Irishman warns about proper health insurance after his ordeal in Thailand

[Soutpeel]

this is a very interesting topic, i just wish there were more experienced posters here.

So what i am interested in - is actually not the THAI based insurance companies, because i wouldnt trust them for one and doubt they are cheaper here.

For those of us staying here long term, surely getting travel insurance back in our home country for say 6 month periods will actually be cheaper and more geared up towards getting us out of dodge should a serious problem occur, which we probably would not want to be in any Thai hospital should heart surgery or a stroke occur.

Secondly i would much appreciate knowing more about the credit card insurance options, as a backup. What good credit cards actually provide insurance?

If you live here full time you will not be covered by travel insurance....you not travelling...your playing the system...

You can get proper insurance in Thailand from the likes of BUPA or AIA which are international companies, the typical problem in Thailand is that the cheap ar@e farangs dont want to pay

Secondly you can get a full policy from your own country which covers you internationally...

For example my companies medical insurance is from a UK company which covers me worldwide except US and i have used it on ocassion in Thailand with no issue.

[micmichd]

There has always been a lot of complaints about the insurance industry and insurance policies.

Sure enough when you do make a claim on the insurance policy that you have already paid for......they commonly ( as in, not always but all too often ) have a variety of reasons as to why you can not be covered for your particular situation.....and you never know really until the time comes and you are in desperate need of the coverage....and then the big disappointment.

"Sorry sir but we do not insure you if you were injured while riding on a rented Moped"....."Have a nice day"...click!

Cheers

You should read the policy then and understand the exclusions before you pay for it then. .too simple ?...ignorance is no excuse

you have signed something which states you have accepted the T&C of the contract...typically one will have no problems with the insurance in the case of a "Moped" accident if one has a full motor cycle license....common sense really

Typically you don't have time to read and compare all these T&C details.

[Soutpeel]

There has always been a lot of complaints about the insurance industry and insurance policies.

Sure enough when you do make a claim on the insurance policy that you have already paid for......they commonly ( as in, not always but all too often ) have a variety of reasons as to why you can not be covered for your particular situation.....and you never know really until the time comes and you are in desperate need of the coverage....and then the big disappointment.

"Sorry sir but we do not insure you if you were injured while riding on a rented Moped"....."Have a nice day"...click!

Cheers

You should read the policy then and understand the exclusions before you pay for it then. .too simple ?...ignorance is no excuse

you have signed something which states you have accepted the T&C of the contract...typically one will have no problems with the insurance in the case of a "Moped" accident if one has a full motor cycle license....common sense really

Typically you don't have time to read and compare all these T&C details.

There is always time only a fool would sign and agree to something he hasnt even read in terms of a contract...as stated ignorance is no excuse

[micmichd]

"There is always time" - unless you're in a hurry and don't get hustled by professional scammers. If you don't sign immediately you don't get a contract.

[Soutpeel]

"There is always time" - unless you're in a hurry and don't get hustled by professional scammers. If you don't sign immediately you don't get a contract.

Why would you be in a hurry ?. ...your now making excuses and blaming others for ones ignorance.....

its your money you take all the time you need....rather childish to be calling them scammers...if the T&C are spelt out in a contract which they are and one is foolish enough to sign something you didnt read then hardly a scam

[gemguy]

There has always been a lot of complaints about the insurance industry and insurance policies.

Sure enough when you do make a claim on the insurance policy that you have already paid for......they commonly ( as in, not always but all too often ) have a variety of reasons as to why you can not be covered for your particular situation.....and you never know really until the time comes and you are in desperate need of the coverage....and then the big disappointment.

"Sorry sir but we do not insure you if you were injured while riding on a rented Moped"....."Have a nice day"...click!

Cheers

You should read the policy then and understand the exclusions before you pay for it then. .too simple ?...ignorance is no excuse

you have signed something which states you have accepted the T&C of the contract...typically one will have no problems with the insurance in the case of a "Moped" accident if one has a full motor cycle license....common sense really

No, No silly ...I am talking about the all too many cases when even after reading the fine print they still find a self serving reason for not covering you......that is when you make your claim while under a lot of stress and laid up in the hospital

You can read all the fine print you want and take a month to decide if that suits you ...but after they have your money......there is always a good chance they will not cover you.....and you will find out if that is the case when you do have an accident and need the coverage and or learn if they cover you or not or fully cover you or partly cover you and or just how much you have to fight to get your money back if it is a you pay first policy and then we reimburse you later minus the deductible.

I have read the fine print before and there are so many ifs, ands, buts and maybe's in all the medical and travel insurance policies a person is not really confident if they are getting a good deal or not because in effect you do not get anything until you enact a claim.

