Purchase insurance from Thailand or U.S.?


Hi all,

I'm moving to Thailand from the U.S. in a few weeks and have some insurance questions.

1. I'm guessing that Thai providers would be much cheaper than American companies. Should I buy insurance from Thailand or buy international insurance while still in the U.S?
2. My wife has told me that Thai insurance companies will not insure if I have a preexisting condition such as my diabetes. Is this true?

Thanks in advance for any help/answers.


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@vinster Buy in U.S and if you need treatment go home and get it there. Thai insurance often makes you pay first and claim back later , then they find get out clauses so they do not have to pay. Also last year a condition of entry was purchasing a covid insurance costing approx 100 $ US, they refused to pay out on most claims by foreigners and at least two major insurers declared themselves bankrupt . Proceed with caution.

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@vinster medical care in Thailand is much cheaper than Thailand I would say you could just pay as you go. Is your diabetes under control or is it stage 3 having to go to dialysis. Am from the US and I have been living in Thailand for 10 years without insurance but am healthy with preexisting medical problems. When I need a procedure or have to see a doctor I just pay out of pocket. Because it's affordable. Thai insurance is not dependable, sometimes they pay and other times they don't. Some hospitals in Thailand take medical care from the US. There are other companies in Thailand selling insurance from the UK, Germany, France, and so on. And I think they would be more dependable for you. Travel Insurance will only last for 6 months and I don't know if it's renewal able. Nomad insurance is the one we use because they will cover you up to 80 years old. And we are in our mid 70's. I would keep my Medicare coverage in case you get real sick and have to return to the US for treatment. I still have mine because you always need a back door when your living in a 3rd world country.  Good Luck. 

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@thailand4me

Thank you for your response.  I'm a bit unclear though, are you saying that you to have a preexisting condition but that you are basically healthy and don't have insurance in Thailand?
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@thailand4me

Thank you for your response.  I'm a bit unclear though, are you saying that you to have a preexisting condition but that you are basically healthy and don't have insurance in Thailand?
- @vinster

If you have a pre-existing condition,for example diabetes,you can still get an insurance,but it won't cover diabetes or any other condition due to diabetes.
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@vinster yes. To both those questions.

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retired living in Thailand full time , preexisting heart condition , stable and controlled with medication, and eating right and daily exercise, as for health insurance , easier and far cheaper to self insure and pt the monthly money in to Etrade indexed funds , and with draw as needed while making money , all health insurance is a scam ... making corporations incredibly rich , I have 11 people in the family and easily cover them health insurance wise for far less than US health insurance i paid for 20 plus years ... working for a state agency, same for dental and glasses , I will not impoverish my family or myself anymore with insurance premiums, save you money stay away from top BKK hospitals , use the local government hospital and save a fortune, 68  completely self insured including home owners insurance , will also consider self insuring for vehicle too ...
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retired living in Thailand full time , preexisting heart condition , stable and controlled with medication, and eating right and daily exercise, as for health insurance , easier and far cheaper to self insure and pt the monthly money in to Etrade indexed funds , and with draw as needed while making money , all health insurance is a scam ... making corporations incredibly rich , I have 11 people in the family and easily cover them health insurance wise for far less than US health insurance i paid for 20 plus years ... working for a state agency, same for dental and glasses , I will not impoverish my family or myself anymore with insurance premiums, save you money stay away from top BKK hospitals , use the local government hospital and save a fortune, 68  completely self insured including home owners insurance , will also consider self insuring for vehicle too ...
- @LAZARUSDAL

You don't mention what kind of extension you're on.If it's an O-A, the amount when self insured from September 1 is 3 million baht.
You mentioned 11 people in the family. If they are Thai,they don't need any help from you. They are fully covered as they are Thai citizens.  But you're right about staying away from expensive private hospitals.
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@vinster I have just been looking into travel/health insurance for Thailand. I received a quote from AXA Thailand and their basic cover was 59000 baht for a year which offered really basic cover but after comparing it to the UK specialist insurers,even with pre existing medical conditions taken into account UK companies offered far better cover and for a lot less money than Thailand,so hopefully the States will be the same? The company I got my quote from was AIG which I believe are a reputable company.

