Holiday Insurance

[Chainsaw]

I'm going to the UK for a month and want to get some basic holiday insurance. I live in Rawai, any suggestions best place to go? (preferably English speaking)

[steve187]

axa - https://goo.gl/hZ8o6L

[Chainsaw]

7 minutes ago, steve187 said:

axa - https://goo.gl/hZ8o6L

In Rawai?

 

[steve187]

2 minutes ago, Chainsaw said:

In Rawai?

 

did you state it had to be in Rawai

[NamKangMan]

1 minute ago, Chainsaw said:

In Rawai?

 

 

You buy most travel insurance policies over the internet these days, thus, a simple "Google" will reveal several to chose from, with most offering a free online quote, once to enter your age, destination, and length of holiday.

[Coconut Kidd]

I would be very cautious choosing a local holiday insurance company. At best you might find an agent working for a large international company, but why pay them a service fee and or vanish when you can do it on line yourself?

 

I have used this company several times. They have excellent rates and 24/7 customer service. https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/

 

Good luck.

 

Kidd

[Chainsaw]

24 minutes ago, steve187 said:

did you state it had to be in Rawai

I live in Rawai, any suggestions best place to go? (preferably English speaking)

[Chainsaw]

I really can't be bothered doing it online. I prefer to sit down with someone who can speak English so that I can fully understand the cover on offer and be able to ask questions etc.

 

[madmitch]

@Chainsaw. Online is your easiest option. I don't know any English speaking proper insurance brokers in Rawai. 

 

If you only want medical cover with nothing else try Pacific Cross. But if you want a full package there are several options out there.

 

For a broker I'd suggest Eric Dohlon. His staff speak English OK. http://www.insurance-in-thailand.com/

 

I use them for annual travel, homeowners and business insurance.

[stevenl]

I just sent you a message, I use <<<<Email address removed as per forum rules>>>> for this.Best priced for the cover that I have been able to find.

[Chainsaw]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I'd just spent nearly an hour in Bangkok Bank sitting there like a lemon while my wife and a bank assistant discussed ln Thai what insurance package I should have.

I had no idea what cover I was getting for my money, when I mentioned this I was handed a leaflet printed in Thai! That's why I wanted to find an English speaker.

I've now found the same leaflet on the BKK Bank website in English - deep joy!

We're off back to the bank tomorrow to do the deal, I'll just sit there doing a cryptic crossword until it's time for me to sign something.

My wife is insisting I have the most expensive package (she's paying), I've found it's best not to argue.

[NamKangMan]

3 hours ago, Chainsaw said:

I really can't be bothered doing it online. I prefer to sit down with someone who can speak English so that I can fully understand the cover on offer and be able to ask questions etc.

 

 

"I really can't be bothered doing it online." - each to their own, but you could easily buy a policy online, from the comfort of your home, quicker than you could drive / ride to an insurance sales office, and I notice in another post, you have another trip tomorrow. 

 

Actually, you could have had a policy quicker than the time you have spent on your own thread. 

 

"I prefer to sit down with someone who can speak English so that I can fully understand the cover on offer and be able to ask questions etc." - their answers to your questions, none of which, can be relied up, should you need to make a claim.  In the event of a claim, you will not be dealing with the sales staff that sold you the policy, so whatever answers they gave you are of little consequence.

 

The person you speak to works in sales.  Their job, primarily, is to sell you a policy, and possibly "up sell" you a more expensive policy with coverage that you either do not need, or is irrelevant to you.  

 

To be FULLY informed, you should read the PDS of ANY policy before you buy it, and take what the insurance salesman says with a grain of salt. 

 

 

[NamKangMan]

@ Chainsaw

 

If the below is what you are considering, even under their "Complete Plan - Plan 3" the maximum coverage is only 2,000,000 baht.  (around 46,500GBP's) 

 

I don't know if you are from the UK, and the NHS is an option for you, but I would suggest 46,500GBP would not be enough cover for a serious accident / illness in the UK.

 

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/BuildYourWealth/Bancassurance/NonLifeInsurance/Pages/Travel1st.aspx

 

Now, compare that to the company Coconut Kidd suggested, World Nomads, and they offer UNLIMITED medical cover and 100% OF EXPENSES for doctors / treatment as either an inpatient or out patient.

 

Just saying. 

 

Of course, Bangkok Bank's Starbucks gift voucher with every policy makes their insurance a great deal. 

 

 

[Chainsaw]

Jeez NKM you really should get out more. Are you THAT scared of the traffic?

