New Year’s resolutions? Expat health insurance planning in Thailand

[PacificCrossInsurance]

New Year’s resolutions? Expat health insurance planning in Thailand

The exercise equipment gathering dust in the bedroom and under the staircase is a familiar sign of the way New Year's resolutions are often quickly forgotten. But one resolution you should not only want to make but also stick with involves exercising careful judgement when it comes to health insurance.

This means spending wisely and obtaining the coverage that matters most to you. Start your new year by taking stock of the health care coverage you have at present. Don’t forget, your health insurance requirements will change over time, for example as you relocate, change jobs, add to your family and of course grow older, etc.

When you have to use your insurance, the last thing you want to discover is that you don't have enough coverage. But you also want to make sure you aren't carrying more insurance than you really need. Determine what's important to you. Make a personal list of the things that are vital for you to have in your health policy.

Start by looking at affordability, and whether your drugs and medicine are covered in your plan for example. In other words, start thinking about how your finances would handle out-of-pocket costs throughout the term of your plan. Factor in all possible expenses of this nature. Most people want to protect themselves against catastrophic medical costs. A low premium may be desirable, but don’t focus too much on the premium without taking into consideration additional expense that may occur in times of emergency.

For healthy people who rarely go to the doctor, it may make sense to seek lower premiums through a higher insurance deductible. Most international insurers offer deductible or excess options, which attract varying levels of discount depending on the sum chosen. The larger the sum, the larger the discount. An annual excess makes sense, though of course you need to decide what method is going to work best for you.

Adequate health insurance is essential, particularly for expats, in the expensive world we live in. Carefully consider your options. Firstly, you have to try to comprehend sometimes confusing insurance-speak, including deductibles, excesses and the like. When you think you have achieved this and understand as much as you possibly can, regarding your health insurance situation, then it’s time to take professional advice.

Pacific Cross provides flexible plans that can be tailored and changed to suit your needs and budget; and the policies are life time renewable, so your policy will not stop when you reach 60, 70 or 80 years old. You simply keep renewing.

Talk to Pacific Cross Health Insurance, Thailand’s leading health insurance providers. They offer no-obligation direct, sound advice and clear, concise guidance to you personally, in English if required, by phone or email.

Happy New Year! And remember, when selecting or fine tuning your health insurance plan and have digested the above guidelines, simply contact:

Email - [email protected] Tel - 02 401 9189 (International +66 2 401 9189)

Edited January 2, 2016 by PacificCrossInsurance

[gamini]

you should have mentioned that you are writing about expats under 70. Health insurance for those over this age are not worth it if you live in Thailand. And of course the premiums rise until you get older and are very much linked to any pre-existing conditions. Most insurance companies will not insure your over the age of 70.but there are plenty of good government hospitals in Thailand which you can get reasonably good cheap treatment. But you got to know which ones and whitch doctor to see.

So if you want insurance, you better get it as soon as possible and make sure that there is no age cut-off date. Also, you might enquire exactly how much they will increase the insurance as you age.

[PacificCrossInsurance]

you should have mentioned that you are writing about expats under 70. Health insurance for those over this age are not worth it if you live in Thailand. And of course the premiums rise until you get older and are very much linked to any pre-existing conditions. Most insurance companies will not insure your over the age of 70.but there are plenty of good government hospitals in Thailand which you can get reasonably good cheap treatment. But you got to know which ones and whitch doctor to see.

So if you want insurance, you better get it as soon as possible and make sure that there is no age cut-off date. Also, you might enquire exactly how much they will increase the insurance as you age.

I think generalising as to what is and is not worth it is rather dangerous, as it depends on what you would use your insurance for. Nobody knows until it happens, but when evaluating consider what you could afford to pay.

You are correct there will be an analysis of your condition, and the price will not be the same as when you were younger, but at least you will have peace of mind that you are covered.

When taking out cover, pre-existing conditions can be covered, but on a case by case basis. You may have resolved a particular issue. In addition when taking our cover, to reduce the cost, you should consider taking responsibility for the 1st X hundred thousand. This dramatically reduces your premium.

With regard the local hospitals, I totally agree with you. There are some really good ones, but you are still going to be handed a big bill (not as much as the private hospitals), if you have a long stay or prolonged treatment. You will also find that if you have an accident, heart attack, or some emergency condition where you cannot leave instructions, guess where you will be taken - a private hospital. Whichever, your ambulance cost will also be rather expensive.

If in doubt, why not take the time to call and get a quote, that is free.

Call 02 401 9189 or email: [email protected]

[JESSVANPELT]

higher cost then Bupa and difficult to get them to pay the hospitals, everyone i know who had Pacific has dropped it for poor service.

[synchronise]

higher cost then Bupa and difficult to get them to pay the hospitals, everyone i know who had Pacific has dropped it for poor service.

I am going to defend Pacific Cross as I am about to renew my policy, and have had a couple of medical issues over the past couple of year with no problems at all. Not only did they look at my situation on a medical level, but recommended who I consult. All went very smoothly. I have also seen though their Facebook page, that they have opened a service centre in Pattaya and plan to open others in Thailand. Maybe that is to improve the service, but as I said I have never had an issue, in fact the opposite.

On price, everyone should shop around and compare like for like, but I selected Pacific because it is a lifetime policy, it is flexible and due to my age, I opted to cover the 1st 100 K, which reduced my annual premium.

Maybe you have had a different experience, but I do not know your circumstances, only mine.