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Does my Thai girlfriend need travel insurance for her six-month stay in the UK?

Jan 14, 2022
4 years ago
Ned *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
My thai girlfriend is coming back uk, with me for six months does she need any insurance
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The question of whether travel insurance is necessary for a Thai girlfriend visiting the UK for six months has generated diverse opinions. Most comments suggest that while insurance is not legally required to access NHS services for emergencies, it is highly recommended due to potential high medical costs and peace of mind during the pandemic. Experiences vary with some asserting that the NHS does not cover overseas visitors' medical costs while others suggest general treatment may be provided without immediate charges. Ultimately, purchasing travel insurance is seen as a wise precaution.
Peter **********
My girlfriend stayed in a UK hospital for a week last Christmas with a kidney infection. The bill came to thousands but luckily she took out insurance with a Thai company before she came and they were very efficient and covered everything.
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Steven **********
I would yes
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Neil **************
….. before I comment
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Mark ********
Hi

It’s advisable, don’t travel without health insurance in these days as pandemic time is going on. Why take tensions when you can avail the facility.
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Paul ***********
Up to you .
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Hughie ***********
@Paul **********
leeeetle bit.
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Hughie ***********
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Abid ******
You are her insurance lol 😂😂
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James ********
Ask yourself...

ARE YOU willing to PAY thousands of pounds for needed medical care for my gf when she visits me for 6 months ???
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Paul *******
I believe yes. This has been a requirement for Thais to obtain UK and EU visas for years.
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Channy ******
@Paul ******
for Schengen visas yes

, for UK no 👍
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Channy ******
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Owen ***********
My girlfriend here now and no insurance is necessary.

Locator forms for both of yous.

Also pcr test to your home
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Wayne ********
Are you sure she's *your* girlfriend?
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Ryan ********
@Wayne *******
did you really just go out of you way to do that...wow
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Ryan ********
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Brian ********
How did you manage to get her visa
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Allan **********
Depends on what you have planned for her, joking apart YES
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Henning *********
msig 12 month insurance basic is about 6000baht. would not travel with her with AT LEAST this one.
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Ken ********
Only if you love her
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David *******
For peace of mind. Yes 👍
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James **********
If she comes by dinghy she wont need it
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Robert ******
@James *********
And won’t need any money either as everything will be paid for including your 4 or 5 star hotel
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Robert ******
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Martin ******
Insurance is not compulsory but as there is extensive health tourism and racism even without the currently highly restricted NHS services blamed on Covid it is worth while. If registered with the NHS a doctor's appointment can take 3 weeks. Waiting times at A&E is a minimum of 2 hours.

Health care is free but if you want timely health care going private is essential now.
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Julie ***********
@Martin *****
why racism? This has nothing to do with Health Insurance, as anyone from the UK going overseas would be required to have travel insurance for obvious reasons then overseas travellers to the uk should have travel insurance,...
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Martin ******
@Julie **********
you clearly did not understand the question never mind my advice. My Thai wife and children experienced racism in London from both Indian and Pakistani staff in the NHS not to mention Ealing Council staff. As an old white woman I don't think the gutless NHS employees would say anything to you directly but amongst themselves I am sure they are delighted at your ignorance. I am not talking about treatment for an accident but systematic frauds perpetrated against British taxpayers.

Every year almost since inception of the NHS pregnant Indian and Pakistani women have applied for a National Insurance number before even coming to the UK. When they arrive on visitors visas their families make sure they have the best services available and if not shout and ball about racism. MPs like Rupa Huq and Keith Vaz spend most of their time making sure not only medical and social services are provided but all cash benefits are paid to the new British citizen and their mothers.

Oh letters are sent asking for payment but there is little enforcement.

The NHS go on about its immigrant work force but many are directly involved in preventing British people getting medical services but I have found that is not the case with BUPA.
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Julie ***********
@Martin *****
you are an extremely arrogant and rude man...

