What is the best health insurance option for expats in Thailand who need coverage for minor illnesses and hospitalization?

Sep 10, 2024
3 months ago
Tomasz ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am planning to move for a longer period of time to Thailand. I already got DTV visa (fairly simple process). Now I am looking for a decent health insurance. I don't have existing preconditions, and actually what would I need is the care "in case of sth" I could buy a policy from my home country but these are more like tourist policies, which is not what I need. I need a good insurance in case of sudden sickness (like flue, etc) or in case of required hospitalization, injuries ect. Can you recommend something?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
An expat moving to Thailand with a DTV visa seeks recommendations for comprehensive health insurance that covers sudden illnesses and injuries. While many comments highlight the relatively low cost of medical care in Thailand, they still suggest that having insurance is prudent. Various companies like AXA, Pacific Cross, and Genki are mentioned, along with advice to consider accident insurance and policies with higher deductibles to manage costs better. The community emphasizes the importance of personal needs, such as age and coverage amount, in choosing the right insurance.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Chris ********
Health cover is only as expensive as your next flight home. So that’s why you should never burn your boats. Keep your options open and the freedom to exercise them.
Henrik *****
Start out with a travelinsurance as long as possibel, since they include transport back to your homecountry and / or getting relatives come to Thailand in case of serious illness or accident.
Yorick ******
I recommend talking with an insurance broker for honest and personal advice. Contact AA Insurance Brokers and we’ll get back to you in a flash!
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Mark ********
AXA Thailand
Tony *********
Why would you need insurance for the flu? Surely buying some water and paracetamol is cheaper for this?
Mark ********
@Tony ********
Some visas require health insurance from Thailand based companies. Eg AXA. I have just renewed mine for my OA extension thru them.
Tony *********
@Mark *******
yeah I appreciate that but not for flu, surely
Mark ********
Deb ********
Ask people with insurance if they've ever been paid out when needed..... Be careful !
Andy **********
Insurance for the flu?
Ručman ***********
I recommend
@Thanakorn ***************************
I pay 1000 THB per month.
Kelvin ******
@Tomasz *******
if you are specifically looking only for insurance within thailand, this might help from the list of insurance in the O visa category.

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If you are looking for digit nomad visa type, goto digital nomad group in reddit.com, you will come up with Safetywing, Genki, …etc.

Personally, I am leaning towards Imglobal for digital nomad/ world citizen myself. Hope this helps!
Rob **********
You don’t say your age, and what amount of coverage you require, that would help narrow it down. But try looking at AXA or Pacific Cross, you can search all this yourself.
Myles *******
Depending on what u need/age etc take a look at Genki. Wont work for everyone but does for me! €60 odd a month and can cancel at anytime and covers pretty much the same as the big boys. I have a referral code should you need
Alex ********
You need whats called international health insurance and u don't need a large excess or deductible depending on what u want to spend
Andy **********
Especially if You're on the younger side, and you don't have any serious health conditions, in my opinion, you don't need full medical cover, look into a good accident insurance policy, and also a good critical illness policy, because if the worst should happen, that is what will cost the most money, most other minor conditions you could probably just pay for it yourself, medical treatment in Thai government hospitals isn't stupidly expensive, for example a decent accident insurance policy is between ฿6500-฿8500 roughly, AXA and AIA are good, also as previously mentioned Pacific cross should have a policy that suits your needs.
Christine *******
I care self about my health. But I have an accident incurrence. When you drive car or scooter it make sense for me. But really since 2016 my family have no health cover at all. And till today we didn’t saw a doc.
Philip ***********
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4 offices in Thailand They work with all companies
Dave **********
I judt checked AXA had reasonable prices up to age 79
Marty *********
Look for a policy with a large(ish) deductible. This will lower the cost. Pay for routine care out of pocket. Get enough coverage for a catastrophic event.

I’ve been here 7 years. My policy has a 40,000 baht deductible. The highest medical bill I ever had was 20,000 baht and that was once earlier this year.
Mike *******
@Marty ********
A very pragmatic approach. 👌
Tomasz ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Any recommendations for the comapny?
Marty *********
@Tomasz *******
I have Pacific Cross. Their website is very good for showing their range of plans and deductibles and estimated costs. They have great customer service but I’ve never made a claim so I can’t comment on that.

I’m aware that there are international insurance plans out there because there are plenty of people that have worked internationally all their lives.

One thing for sure is that whenever a particular company is mentioned you will hear from people that like that company or hate that company. Insurance is a triggering topic for many people.
Tomasz ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I know how things work here, and that medications are fairly cheap. I just would like to have a reasonable insurance in case sth serious happens. That is why I am looking a point or a company to start with? Actually every time i have been to Thailand I ended in a simple condition that required some kind of medication - like flue, or small injuries. This was all covered by my tourist insurance. So I would like to have cover for that.
Pete *******
Simple advice, get the best health insurance you can afford.
Brian *********
Don’t want to totally derail your intentions but chances are high the cost of most medical care here is possibly less than a co-pay in many other places.

I recently have been recovery from a bronchial infection. Dr visits and medications cost me a total of 600 baht (~$18 USD). That included a few medications including two antibiotics.

So the need for insurance is not as great and the frequency they’ll actually pay is low compared. Fwiw.
Tomasz ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brian ********
I am from europe. There is no such thing as co-pay here 😉
Brian *********
@Tomasz *******
okay. Well the point was much of the medical here is cheap without any insurance at all. 👍
Tore *********
@Brian ********
compared to Europe healthcare in Thailand isn’t cheap. Quite the opposite.
Craig *********
@Tore ********
not sure what you mean.
Tore *********
@Craig ********
Quite a bit of medical treatments are cheaper (without insurance) in for example Germany compared to Thailand. My spine surgery was about the same in Bangkok as Germany for example

Dental care also similar in Thailand va Germany and The Netherlands

Compared with US, literally everywhere is cheap.
Craig *********
@Tore ********
are you a resident of Germany?
Tore *********
@Craig ********
no, i was a resident in NL. In Germany I paid out of pocket. Im talking about out of pocket costs
Craig *********
@Tore ********
I’m surprised. I went online and looked at things like an MRI. 2-3 more times the price of German versus Thailand.
Tore *********
@Craig ********
diagnostics sure, they attract new patients. Its the actual treatment that is expensive
Brian *********
@Tore ********
great. 👍
Craig *********
@Brian ********
depends where you go for treatment and the extent of your medical condition(s). Can still get costly.
Brian *********
@Craig ********
yes it can. But generally, many things are dirt cheap.
Craig *********
@Brian ********
broken leg that required an operation, 4 days in hospital and a bunch of follow up’s about 19k USD. Saying that the service was A1+++
Brian *********
@Craig ********
not sure your context but your hospital stay and related surgery would have been ~5x that amount out of pocket in the US. So, that’s cheap. 🤓
Craig *********
@Brian ********
yes compared to US I would agree. The US is out of control.
Brian *********
@Craig ********
sadly true but better than it had been as sad as it sounds.
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