If you think it does not happen .....then you are mistaken.

Cheers

Edited October 8, 2015 by gemguy

[Soutpeel]

There has always been a lot of complaints about the insurance industry and insurance policies.

Sure enough when you do make a claim on the insurance policy that you have already paid for......they commonly ( as in, not always but all too often ) have a variety of reasons as to why you can not be covered for your particular situation.....and you never know really until the time comes and you are in desperate need of the coverage....and then the big disappointment.

"Sorry sir but we do not insure you if you were injured while riding on a rented Moped"....."Have a nice day"...click!

Cheers

You should read the policy then and understand the exclusions before you pay for it then. .too simple ?...ignorance is no excuse

you have signed something which states you have accepted the T&C of the contract...typically one will have no problems with the insurance in the case of a "Moped" accident if one has a full motor cycle license....common sense really

No, No silly ...I am talking about the all too many cases when even after reading the fine print they still find a self serving reason for not covering you......that is when you make your claim while under a lot of stress and laid up in the hospital

You can read all the fine print you want and take a month to decide if that suits you ...but after they have your money......there is always a good chance they will not cover you.....and you will find out if that is the case when you do have an accident and need the coverage and or learn if they cover you or not or fully cover you or partly cover you and or just how much you have to fight to get your money back if it is a you pay first policy and then we reimburse you later minus the deductible.

I have read the fine print before and there are so many ifs, ands, buts and maybe's in all the medical and travel insurance policies a person is not really confident if they are getting a good deal or not because in effect you do not get anything until you enact a claim.

If you think it does not happen .....then you are mistaken.

Cheers

I have been on private medical insurance with various companies for over 30 years in various countries and have never had a claim rejected and only once did a company come back and for some clarification

which once given the claim was processed.....so from a personal perspective, it hasnt happened and i am not mistaken ...

[micmichd]

"There is always time" - unless you're in a hurry and don't get hustled by professional scammers. If you don't sign immediately you don't get a contract.

Why would you be in a hurry ?. ...your now making excuses and blaming others for ones ignorance.....

its your money you take all the time you need....rather childish to be calling them scammers...if the T&C are spelt out in a contract which they are and one is foolish enough to sign something you didnt read then hardly a scam

I was denied all economic activities, not allowed to make contracts, for half a year. When they found out that it was "only a mistake" I had hardly 6 weeks to start over.

If you understand T&C and do not accept them you have to go somewhere else, and that takes time. And you have to sign in Germany personally, because of KYC regulations. They exploit your pressure, and that's scam.

Not only Nigerian scammers do it, all "official agents" act the same.

[Ghostnigel]

And the truck insurance ?

The guy in the truck had no insurance sounds about bloody right .. to be honest with you ..

Its a wonder that the Irishman didn't have to pay the lorry driver for getting in his way, count himself lucky

[kickstart]

this is a very interesting topic, i just wish there were more experienced posters here.

So what i am interested in - is actually not the THAI based insurance companies, because i wouldnt trust them for one and doubt they are cheaper here.

For those of us staying here long term, surely getting travel insurance back in our home country for say 6 month periods will actually be cheaper and more geared up towards getting us out of dodge should a serious problem occur, which we probably would not want to be in any Thai hospital should heart surgery or a stroke occur.

Secondly i would much appreciate knowing more about the credit card insurance options, as a backup. What good credit cards actually provide insurance?

If you live here full time you will not be covered by travel insurance....you not travelling...your playing the system...

You can get proper insurance in Thailand from the likes of BUPA or AIA which are international companies, the typical problem in Thailand is that the cheap ar@e farangs dont want to pay

Secondly you can get a full policy from your own country which covers you internationally...

For example my companies medical insurance is from a UK company which covers me worldwide except US and i have used it on ocassion in Thailand with no issue.

I am not a cheap ar$e farang .just one living here in Thailand, and working , not a great salary , no Thai ss ,I have a accident policy with AIA,I asked them ,how much for a 2 million Bart medical insurance policy they said for me ,now 60 years old ,they said about 60 000 Bart a year ,for me a lot .

And as a lot of other posters on this subject have been saying ,are the policies any good , if you want to make a claim ,would you trust a Thai based company ,with or without an international parent company .

Just don a quick google a UK based medical insurance company giving international medical insurance cover ,60 year old living here in Thailand , one quote 183 GBP/ month,10 000 Bart/month ,one other 340 GBP/ month 18 700 Bart/month .Ouch

Seems to me on the insurance side you are caught between a rock and a hard place ,living in Thailand reinsurance .

[YesWeCan]

Accident injurance is cheaper than medical and covers home transport. It's not a substitute, but an excellent addition.