Please spout your stupidity elsewhere..
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Robert ******
@Martin *****
So what’s all this about Soi 13 that you deleted
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Robert ******
@Martin *****
I know your face from somewhere can’t think where to be honest
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Robert ******
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Robert ******
@Julie **********
he’s probably Billy No Mates by the look of him talking like that I am not surprised
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Julie ***********
@Robert *****
he's a very rude arrogant person...
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Robert ******
@Julie **********
yes your right a very brave man giving it the Big man behind a keyboard I seen him somewhere before can’t remember where it’s not old man Steptoe’s brother is it? From Ealing in London maybe or here in Pattaya I float about between the 2
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Robert ******
@Martin *****
stoke what does that mean that’s a football team isn’t it?
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Robert ******
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Robert ******
@Martin *****
What’s racism got to do with travel insurance
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Robert ******
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Peter ***********
I get travel insurance whenever I travel. My own insurance would not cover out of country. Better be safe than sorry & broke.
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Jo ****
When I took my wife back I took out insurance at that time with Bupa.
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Hawksbee ******
My Gf had to visit the Doctor and they didn`t charge for the 1st visit but I think if you want peace of mind for 6 months, then some insurance would be advisable, especially with the Covid situation. A GF of a friend of mine, had to go into hospital for 2 weeks and it cost him a pretty penny.
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Chris ******
I had to when my son was here and my girlfriend look it was only £60 for the doctor to see them and tablets
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Kristian ***************
Just get the travel insurance…phew!
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Garrett ***********
No
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Mac ******
Get insurance, like anyone would do travelling to another country. I hope the UK do charge for treatment.
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Jaap ************************
@Debbie *******
Agree 100%. Why would the people of any country pay for healthcare or hospital of a(ny) foreigner, entering the UK? I have a worldwide travel- and health insurance all my life. Try to enter Thailand WITHOUT a Thai health (COVID-19) insurance. Apart from that I think ANYONE traveling should carry a proper health insurance UNLESS you’re the one with more than 1 life 👍
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Mac ******
@Jaap ***********************
totally agree with you. I wouldn't go anywhere without insurance. It irritates me when people come to the UK expecting free treatment because we get it.
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Jessika *******
@Debbie *******
except it's not free, you pay for the NHS through National Insurance contributions. I agree everyone should have insurance 🙂
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Mac ******
@Jessika ******
yes I meant free for us, but didn't go into the National insurance bit lol.
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Mac ******
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Channy ******
Not necessarily but you can buy some travel insurance from Thailand which would cost about 1000 something baht
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Karim ***************
@Channy *****
this is correct
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Channy ******
It will cover everything
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Channy ******
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Ste *******
No. She does not need insurance for UK. If she gets sick in UK she will get looked after by NHS.

Any operation or expensive surgery you might be asked to pay. But no rules that you must pay.
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Peter **********
@Ste ******
If you don’t pay she will never get another visa for the UK. All this stuff is on record.
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Jessika *******
@Ste ******
Lets not forget NHS is not worth paying for anyway.... Get insurance, end of story.
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Peter *******
@Jessika ******
stupid comment
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Jessika *******
@Peter ******
speaking from my own personal experience, thank you for your comment! I would rather pay for care in Thai hospitals. I'm not discounting the many great medical staff that work for them, just overall the NHS service is not great. Long waiting lists/time to see GPs, not to mention the dreadful dentistry.
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Peter *******
@Jessika ******
8 months ago I was taken ill with stomach pains I was travelling in the uk and out of my area, I was admitted to hospital, diagnosed with gallbladder problems, operated on (during the covid outbreak)

Fantastic service 👍👍
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Jessika *******
@Peter ******
Good for you my experiences have been many and more unpleasant and inefficient than you describe.
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Stuart **********
@Jessika ******
you paid much into the NHS?
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Jessika *******
@Stuart *********
yes I was paying National Insurance until I left 5 years ago, started working at 16 and now I'm 43. Does that answer your question?
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Jessika *******
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Stuart **********
@Ste ******
completely wrong, she will have no access to NHS services without charge
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Jeffrey ************
@Ste ******
Wrong....
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Sammy *******
@Ste ******
I didnt know that the NHS paid for foreigners traveling to the UK?
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Stuart **********
@Sammy ******
they dont
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Lynnette *******
@Sammy ******
theyvdont. Friends who are UK citizens who live overseas as non domiciled persons cant use nhs either.
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Lynnette *******
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Nigel ********
@Ste ******
no she won't my thai wife , then gf needed treatment on a visit, luckily her airline she worked for picked up the tab if not she was liable to pay.
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Nigel ********
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Peter ******
Check with embassy.

Country getting wise to medical tourism.

May require proof of insurance as part of visa application.

Otherwise visa is normally valid for six months from date of issue.

If not careful could end up in quarantine hotel.

Weather in England miserable now.

Wait until March at earliest. Visa will probably take that long to process anyway.
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Tiffany **************
Need...maybe not? What are the covid regulations in the UK? Do they require insurance for foreigners traveling in?

Want? Depends on your budget.

When I lived in London 9 months, it was 70 pounds for an urgent care visit...7 pounds for any prescription. An emergency hospital visit was free. The amounts have likely gone up a bit...but even with insurance, it was inexpensive enough that I just paid out of pocket instead of dealing with insurance.

Or are you talking about bring your girlfriend to Thailand from the UK? Then she'd definitely need insurance as it's a requirement to come to Thailand now with insurance, due to covid.
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Gottfried *********
If you can afford to pay her hospital bill in UK then no...🤔
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Pikey *********
Was it easy to bring her to uk 🇬🇧
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Channy ******
@Pikey ********
I can help with the visa 👍
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Mark ******
@Channy *****
DM me too pls
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Mark *********
@Channy *****
how much does it cost
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Mark *********
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Julie ***********
Yes she will need travel insurance, if she needs treatment and dosn't have it she will have to pay.
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Andy *******
Going back to UK with you or coming back to Thailand? The extra comma ( , ) makes no sense
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Andy *******
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