Advice in health insurance

[TheLaughingMan]

Hey just need to know how this works, I'm Canadian so never thought about actually having to pay for medical treatment so I'm really clueless. I actually need a surgery, nothing urgent or life threatening, normally costs about 15k baht at government hospitals and like 60k at better hospitals. Anyway can I get health insurance here in Thailand, then go ahead and get a surgery at a nicer hospital? Or will they refuse or need tons of details and verfifcation? Really no idea what I should do.

[Sheryl]

No insurance will cover this since it is a pre-existing condition. You are going to have to pay for it out of pocket.

You should, however, get insurance as soon as possible to cover any future medical costs, especially really major ones. Not less than 2 million baht in cover as that it s what a really catastrophic injury or illness can cost you, even at a government hospital.

BTW "nicer" hospitals do not necessarily provide better care than government ones, in fact often the opposite. And you can usually arrange for a private room at a government hospital at a reasonable cost.

[TheLaughingMan]

for my particular surgery it would not be know it was pre-exisiting

[Sheryl]

1. Withholding such information is insurance fraud and could invalidate the entire policy. They could refuse to cover you for unrelated things -- even a massive accident -- if it were found you lied about this on your application.

2. Most policies have waiting periods before elective procedures are covered. Typically, 6 months to a year.

3. Insurance companies are very alert to the possibility of someone taking out a policy after they know they need surgery. Claims within the first year always get very close scrutiny and they know quite well what the chances are of a particular problem having been pre-existing.

[TheLaughingMan]

ya this is what I thought

[chiang mai]

Let me see, you are well and have no health insurance and then you become unwell and want to buy health insurance just so it can pay for your immediate treatment.

Does your mom know you're not in your room!

[TheLaughingMan]

jesus.... we must live in different Thailands.....