[cookee68]

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 ..

What because they would'nt "cough up" instant money to bail out a young guy without adequate health insurance.

Am looking at a bigger picture here also they say ? The government has no money we have to close a number of embassies around the world to save money .. But yet we bail out other counties problems ..when we have problems ourself its a joke but each year foreign aid budget goes up a billion each year like this year we will look to have spent in the region 12 billion .. Also when we need help abroad there are lack of staff whom speak English or any understand for that matter but time after time vulnerable people will stuffer .. even the money we give away could go along way back in Britain due to tom dick and harry abusing are system like the NHS / Unemployment / Hosing Benefits and so on ..

Yes and it is the so on that pisses me off

[gk10002000]

If his coverage had expired, well he should have been up to snuff on that. When I first started traveling to Thailand, I bought Travel insurance. It seemed reasonable. However, as I read the details, I never ever found a policy that direct paid the hospital. I would have to file claims for reimbursement. I am from the USA and I have complete medical insurance here Blue Cross Blue Shield. They won't direct pay hospitals outside of the network so I would have to file claims with them for reimbursement. So there didn't seem to be any point in getting overseas medical insurance when I travel on holiday to Thailand any more. But for all those backpackers, and retirees and expats that try to dodge the medical insurance premium costs, this is a good article.

[loppylugs1]

If his coverage had expired, well he should have been up to snuff on that. When I first started traveling to Thailand, I bought Travel insurance. It seemed reasonable. However, as I read the details, I never ever found a policy that direct paid the hospital. I would have to file claims for reimbursement. I am from the USA and I have complete medical insurance here Blue Cross Blue Shield. They won't direct pay hospitals outside of the network so I would have to file claims with them for reimbursement. So there didn't seem to be any point in getting overseas medical insurance when I travel on holiday to Thailand any more. But for all those backpackers, and retirees and expats that try to dodge the medical insurance premium costs, this is a good article.

Try #208 There is enough Obama medicare escapees there anyway

[kickstart]

this is a very interesting topic, i just wish there were more experienced posters here.

So what i am interested in - is actually not the THAI based insurance companies, because i wouldnt trust them for one and doubt they are cheaper here.

For those of us staying here long term, surely getting travel insurance back in our home country for say 6 month periods will actually be cheaper and more geared up towards getting us out of dodge should a serious problem occur, which we probably would not want to be in any Thai hospital should heart surgery or a stroke occur.

Secondly i would much appreciate knowing more about the credit card insurance options, as a backup. What good credit cards actually provide insurance?

Getting out of Dodge,there are ways round it.

Need to get stabilised after accident,govt.hospitals OK for that,then flight to (2 hours to accident and emergency dept) (Christian hosp.for one)Calcutta for broken bones etc,fraction of the price and far better than Thai hospitals.

Again heart or anything surgery wise India. comparing cost, friend received false knee,plus prostate surgery ,costing £11,000 less in better class hospital in India than Thailand.

Medivac,try Air India,buy 3 seats they will take you,as stretcher case,or fly business class

Some uk members will remember a few years the government of the day had an idea to send some not so urgent cases to India for treatment ,ie ,hips and knee replacements , there quality must be good if the uk health service thought about it .

I could sit at my computer and find a hospital in India that could ,say do a hip replacement ,a few e-mails ,may be a phone call ,and a week latter ,I could have made most of the arrangements .

But if I had just got hit by a buss ,lying in a Thai hospital ,with the cost adding up ,how would I find a hospital in India ?,may be a dumb question ,if you in a situation as our poor Irishman was ,can not speak Thai, how did/would you do it . very interested .

Will make a note about Indian hospitals .

Thanks .

[loppylugs1]

this is a very interesting topic, i just wish there were more experienced posters here.

So what i am interested in - is actually not the THAI based insurance companies, because i wouldnt trust them for one and doubt they are cheaper here.

For those of us staying here long term, surely getting travel insurance back in our home country for say 6 month periods will actually be cheaper and more geared up towards getting us out of dodge should a serious problem occur, which we probably would not want to be in any Thai hospital should heart surgery or a stroke occur.

Secondly i would much appreciate knowing more about the credit card insurance options, as a backup. What good credit cards actually provide insurance?

Getting out of Dodge,there are ways round it.

Need to get stabilised after accident,govt.hospitals OK for that,then flight to (2 hours to accident and emergency dept) (Christian hosp.for one)Calcutta for broken bones etc,fraction of the price and far better than Thai hospitals.

Again heart or anything surgery wise India. comparing cost, friend received false knee,plus prostate surgery ,costing £11,000 less in better class hospital in India than Thailand.

