Using Home Credit Card for Thai Health Insurance

[iamkanga]

Sorry if this question has been asked already.

I was wondering if anybody is using the credit card insurance from your home country to cover health insurance in Thailand.

I have a credit card with a built in policy that runs for 1 year so I am considering just returning home every year for a holiday to renew it. This may not be the plan for ever but certainly in the short term maybe 3 to 5 years. I'm not worried about the policy as it seems to cover what I want.

But I am interested to know if anyone is doing such a thing and their own experiences.

Cheers

Kanga

[bbi1]

You have a credit card that gives complimentary health insurance for 1 whole year? Which country are you from & which bank offers it & which insurance company does it run through?

The standard in my country is 3 months cover but you need to buy a return air ticket, not a single one-way.

Edited December 18, 2015 by bbi1

[iamkanga]

Well it is technically travel insurance. I am interested in the medical part of course.

It is World Mastercard Black from Bankwest Australia though it is not on their website I was offered it about 6 months ago. But I believe other banks ie commonwealth offer similar.

Company is Allianz but terms and conditions are particularly to the card you have.

You are spot on in that you need a return ticket and need to have spent more than $500 in total on your travels.

Cheers

[bbi1]

Well it is technically travel insurance. I am interested in the medical part of course.

It is World Mastercard Black from Bankwest Australia though it is not on their website I was offered it about 6 months ago. But I believe other banks ie commonwealth offer similar.

Company is Allianz but terms and conditions are particularly to the card you have.

You are spot on in that you need a return ticket and need to have spent more than $500 in total on your travels.

Cheers

I'm also from Oz & have a Bankwest Zero Platinum MasterCard. I was always under the impression that they only gave 3 months free travel insurance with a purchase of a return ticket, just like others offered in Oz. Maybe I need to look more into it, or maybe your type of card is a special one with extra benefits?

[bbi1]

They also don't cover pre-existing medical conditions unless you get them approved in writing & pay the appropriate fee.

After reading further it says:

The insurance is available for a period of 3 consecutive months for Gold MasterCard cardholders (6 consecutive months for Platinum MasterCard cardholders or 12 consecutive months for World MasterCard cardholders) and cannot be extended.

Edited December 19, 2015 by bbi1

[bbi1]

Considering Thailand is now under a military government, another issue that I've come across with insurance is they don't cover under a military government.

Eg:

Citibank

war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), civil war, riot, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military coup or overthrow/attempted overthrow of a government/military power;

Bankwest

any war or war like activities, whether war has been formally declared or not, any hostilities, rebellion or revolution, or civil war, military coup, or overthrow/ attempted overthrow of a government/military power.

Edited December 19, 2015 by bbi1

[iamkanga]

Considering Thailand is now under a military government, another issue that I've come across with insurance is they don't cover under a military government.

Eg:

Citibank

war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), civil war, riot, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military coup or overthrow/attempted overthrow of a government/military power;

Bankwest

any war or war like activities, whether war has been formally declared or not, any hostilities, rebellion or revolution, or civil war, military coup, or overthrow/ attempted overthrow of a government/military power.

It is an interesting point you make it certainly worth checking. Though I would be surprised if Thailand was not covered.

I was aware of the pre existing conditions as I suffer from epilepsy.

Not sure how you get a World MasterCard the bank rang me and offered it to me. I must be some SPECIAL type of customer!!!!!

[bbi1]

Considering Thailand is now under a military government, another issue that I've come across with insurance is they don't cover under a military government.

Eg:

Citibank

war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), civil war, riot, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military coup or overthrow/attempted overthrow of a government/military power;

Bankwest

any war or war like activities, whether war has been formally declared or not, any hostilities, rebellion or revolution, or civil war, military coup, or overthrow/ attempted overthrow of a government/military power.

It is an interesting point you make it certainly worth checking. Though I would be surprised if Thailand was not covered.

I was aware of the pre existing conditions as I suffer from epilepsy.

Not sure how you get a World MasterCard the bank rang me and offered it to me. I must be some SPECIAL type of customer!!!!!

In the end you can never trust any insurance company to pay out. As we are under military control they could very well deny claims unless you get something in writing that they acknowledge we are under a military government & they still cover you.

[Sheryl]

The bit about war, coups etc usually means they will not cover cate for any injuries sustained as a direct redult. Not that they won't cover ordinary claims in a country that had a coup.

[iamkanga]

The bit about war, coups etc usually means they will not cover cate for any injuries sustained as a direct redult. Not that they won't cover ordinary claims in a country that had a coup.

Yes Im inclined to agree but will confirm before I take the plunge anyway.

But I am surprised no one has yet said that that they are using CC Insurance whilst living in Thailand. Maybe the having to return home every year is too much of a burden.

[Sophon]

Don't know anything about this particular policy, but generally travel insurance is based on the insurance company only having to pay for emergency treatment. For anything longer lasting such as e.g. cancer, the insurance will only pay for needed treatment to stabilize you and to have you repatriated to your home country, where you would then be treated by the public health care system. One year travel insurance policies also often have limits to how much of that year, you are allowed to be travelling while still maintaining cover. That's why travel insurance generally is much cheaper than health insurance.

So if planning to rely on travel insurance (especially a "free" insurance such as the one mentioned in the OP), I would read the policy conditions very carefully. I would also check to see if I was still covered by the public health care system in my home country in case I was repatriated by the insurance company.

Sophon

[iamkanga]

Don't know anything about this particular policy, but generally travel insurance is based on the insurance company only having to pay for emergency treatment. For anything longer lasting such as e.g. cancer, the insurance will only pay for needed treatment to stabilize you and to have you repatriated to your home country, where you would then be treated by the public health care system. One year travel insurance policies also often have limits to how much of that year, you are allowed to be travelling while still maintaining cover. That's why travel insurance generally is much cheaper than health insurance.

So if planning to rely on travel insurance (especially a "free" insurance such as the one mentioned in the OP), I would read the policy conditions very carefully. I would also check to see if I was still covered by the public health care system in my home country in case I was repatriated by the insurance company.

Sophon

You make some good points as I know once returning home my policy does stop.

I think the relevance for me in the short term would be ok as long as I was still covered by Medicare and if not I would probably find myself between a rock and a hard place on my return home for treatment.

Thanks