Do Medical Insurance Dates Have to Match the OA Visa Extension Dates in Thailand?

Feb 14, 2020

5 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi. With regards to the medical cover now required with oa visa/extensions, do the dates of medical insurance commencement have to match with visa/ extension renewal. Ie I can apply for my extension in mid June, if I take out medical insurance now will that still be ok as there will be approx 8 months left on it when I apply for my extension. Hope that made sense lol.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

When applying for an O-A visa extension in Thailand, your health insurance must cover the entire period of the extension. It's important that the medical insurance start date aligns with the visa application date and continues throughout the duration of the visa. If your current insurance only covers part of the extension period, the extension granted will match the insurance duration. Therefore, it's advised to initiate your health insurance policy well in advance to ensure comprehensive coverage.

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Robert *******

It looks like the answers are here and there is more then enough advertisement made for one of the 13 companies.

The other 12 compagnies seems to have no members on this page to make commercials, that does not mean that these compagnies are less, better or equal in service and insurance provided.

I'm not an Insurance agent but I can tell you, every person is different and has their own specific details for insurance.

Compare the companies and make the decision by yourself.

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5 years ago

Stephen ***********

Hi Mel, I work for Pacific Cross Health Insurance based in Bangkok. Thai immigration will grant you the visa up until your Health Insurance expires like

@Tod ********

said. Pm

Me for more info and I’d be happy to help. Best to sync your Health insurance start date with your visa start date.

5 years ago

Tod *********

I don't know what happened to my other reply. BUT for sure 100% you will only get an extension for the length of time you have insurance for. Meaning if your policy is only for 8 months after your current extension expires that's all of an extension you will get. It specifically spells out that's how it works in the immigration rule changes regarding O-A extensions.

5 years ago

Mel ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

if I apply for an extension a month earlier than the expiry date do I get 13 months extension or is it always 12 months ( providing full medical cover) from application ?

5 years ago

Mel ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

thanks.

5 years ago

Reply to

Mel ********

Tod *********

most people <- as in EVERYONE I know here in Bangkok who has gotten the extension off an O-A by using one of the approved in country thai insurance carriers has to show that they are insured ON the date they apply for the extension (meaning seeing as you can apply for a yearly extension 45 days before your current extension expires you need to be insured FROM the date you're going to apply) AND you need to be insured for the whole YEAR you will get on your next extension too.

Now insurance carriers know it needs to be this way so most will prorate the month or so BEFORE the year policy so you are actually insured for about 15-16 months

Most of my friends got their policy to start TWO months BEFORE their extension would expire AND had it run until ONE month AFTER the new extension would expire (so they're covered an extra 3 months more than the year) just so there is NO screw up.

While I think it's a little overly cautious, there is no down side to it other than the 3 months you have to prorate the policy

5 years ago

Mel ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tod ********

thanks for that.

5 years ago

Reply to

Mel ********

Bobby ********

Your extension will probably only be dated until the expiry of the insurance. You may be better advised to have the extension date run concurrently with your insurance. Keep in mind too that if you leave Thailand for more then one month to travel elsewhere, you can cancel your insurance and get a refund for the remaining full months, and start a new 12 month policy when you re-enter Thailand, thereby covering the full permitted to stay stamp

5 years ago

James ********

This is how Pacific Cross is handling the coordination of policy dates with visa/extension dates:

"Thank you for your reply confirming the receipt of my email.

Pacific Cross has confirmed the below solution for clients who are on O-A visa.

Basically, what would happen will be :

Ø Pacific Cross will provide a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of the policy

Ø Pacific Cross then issue a new 12 months contract from your visa renewal date

However, I would suggest that this request is made after you know the exact date of your new visa start date.

The visa date and the stamp on passport is a bit confusing and I will wait for you to advise further on the date your next term visa will start so that we can request for this to happen.

I hope the explanation and the below table make senses to you. Please let me know if you need further clarifications."

Bobby ********

James ********

WRONG

Mel ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Bobby *******

thanks for that.

5 years ago