Medivac,try Air India,buy 3 seats they will take you,as stretcher case,or fly business class

Some uk members will remember a few years the government of the day had an idea to send some not so urgent cases to India for treatment ,ie ,hips and knee replacements , there quality must be good if the uk health service thought about it .

I could sit at my computer and find a hospital in India that could ,say do a hip replacement ,a few e-mails ,may be a phone call ,and a week latter ,I could have made most of the arrangements .

But if I had just got hit by a buss ,lying in a Thai hospital ,with the cost adding up ,how would I find a hospital in India ?,may be a dumb question ,if you in a situation as our poor Irishman was ,can not speak Thai, how did/would you do it . very interested .

Will make a note about Indian hospitals .

Thanks .

Not a dumb question 2 hours away are the finest and cheapest hospitals the world has to offer,not the thread to do it here,put the question in Heath topic section and Ill answer in more detail

[optad]

Not a dumb question 2 hours away are the finest and cheapest hospitals the world has to offer,not the thread to do it here,put the question in Heath topic section and Ill answer in more detail

Do that. This is news to me but i would be interested to learn more.

[loppylugs1]

Not a dumb question 2 hours away are the finest and cheapest hospitals the world has to offer,not the thread to do it here,put the question in Heath topic section and Ill answer in more detail

Do that. This is news to me but i would be interested to learn more.

it on "alternatives to Thai medical matters" health forum,about the second page

[optad]

Not a dumb question 2 hours away are the finest and cheapest hospitals the world has to offer,not the thread to do it here,put the question in Heath topic section and Ill answer in more detail

Do that. This is news to me but i would be interested to learn more.

it on "alternatives to Thai medical matters" health forum,about the second page

Many thanks!

[wooloomooloo]

F4UCorsair, on 07 Oct 2015 - 12:44, said:

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

I purchase a Bupa annual travel insurance policy with excess waiver from the UK and it covers motorcycle and moped accidents as long as we're wearing a helmet and the rider is a holder of a full and valid motorcycle licence.

My wife holds a full and valid Thai motorcycle licence as the rider and I ride pillion.

It's obviously more expensive than a near useless cheap policy but we're sufficiently covered if we are involved in a crash.

[Dogmatix]

Thailand has statistically the world's most dangerous roads for motorcyclists. Therefore it makes sense for any foreigner foolhardy enough to drive one to have comprehensive medical insurance and coverage to send his box back home, if the inevitable happens. The British Embassy has to deal with the distraught family of a deceased motorcyclist at least once a week. If you choose to put yours in this situation at least ensure that you have covered the costs in advance. They feel much worse if they have to go home with only an urn.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Dogmatix

[wooloomooloo]

Dogmatix, on 11 Oct 2015 - 18:46, said:

They feel much worse if they have to go home with only an urn.

My urn should at least be processed to a direct flight to the UK in economy. You never know, I might get upgraded.

[thaibeachlovers]

• 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.

I got paid back everything I spent on the hospital bills except for the $200 excess.

[thaibeachlovers]

• 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!

Medical isn't the only things covered by travel insurance. I got repaid for my hospital bill after a m'bike accident.

[Murph100]

Important fact!!

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

You mean medical insurance in Thailand if one has a motorbike accident?

Many insurance policies don't cover scooter accidents here. You really need to read the fine print. And in this person's situation, make sure you renew it on time.

Too many of these stories pop up. Best of luck to him.

[Murph100]

What about if your in an accedent on a bike taxi ?

[Basil B]

British embassy not helping in this case is discrimination against ur own countrymen . The European governments spend about 36.000 euro's a year per refugee but are not able to help there own people .

I am sure the consular service offered the services of a translator and probably more including keeping in touch with him and the hospital, many Brits pay their taxes and buy their travel insurance, why should the British Consular service pay the bills for those who don't bother with travel insurance or participate in activities for which they are not covered.

[Basil B]

What about if your in an accedent on a bike taxi ?

Reading my previous policies, riding on a motor bike was not covered, my last policy possibly I would be covered.

It would be an interesting for someone with the time to phone round the various insurers, stating you will be staying in Thailand and where you are staying the only mode of transport is motor bike taxi, would you be covered as a pillion rider?

The other aspect of this story is did he hold a full licences for a motor bike??? no insurance is going to pay out if he had not.

[wow64]

There is a joke in the somewhere... Irishman warns about having proper insurance... His insurance recenlty ran out.

Sent from my c64

[sugarcane24]

Important fact!!

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

It is in my opinion NOT a sensible thing to do to ride a scooter or motorbike in Thailand, or many other places for that matter. Bikers are referred to as "Temporary Kiwis" for good reason in my home country New Zealand.