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@LAZARUSDAL you might save a fortune on insurance but I'm not sure I agree with you when you mention using Goverment run hospitals. My sister and brother in law came off their motorcycle, as it happened, right outside a hospital Hua- hin. They had no broken bones but quite a lot of gravel rash to their arms and legs. My sister(who is a nurse) couldn't believe that the hospital didn't even have the basic dressings required to treat that sort of injury, so if you went into this hospital with something more serious, I don't fancy your chances of getting the treatment needed.  I appreciate that this is just one example and I'm sure that there are some hospitals that are very good.
Personal choice at the end of the day but if the worst was to happen to you health wise and you needed repatriating, you would have to be getting a very good return on your investment to cover those costs I'm afraid! If you are happy to risk that, fair enough.
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@vinster I have just been looking into travel/health insurance for Thailand. I received a quote from AXA Thailand and their basic cover was 59000 baht for a year which offered really basic cover but after comparing it to the UK specialist insurers,even with pre existing medical conditions taken into account UK companies offered far better cover and for a lot less money than Thailand,so hopefully the States will be the same? The company I got my quote from was AIG which I believe are a reputable company.

- @kevh

59,000 baht is the premium/year.That doesn't mean anything. It's how much it covers that is important.AXA is one of the most expensive insurance companies in Thailand. From 66 years of age you're "overaged".That's a term thai insurances companies are frequently using, and the premium goes up a lot. You also need a medical check-up at a clinic or hospital .Pacific Cross is in my opinion a very serious company and normally cheaper than AXA. Existing medical conditions are not covered anywhere. You can also skip the Outpatient part and get 20% discount (at least at PC). There are also so called deductibles to lower the premium. But again, it's how much the insurance cover that's important. If you're one of those people who thinks expensive private hospitals in for example BKK, Phuket and Pattaya are the best, you'll need at least 1 million baht coverage, outpatient excluded. They charge you at least 100% more than cheaper private hospitals. It's just a big rip-off. There are some very good government hospitals in some cities, but not everywhere.
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I know 59000 baht is the annual premium and I did mention that that was for their basic cover. Im 61 so perhaps not 'over aged' as you said the Thais call us. I understand that the older you get the higher the premium,which is understandable as you become a higher risk of falling ill.
The basic cover I can get with AIG in UK was £10 million for medical expenses and that worked out at just over £300 for 5 months cover including pre existing medical conditions,covid cover etc.i believe the insurance required by the Thai Embassy,if applying for a Non O-A visa is $100,000,which is not a lot if you are hospitalized or need repatriation. That amount would soon be swallowed up. I'll take insurance out from here when we decide to travel. At the end of the day all insurance companies take liberties with their customers,Thais are no different but I think at least over here in the UK they're regulated a little better.
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I know 59000 baht is the annual premium and I did mention that that was for their basic cover. Im 61 so perhaps not 'over aged' as you said the Thais call us. I understand that the older you get the higher the premium,which is understandable as you become a higher risk of falling ill.
The basic cover I can get with AIG in UK was £10 million for medical expenses and that worked out at just over £300 for 5 months cover including pre existing medical conditions,covid cover etc.i believe the insurance required by the Thai Embassy,if applying for a Non O-A visa is $100,000,which is not a lot if you are hospitalized or need repatriation. That amount would soon be swallowed up. I'll take insurance out from here when we decide to travel. At the end of the day all insurance companies take liberties with their customers,Thais are no different but I think at least over here in the UK they're regulated a little better.
- @kevh

If you're only 61 go for Pacific Cross. If you skip outpatient you'll save 20%. A basic cover for you without outpatient will cost about 37,000 baht minus 20%. I think it covers 780,000 baht. You can step it up a bit if you want and still have money left compared to 59,000 baht which in my opinion is way to expensive. If you extend the insurance another year you get another 10% off in discount,then even higher discount the following year and even more the third year.
The insurance you need for an O/A visa must cover $US100,000 or 3 million baht from September 1 this year. 3 million baht is a fortune even when real sick. Who said you need the most expensive private hospital in Thailand? Don't listen to people who think they know everything. You are a rookie,but try to be smart. Don't pay more than you need for a proper insurance and stay away from expensive private hospitals. They only want your money. I've been living in Thailand many years and I know how it works here.
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Tthanks,I'll look into it.👍
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If you're one of those people who thinks expensive private hospitals in for example BKK, Phuket and Pattaya are the best, you'll need at least 1 million baht coverage, outpatient excluded. They charge you at least 100% more than cheaper private hospitals. It's just a big rip-off. There are some very good government hospitals in some cities, but not everywhere. - @Leeds forever!


Are there any cheaper hospital groups you'd recommend? I presume those you describe as a rip-off would include the likes of Bangkok Hospital and the Bumrungrad. Is there a "good hospital guide" identifying the cities in which decent government hospitals can be found?
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