". 10 days in intensive care. On 28 May flown back to Melbourne by private jet - two pilots, one doctor, one nurse and me. (Then 4 months in hospital and rehab, but that on medicare Australia.) Covermore could not have looked after me better, at a cost to them of - ? - Aud$100,000? I asked the cost but they would not tell me. Am back in Thailand now, again insured with Covermore, Aud$1,470 for one year cover.

Re. M/cycle cover - I have that included in my policy, - driver must have a full Thai m/c licence (my Thai wife has had a licence for 11 years, do not drive myself), bike must be under 200cc, I must wear a crash helmet. All for the princely sum of Aud17 a year! Hope this does not count as advertising and get censored, just my experiences - could have been very different.

Good luck to the OP.

[Bullie]

I guess if he'd been teaching longer, he would have been in the Social Security system? I assume it takes some time after getting a work permit, tax no., etc. before that happens. I'll also assume that if he'd been in the system, all his medical needs would have been taken care of at a government hospital, allowing him time to heal properly and return home under more normal circumstances

(Let me make it clear that I'm not being facetious and implying he was working illegally.) I feel for the guy. What an awful thing to go through. I hope the healing (both physically and financially) goes well. I was curious about Social Security taking care of him until healed if he'd had it.

Next time read the article first before you start making assumptions. He was moved to a proper hospital because they -unnecessarily- were going to amputate his leg in the government hospital.

[DaveinAsia]

His mum Collette said, “It was such a shock for us and we were desperate to get him home. We tried everything including the British Embassy but all they could do was provide a translator.

Waste of space the British Embassy .. Shame on them ..

I've had some quite good service from the British Embassy.

I you mean financial help, I don't blame them for not helping people. (how many people in the past were helped financially only for them to become a lot less grateful and more forgetful when they are safe & sound back home).

I believe that they will pass on money that is lodged in a bank in the UK for helping a relative, or for a body to be repatriated.

Lol, their job is to help it's citizens in need. Not only when you are dead. The British Embassy is nothing more than a chamber of commerce promoting and protecting British business interests abroad. Bunch of crooks, just like our current government

Edited October 7, 2015 by DaveinAsia

[Cheops]

The real "moral of the story" here is don't let your insurance expire !

"after he was told his insurance had expired."

He had been teaching "since the New year" so that means less than a year, which means he never bothered renewing his insurance when it came due.

He was quoted as saying "I didnt realize I was supposed to renew the policy every month. " <deleted> ? Was he living (and working) on Travel Insurance ?!?!?!

That is the only kind of insurance I can think of that would have to be renewed every month and I suspect it wouldn't cover him for anything that happened while he was living and working somewhere and not "travelling".

I can see his work-issued insurance policy not covering this as many of them (like the ones we had while working in Afghanistan) don't cover anything that doesn't happen "on the job".

The fault here is not with the insurance companies. It is not their responsibility to make sure you get the proper kind of policy and then keep it up to date (though the companies I deal with are good at letting me know when it is time to renew my policies it is still up to me to actually renew them in a timely fashion). If you decide to try and use the wrong kind of insurance policy (i.e. living and working on while on a Travel Insurance policy) and then you don't even keep that up to date, it's not the insurance companies fault.

The real "moral of the story" here is Don't drive a motorcycle in Thailand! Never! No exceptions!

My Thai brother in law was a good driver, until he got hit by a truck. Sadly he's not around anymore.

My other Thai brother in law had been in 2 serious accidents. Also he is a good driver, wears a helmet and drives cautious, but the problem is that other people don't care about you in traffic.

Forget insurance! Just don't drive a motorcycle!

[Pdavies99]

• I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

Right, that really makes sense! Duh!!!

[micmichd]

What about motorbike taxis?

Do they have a mandatory insurance for their passengers?

[crazydrummerpauly]

• I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

There aren't many that will cover things you might actually need.

Especially if you are over 70 and any treatment needed is likely to be a pre existing condition and therefore not covered!

Hit by a truck a pre-existing condition ? Well, in LoS it could be !

[Gunna]

I am Coverd by Southern Cross Travel Insurance N Z I am 64 I get 6 Months at a Time the Cost $325 Access $100

!2 months ago accident on bike badly injured leg Cover was great every thing paid for All Hospital First class flights from Chiang Mai to Auckland First Class Transfers to BKK Hospital Bangkok First class Accom Bangkok also flew friend from N Z to Bkk gave him Accom so he could accompany me home Now this was not expensive at all and they have covered me again for this trip

Check them out on line

That sounds good, but with most policies you have to be a resident of the country where the company is selling the policy, ( so that if the costs are too great they can fly you back for free or subsidised medical treatment and you can recuperate in your home rather than in a hotel )

For many policies you have to be in the country when you start the policy.