[Psimbo]

If you have BUPA Thailand or any other insurance check your policy- you should be insured worldwide other than  the US. If you don't have local medical insurance already I would seriously reconsider it if i were you!

[madmax2]

Has anyone had a successful claim against a travel insurance company, for a reasonably large amount, i have not after being insured with the same company for 7 years and paying approx 30K baht a year at that time (210,000 baht in total)

The claim was for 41K baht which they refused to pay because i took 2,5mg of tritace once daily

The policy booklet said everyone was covered for hypertension (high blood pressure) providing you had no previous medical problems caused by it and i had not had any

Tritace is a medication that brings your blood pressure back to normal

 

I could have returned to Australia and had the consumer protection dept do the claim on my behalf but it was not worth the time and trouble

The travel agent in Australia who assured me i would be covered when i took out the policy with them and handles my and my sons international travel package arrangements has stopped using this company for travel insurance (good on them)

When i was at the bangkok hospital at that time and asked them to process the claim direct with the insurance company they refused to do so and told me to pay them and do the claim myself as they had problems getting payment for genuine claims from the insurance company i was using on previously claims

[madmitch]

2 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

Has anyone had a successful claim against a travel insurance company, for a reasonably large amount, i have not after being insured with the same company for 7 years and paying approx 30K baht a year at that time (210,000 baht in total)

The claim was for 41K baht which they refused to pay because i took 2,5mg of tritace once daily

The policy booklet said everyone was covered for hypertension (high blood pressure) providing you had no previous medical problems caused by it and i had not had any

Tritace is a medication that brings your blood pressure back to normal

 

I could have returned to Australia and had the consumer protection dept do the claim on my behalf but it was not worth the time and trouble

The travel agent in Australia who assured me i would be covered when i took out the policy with them and handles my and my sons international travel package arrangements has stopped using this company for travel insurance (good on them)

When i was at the bangkok hospital at that time and asked them to process the claim direct with the insurance company they refused to do so and told me to pay them and do the claim myself as they had problems getting payment for genuine claims from the insurance company i was using on previously claims

If you'd declared this to the insurance company then you should have had no problem in claiming. Without declaration it could be excluded under the pre-existing conditions exclusion.

 

But, yes. There are insurance companies that do have a bad reputation, especially when it comes to travel insurance, which is relatively cheap. There are dozens of threads on this. It's also worth knowing that most travel claims are handled via a third party administrator and not the company itself, who would only get involved with larger, more complex claims. 

 

Finally 30,000 baht for annual travel? Sounds three or four times what you should have been paying!

[schlog]

Had a claim 10 years ago about 350.000 baht with Signal Iduna which was succsessful .

 

Second worldnomads advice.

 

[Old Croc]

Third World Nomads

[NamKangMan]

14 hours ago, Chainsaw said:

Jeez NKM you really should get out more. Are you THAT scared of the traffic?

 

Let's see.  I leave the country every 3 months, for a visa run, usually alternating between different neighboring capital cities.  I usually transit through Pattaya / Bangkok, usually spending a night or two, before flying out.

 

In between, I do the occasional trip to Chiang Mai and / or Udon to catch up with expat friends.

 

Not long ago booked my Formula 1 trip. 

 

And you think I "should get out more" and that's coming from a guy who listens to a Thai insurance salesman, and gets told what to do by his Thai wife.  

 

 

 

 

[madmax2]

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

If you'd declared this to the insurance company then you should have had no problem in claiming. Without declaration it could be excluded under the pre-existing conditions exclusion.

 

But, yes. There are insurance companies that do have a bad reputation, especially when it comes to travel insurance, which is relatively cheap. There are dozens of threads on this. It's also worth knowing that most travel claims are handled via a third party administrator and not the company itself, who would only get involved with larger, more complex claims. 

 

Finally 30,000 baht for annual travel? Sounds three or four times what you should have been paying!

It was a Australian insurance company with much better cover than you get in Thailand, unlimited medical cover as a example

The travel agent i purchased the insurance thru assured me i was covered when i purchased the policy and contacted them on my behalf when they refused to honour the policy

Turned out the policy was not worth the paper it was written on

Recently flew with Airasia to Bangkok and in October we will be flying with Thai Airways to Australia, both companies included travel insurance in their quoted price with the cost of it ( i did not request travel insurance because of my age) it seems to cover you for the duration of your trip on a round trip ticket

I do not remember the insurance being a compulsory purchase on previous flights i have taken  

[NamKangMan]

6 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

It was a Australian insurance company with much better cover than you get in Thailand, unlimited medical cover as a example

The travel agent i purchased the insurance thru assured me i was covered when i purchased the policy and contacted them on my behalf when they refused to honour the policy

Turned out the policy was not worth the paper it was written on

Recently flew with Airasia to Bangkok and in October we will be flying with Thai Airways to Australia, both companies included travel insurance in their quoted price with the cost of it ( i did not request travel insurance because of my age) it seems to cover you for the duration of your trip on a round trip ticket

I do not remember the insurance being a compulsory purchase on previous flights i have taken  

 

I think you will find the insurance purchased along with airfares only covers flight cancellation / rescheduling, emergency hotel stay, and loss of luggage.  Basically, everything to do with the airline. 

