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Will the elimination of Thai Pass and Test & Go also remove the health insurance requirement for travelers to Thailand?
Thai PassTest & GoHealth Insurance RequirementTravel InsuranceVisa RegulationsCOVID-19 RestrictionsNON-O VisaExpat Life in Thailand
Apr 14, 2022
4 years ago
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTERWhat do you think. IF they get rid of Thai Pass and test & go does that indicate the health insurance requirement will most likely be dropped too?
TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion revolves around whether the potential removal of the Thai Pass and Test & Go will also lead to the lifting of the health insurance requirement for travelers to Thailand. Various comments indicate that health insurance was only mandatory for NON-OA visa holders before the pandemic, suggesting that if the COVID-related entry requirements are dropped, the health insurance requirement might be eliminated as well, though many participants emphasize the importance of having travel insurance regardless.
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Andy **********
What sort of moron want to travel without insurance ?
Around 50% of Thai travellers by the looks of it !
Around 50% of Thai travellers by the looks of it !
Johnny **********
What is the general consensus when Covid restrictions will be dropped and a return to 2019 immigration requirements...May, June July...thx in advance.
Henrik ****
@Johnny *********
, earliest June.Reply to
Henrik ****
Reply
Ben *********
Should be, it was only an add on piggyback requirement, you think?
Henrik ****
Maybe by 1 June or 1 July, all Covid-19 restrictions will be lifted. But hard to say for sure until a few days before the date arrives.
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Henrik ***
I hope it’s May 1st!Henrik ****
@Joanne ****************
, no, 1 May the PCR test procedure on arrival might be easied.Greg *******
@Henrik ***
it will probably be atk on arrival. That’s it. No hotel requirement.Henrik ****
@Greg ******
, yes, my guess is that the requirement for insurance will be the very last to be lifted. Anyway, you can get workable insurance for less than 1,000 THB.Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Henrik ***
really? 1000 baht - we are *****
years old. I was quoted $1200/year by AKA.Henrik ****
@Joanne ****************
, if the purpose is Thailand Pass, then you only need 30 days.Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Henrik ***
I can still hope. I think it’s being recommendedHenrik ****
@Joanne ****************
, nothing so far indicating that all restrictions will be lifted on 1 May. To hope for that is more than optimistic. What will actually be lifted by 1 May no one knows for sure until a few days before.Reply to
Henrik ****
Reply
Paul *******
Yes absolutely. That's already been indicated. However, you're well advised to purchase travel insurance anyway, voluntarily.
Ruth *******
@Paul ******
Why? So you can think you have coverage but they actually cover nothing?Reply to
Ruth *******
Reply
Steve **********
Seeing as no one wants to answer but just give you their take on personal choices, I’ll answer.
If they scrap test and go the covid insurance will certainly go as well.
As far as I know the only visa that requires actual health insurance is Non OA and that was the case pre-covid.
If they scrap test and go the covid insurance will certainly go as well.
As far as I know the only visa that requires actual health insurance is Non OA and that was the case pre-covid.
William *******
@Steve *********
Agree. Most of us pay cash for health care excepting the required Covid19 coverage.Non-Imm O-A visa has required health insurance for the last three or four years.Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Steve *********
thanks so much!!Reply to
Joanne *****************
Reply
Terary **********
travel insurance for what? I understand health insurance but really paying a 10% premium on top of the cost of the trip seems like a good idea only if 1 out of 5 trips get goofed.
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Terary *********
I mean health insurance coverage for Covid.Greg *******
@Joanne ****************
no longer has to be covid specific. Even medical or health policy worksTerary **********
@Greg ******
No more Covid/travel insurance? I can use my Blue Cross from my US employer? It doesn't specifically have coverage amounts but its quite wordy.Cliff ********
@Terary *********
right now, Covid travel insurance is still requiredReply to
Cliff ********
Reply
Klaus ***********
Do they drop Thai pass and test &go?
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Klaus **********
I heard that rumor…Hope so.Reply to
Joanne *****************
Reply
Nick *********
I lived in Thailand and Cambodia for almost 10 years with no vaccinations and no insurance .
Marc ********
As far as I remember officially you always needed a travel insurance going to Thailand. Even before Covid.
But nobody ever checked.
But nobody ever checked.
Paul *******
What do you get out of spreading this nonsense anyway? It's history now and all that matters is what the rules are going forward.
Paul *******
Stop spreading lies. There was no requirement for this pre Covid. Since April 2020, yes absolutely needed.
Marc ********
@Paul ******
No lie. It was officially. PeriodReply to
Marc ********
Reply
Paul *******
Marc. Give it up. You're wrong. Only O-A holders needed to be insured. Period.
Marc ********
@Paul ******
You can tag me 100x more and say no. I will always say officially you needed to be insured. Maybe you don't know but many things are written somewhere but nobody enforces itMarc ********
@Paul ******
No you give up. It was an official requirement before. You needed to be insured as tourist. As I said nobody checked. But it was mentioned in the entry requirements. PeriodReply to
Marc ********
Reply
Paul *******
William, yeah I'm not sure I'd want to pay for a coronary bypass with cash rather than insurance, but as you say only O-A visa holders were ever required to have it pre Covid.