Many travel insurance policies have a one year maximum and then you have to start again.

Many policies require you to be holding a return ticket home ( which they will use or upgrade or apply for a refund for if they buy a completely new ticket ) Many policies restrict how large a motorbike you can ride, require a valid licence

Most policies won't cover any sort of accident while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Gunna

[micmichd]

• I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

There aren't many that will cover things you might actually need.

Especially if you are over 70 and any treatment needed is likely to be a pre existing condition and therefore not covered!

Hit by a truck a pre-existing condition ? Well, in LoS it could be !

Don't laugh too loud.

Have a knee which was already damaged and then gets damaged again. Insurance will call it a pre-existing condition while you call it a damage by a recent accident. Now, sue your insurance while you're in the monkey house because you couldn't pay your hospital bill.

[DaveinAsia]

What about motorbike taxis?

Do they have a mandatory insurance for their passengers?

55555, I just had a sip of coffee when I read this one....cleaning up the desk now

[Nomyai]

His mum Collette said, “It was such a shock for us and we were desperate to get him home. We tried everything including the British Embassy but all they could do was provide a translator.

Waste of space the British Embassy .. Shame on them ..

im not a socialist.

Why didnt mum bring son back home after partying with wimmin of ill repute?

[oncearugge]

If this teacher was working, legitimately, in a Thai Government school he would have been covered by the Thai social security scheme

[kinmaew]

and the Thai driver contributed anything? If it was the other way around the farang would be at the police station "Doing a deal" with the relatives to make them happy then he can have his passport back and piss off, nice people they are aren't they? make the rules up as they go just like everything in that country.

[MyrH]

I've been with Bupa Thailand for 5 years. They cover motorbike accidents. I made sure sure of that when I subscribed. It's expensive but it's worth it.

Never had an accident fortunately but I had dengue twice. I had great service... they covered everything I needed and more. Check it out.

[billd766]

• I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

There aren't many that will cover things you might actually need.

Especially if you are over 70 and any treatment needed is likely to be a pre existing condition and therefore not covered!

How many 70 year olds are riding motorbikes in Thailand ?

Me for one and I enjoy doing so, but having said that my long distance trips get less every year.

[aussiedoug]

1. I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

I have used Covermore for about ten years, what problems did you have, if you are happy to say so?

[DaveinAsia]

I've been with Bupa Thailand for 5 years. They cover motorbike accidents. I made sure sure of that when I subscribed. It's expensive but it's worth it.

Never had an accident fortunately but I had dengue twice. I had great service... they covered everything I needed and more. Check it out.

So let's calculate this to see if it was worth it MyrH.

If you also have accidents covered you must be paying somewhere around 3500 THB/month

3500 x 12 = 42.000 x 5 years = 210.000 THB

You had dengue fever twice which includes a week in hospital = somewhere around 50.000(depending on your levels of comfort needed)

Sounds like Bupa is really worth it mate. Are you sure you don't work for Bupa?

[micmichd]

His mum Collette said, It was such a shock for us and we were desperate to get him home. We tried everything including the British Embassy but all they could do was provide a translator.

Waste of space the British Embassy .. Shame on them ..

im not a socialist.

Why didnt mum bring son back home after partying with wimmin of ill repute?

What does the reputation of women have to do with this?

Reputations may be based on false rumours. Neither an insurance's nor an Embassy's business.

Edited October 7, 2015 by micmichd

[Kasset Tak]

• I took out travel insurance with covermore, and when i did need to claim i realized it didnt cover anything you really need to read the fine print, never use covermore

I had a good international health insurance, I payed equal to 80,000 Baht a year for it. Then I was hit by a motorcycle and broke my arm. I only summed up 50,000 Baht in hospital bills but when contracting the insurance company it came to a big fat "NO"!

- Why?!

- Because you have psoriasis!

They said that that was a preexisting condition that might had effect my broken bone.

So I asked about the actual insurance coverage, and the answer:

- The insurance will not cover anything as it might be related to psoriasis. And in case you die we will have to examine your corps as it might be related to psoriasis before we pay out your life insurance!

So what they said was basically that all insurance fees I had payed over the years to them was for nothing. I counted and if I would have saved the money in the bank instead of paying them, it would be over a million Baht (for 2 insurances, health and life) on that account!

[Mike45]

I guess if he'd been teaching longer, he would have been in the Social Security system? I assume it takes some time after getting a work permit, tax no., etc. before that happens. I'll also assume that if he'd been in the system, all his medical needs would have been taken care of at a government hospital, allowing him time to heal properly and return home under more normal circumstances

(Let me make it clear that I'm not being facetious and implying he was working illegally.) I feel for the guy. What an awful thing to go through. I hope the healing (both physically and financially) goes well. I was curious about Social Security taking care of him until healed if he'd had it.