 

To my knowledge, this insurance does not cover an accident or illness during your travels, but may cover you for the cost of missing your flight due to an accident or illness. 

[stevenl]

8 hours ago, madmax2 said:

Has anyone had a successful claim against a travel insurance company, for a reasonably large amount, i have not after being insured with the same company for 7 years and paying approx 30K baht a year at that time (210,000 baht in total)

The claim was for 41K baht which they refused to pay because i took 2,5mg of tritace once daily

The policy booklet said everyone was covered for hypertension (high blood pressure) providing you had no previous medical problems caused by it and i had not had any

Tritace is a medication that brings your blood pressure back to normal

 

I could have returned to Australia and had the consumer protection dept do the claim on my behalf but it was not worth the time and trouble

The travel agent in Australia who assured me i would be covered when i took out the policy with them and handles my and my sons international travel package arrangements has stopped using this company for travel insurance (good on them)

When i was at the bangkok hospital at that time and asked them to process the claim direct with the insurance company they refused to do so and told me to pay them and do the claim myself as they had problems getting payment for genuine claims from the insurance company i was using on previously claims

Was that travel insurance while you were living in Thailand?

 

Very common for a hospital to ask for pre payment from foreign insurance companies, whereas with Thai companies direct payment is SOP.

 

[LivinginKata]

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

<snip>

Very common for a hospital to ask for pre payment from foreign insurance companies, whereas with Thai companies direct payment is SOP.

 

 

Not just foreign insurance companies. Last time my wife was in hospital (Phuket International) she just wanted to go home after 17.00. BUPA Thailand office was closed (shocking eh) so we paid the bill. Collected the refund at hospital next morning.

[Chainsaw]

6 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Let's see.  I leave the country every 3 months, for a visa run, usually alternating between different neighboring capital cities.  I usually transit through Pattaya / Bangkok, usually spending a night or two, before flying out.

 

In between, I do the occasional trip to Chiang Mai and / or Udon to catch up with expat friends.

 

Not long ago booked my Formula 1 trip. 

 

And you think I "should get out more" and that's coming from a guy who listens to a Thai insurance salesman, and gets told what to do by his Thai wife.  

 

 

 

 

Well you certainly get around a bit NKM, shame that having lived here for so long that you still have to do visa runs. It must be hell for you getting to the airport considering you're so scared of the traffic in Phuket.

Yes, I get advised what to do by my Thai wife sometimes, she's a very smart lady and an absolute gem. Pity you're not able to find a Thai wife, you wouldn't have to keep leaving the country so often.

The 'Thai Insurance salesman' is a figment of your imagination. My wife spoke to a bank assistant (in Thai). Pay more attention to the original posts before trying to patronise people, you just make yourself look foolish.

[stevenl]

36 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Not just foreign insurance companies. Last time my wife was in hospital (Phuket International) she just wanted to go home after 17.00. BUPA Thailand office was closed (shocking eh) so we paid the bill. Collected the refund at hospital next morning.

Well, of course the insurance company has to be reached, which it will be at standard office hours. After 17.00 hours is not really standard check out time.

[LivinginKata]

15 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Well, of course the insurance company has to be reached, which it will be at standard office hours. After 17.00 hours is not really standard check out time.

 

Really really ... are you serious ? I would expect a major health insurance compnay to have 24 hours each day response. 

[stevenl]

35 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Really really ... are you serious ? I would expect a major health insurance compnay to have 24 hours each day response. 

Why don't you go back to your post and my reply to it. Unless you want to claim that one non standard experience invalidates the SOP.

[LivinginKata]

7 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Why don't you go back to your post and my reply to it. Unless you want to claim that one non standard experience invalidates the SOP.

 

Is that the best you got ???  Major insurance company - no 24 hour service ... not good

[stevenl]

6 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Is that the best you got ???  Major insurance company - no 24 hour service ... not good

Did I say something else? You're barking up the wrong tree.