Marc ********
@Paul ******
You are wrong. Officially you always needed to be insured. PeriodReply to
Marc ********
Reply
Paul *******
Marc. WRONG. Only O-A visas ever needed insurance before April 2020. Stop spreading misinformation.
Paul *******
No you didn't. It was never a mandate. It's a good idea, but it was never compulsory until now.
Marc ********
Paul *******
@Marc *******
No you didn't. Only for the O-A visa was it ever needed.William *******
@Paul ******
Completely agree. The requirements for health insurance started late last decade for nonimmigant O-A visa. Required Covid19 health insurance began just after the pandemic began. Health care is extremely affordable paying with cash…even a coronary bypass !Marc ********
@Paul ******
Yes you did. You needed to be insured. Period. Officially. As tourist aswell.Maybe for O-A visa they checked if you really have one or not
Reply to
Marc ********
Reply
Mark *******
Normal travel insurance is cheaper than the Thai covid options
Paul *******
Which is why you shouldn't come to Thailand until after the requirements are scrapped. That way you won't have to worry about what your company does or doesn't want to do.
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Mark ******
yes but our company won’t write a letter for the Thailand requirements.Steve ********
@Joanne ****************
. My friends didn't need any letter. Provided the insurance clearly states minimum $20,000 including covid it's a done deal!Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Steve *******
BCBS doesn’t state Covid coverage and was rejected. It states it covers everything but doesn’t state Covid specifically.Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Steve *******
we’ll try again this year and see what happens. Stinks paying for two insurance policies when one isn’t even used!!Yvonne *********
@Joanne ****************
If your only coming for a holiday you only need to pay insurance for the time you are in ThailandI would rather pay for both that get sick or have a accident out of my home country then try to find the money to bay medical etc in Thailand or anywhere else in the world other than my home country
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Yvonne ********
we have great international insurance through BCBS have used it a lot since in Thailand. But Thailand doesn’t accept it for “Covid” insurance coverage.Reply to
Joanne *****************
Reply
Bobby ********
Mark Evans. Haha! Define "normal travel insurance". I have friends who came to Thailand on a Sainsbury's travel insurance policy! If your travel insurance doesn't cover a miserable $20,000 including Covid, you really believe it's worthwhile having? 🤣🤣🤣
Reply to
Bobby ********
Reply
David *********
You’ve got to be stupid not to have travel insurance
Yvonne *********
@Joanne ****************
Then what’s the problem if your insurance from home will cover you whilst in Thailand then use it.Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Yvonne ********
to extend our visa we need another year of Thai insurance with Covid coverage.Yvonne *********
@Joanne ****************
Just get the cheapest one you can find, can you just get a covid one by itself and show them both policiesJoanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Yvonne ********
Yes I know that was the whole point of my post. The insurance is $1200 for the two of us so if they first they take away that requirement I will not have to buy that because our Visa needs to be extended by May 16. Hence the whole reason for my postYvonne *********
@Joanne ****************
I would wait till the 1 May and have info for the covid insurance just in case it doesn’t happen.Reply to
Yvonne *********
Reply
Yvonne *********
@David ********
I agree, we have always bought travel insurance when we left Australia to holiday overseas, your insurance in your home country only covers you when your in your home country. I have seen and heard of so many people get into trouble when there had an accident whilst out of the own country
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Yvonne ********
not true. Had more than 20 reimbursements from BCBS this past year.Reply to
Joanne *****************
Reply
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@David ********
we have great insurance from the USA Blue Cross Blue Shield but Thailand won’t accept it as they won’t issue specific letter saying the cover Covid but the actually do!!Yvonne *********
@Joanne ****************
Travel insurance is what you buy when your go travelling out of the states. Your insurance there will it cover you if you are not in America. Completely different than the covid insurance they are asking for in Thailand
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Yvonne ********
no for retirement visa we needed Thai health insurance that specifically coveredCovid. We are here permanently. BCBS has covered us the whole last year while here no problem.
Karim ***************
@Joanne ****************
they tend to prefer you use a Thai insurer. That’s why I always just uses AXA ThaiReply to
Karim ***************
Reply
Steven ******
@David ********
I'm guilty of this Tbh. Once it's dropped, I'll certainly look into it moreReply to
Steven ******
Reply
David *********
Why wouldn’t you have travel insurance anyway ?
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@David ********
we have great insurance from the USA Blue Cross Blue Shield but Thailand won’t accept it as they won’t issue specific letter saying the cover Covid but the actually do!!Greg *******
@Joanne ****************
no longer has to say it covers covid.Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Greg ******
really how do you know this? Do you have a link?Greg *******
@Joanne ****************
been this way for over a month now. I have advised hundreds of travelers and not one ever said I was wrong. Even the international manager of Piyavate Hospital said it back in early March, “a health policy works. “Since then, I have said the same. @Bangkok ****************************
Joanne *****************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Greg ******
ok wonderful thanks!Reply to
Joanne *****************
Reply
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