My U.S. Plan F medigap pays 80% of overseas medical care. As medigap, it's part of a Medicare package and thus available to people 65 and over.

When I saw your comment I was hopeful. But unfortunately it's not as good as I hoped. First 60 days only and lifetime limit of $50,000

Medigap coverage outside the U.S.

Medigap Plans C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, M, and N pay 80% of the billed charges for certain medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S. after you meet a $250 deductible for the year. These Medigap policies cover foreign travel emergency care if it begins during the first 60 days of your trip, and if Medicare doesn't otherwise cover the care.

Foreign travel emergency coverage with Medigap policies has a lifetime limit of $50,000.

[chudless]

Important fact!!

9 out of 10 insurance companies, will not cover you if your driving a scooter/motorbike.

Rubbish - never had an issue with bike insurance,, including a hefty bill after big hit by a baht bus in KK and severely damaging my leg.

[jingjoke]

Its not fair to suggest that insurance will not cover you if you are riding a scooter.

Of course travel insurance will not, but this guy was a teacher and not a tourist.

Most decent accident policies (he could have bought one for 4000 baht) would have covered most, if not all, of his hospital costs.

Its important to have some accident cover, that way the whole bill is scrutinised by the insurance company even if you have to pay part of the bill, the total will be lower as they cannot get away with stupid irrelevant charges as they always do with uninsured patients.

Re: '

Most decent accident policies (he could have bought one for 4000 baht) would have covered most, if not all, of his hospital costs.'

Exactly what accident policy is this, please?

[micmichd]

Important fact!!

9 out of 10 insurance companies, will not cover you if your driving a scooter/motorbike.

Rubbish - never had an issue with bike insurance,, including a hefty bill after big hit by a baht bus in KK and severely damaging my leg.

Please state clearly if this is a health insurance you are talking about, or an additional insurance.

Some health insurances might offer special plans that cover accidents with motorbikes. Please specify.

[NCC1701A]

the Thai government just just paid 300,000 baht to the families of the Thais killed in the BKK bombing.

$8,345 USD. Now you know what you are worth.

How much do you think your Thai government health insurance is worth? I guess better than nothing.

Edited October 7, 2015 by NCC1701A

[Ooladolla]

Does anyone know which insurance company is the 1 in 10 that DOES COVER motorcycle riders ? Ex pat insurance not travel . 110 cc

[F4UCorsair]

Insurance is good advice, but if you're over 62, good luck, it's outrageous, so you pay or run the risk. Most of us, run the risk.

Agree most or all will run the risk,but that risk can be mitigated to a large degree. Myself hit by vehicle ,got costings here in Thailand,flew to India via wheelchair ,fixed up at a small fraction of costs here. Never but never get anything fixed up in Thailand medically ,just jet ski thugs in white coats

So what would that make doctors/medical professionals in the US, UK, Australia, and a host of other countries??? Thailand's heaylth services are only a fraction of many other countries, but generally of a high standard.

I'm yet to find any travel/accident insurance that will cover injuries as a result of motorcycle (of any size) accidents.

Edited October 7, 2015 by F4UCorsair

[novo58]

If living ( retired) here in Thailand...or working ( legally of course) ....isnt it possible to get at least a basic insurance cover from nearly any bank.

Whilst this insurance will not cover all expenses in such an accident as the OP ...............................at least it will offset some of the expense.

[Alration]

His mum Collette said, “It was such a shock for us and we were desperate to get him home. We tried everything including the British Embassy but all they could do was provide a translator.

Waste of space the British Embassy .. Shame on them ..

Shame on you, what would you expect the embassy to do, pay his hospital bills and then repatriate him in a private air ambulance?

[Doc46]

Proper insurance ,,,Like Him? Why were the medical bills not past on to the truck driver or his boss if it was the truck drivers fault? if the truck is not insured then the truck driver or and his boss have to pay simple as that. In this case he never should pay the medical bills,,,,,what is this world coming to? Like no insurance don't pay?? My &lt;deleted&gt; ass not pay,,,make the guilty one pay.

[DavisH]

I guess if he'd been teaching longer, he would have been in the Social Security system? I assume it takes some time after getting a work permit, tax no., etc. before that happens. I'll also assume that if he'd been in the system, all his medical needs would have been taken care of at a government hospital, allowing him time to heal properly and return home under more normal circumstances

(Let me make it clear that I'm not being facetious and implying he was working illegally.) I feel for the guy. What an awful thing to go through. I hope the healing (both physically and financially) goes well. I was curious about Social Security taking care of him until healed if he'd had it.

No if he was in a private school. In such cases, the school may provide insurance (e.g. through BUPA, etc), or the teacher must provide their own. I'm covered as my wife is a civil servant. But 'd encourage any foreigner to get insurance, no matter how long they have lived here.