Why is health insurance in Thailand so much more expensive than in Australia?

Ours is less than that - about $7K for the year for two of us

If you are over 60 with prior conditions, if you find it there will be too many restrictions & too high of a price. Healthcare is much cheaper here so I just elected to build a fund for any future surgeries I may need.

Yes, it’s correct. Australian private cover is designed to stay affordable (relatively) for life by incentivizing you going in by 30. Most other systems the premiums rise steeply with age. You can make it more affordable by choosing a high deductive, that is, you bear say the first $5K (if you can afford it). You may also be able to get away with a more modest level of cover as long as it includes repatriation cover, ie they will send you home for something requiring long term care. Chat with a broker about different ways things could play out.

the thai insurance is around 30,000 to 50,000 baht a year NOT month...which is around 1000-1700 USD / year. Travel insurance from the likes of digital nomad and such should be around 100 dollars max per month. Are you sure your quote isn't per year??

I don’t think you are getting that right, no. 1350 a quarter maybe

That's why I only visit for 120 days now. Thanks to Nationwide changing from UK Travel to Aviva. And it's nearly twice the price it was.

Are you already in Thailand & have a retirement Visa ?

My quote for insurance is not much more than what I was paying for HCF private + Medicare levy.

And I don't have to sit in emergency for 7 hours for a minor procedure after being referred by a GP.

Worth every cent imo.

Unfortunately you are correct - health insurance in Thailand is, sadly, a complete rip off. As a 70 year old UK citizen, I have lived in Spain since retiring 10 years ago and have had excellent comprehensive health cover each year for less than €100 per month. I have no pre-existing conditions (non-smoker and healthy) but the quotes I have received since moving to Thailand in November have been at least double or triple what I was paying in Spain - a similar experience to yours. Clearly the costs of providing health care in Thailand are much less than in Spain or Australia. The only conclusion one can come to is that the insurance companies realise that our American friends here (of which there are many) are accustomed to paying exorbitant amounts for their health cover and therefore consider the high premiums in Thailand acceptable. This is how insurance companies work unfortunately.

Who gave you the U$1350/month quote?

Direct to Wrlife .. 094 583 4305 (Bangkok)

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1) Are you organising International comprehensive health insurance while in Australia, or are you organising local Australian coverage through one of the private insurers, that works in conjunction with Medicare. None of the Australian private insurers (NIB, Medibank, HCF, BUPA etc.) offer a product that covers you outside Australia the way a true international health insurance policy does.

2) Age will make a huge difference. When in your late 40s or

early 50s international health insurance is quite reasonable, however each year your premium will increase due to age and cost of living increases.

3) Many international insurers (not Thai) have no age limit for continuing insurance once it’s taken out, but the reality is it will become unaffordable once you hit your late 70s.

For someone in their late 70s, expect to be paying USD 8k-10k per year (as a minimum) for international health insurance that covers you outside Australia.

Some international health insurance policies will also cover you in your home country, which is reassuring to know if you happen to get sick during a trip home and you’re no longer eligible for Medicare.

Not quite that much, insurance here is more than in Australia (and I had top Medibank!), but it's not horses for courses here. You will probably find that you opt for way less coverage benifits than you are used to, find a policy that you're happy with to cover you for the big ticket items and bank the rest to self insure for all the little things. I personally would get the visa here and skip the need for insurance tied to your visa

Good luck if you got pre existing conditions

Check insurance brokers in Thailand for quotes

I doubt very much that health insurance in Thailand is more expensive than Australia. Are you comparing like with like?

Could be why people go for non o visa as insurance is not required

Check out axa Thailand easy care policy