Thailand Health Insurance in 2025 for Expats and Foreigners

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Why Get Health Insurance in Thailand?

  1. Visa Requirement: Specific visas require it, such as the Non-OA Retirement Visa, Non-OX, and LTR (Long Term Resident) visas.

    • Note: The popular Non-O Retirement Visa technically does not require insurance if applying within Thailand, but some embassies abroad (e.g., London, LA) might add it as a requirement.

    • Visas with no insurance requirement: DTV, Ed (Education), and Elite Visa.

  2. Peace of Mind: For good quality healthcare coverage.

Types of Plans & Examples

  • “Visa-Satisfying” Cheap Plans (e.g., AXA Easy Care Visa Plan):

    • Cost: Very cheap (~23,800 THB or $690/year for a 65-year-old).

    • Coverage: Meets the 4 million THB requirement.

    • The Catch: These are often “useless” for actual care due to high deductibles (e.g., 300,000 THB / $8,000 USD) that apply per incident or disability, even to outpatient care. They are designed primarily to tick a box for immigration.

    • Geographic Limit: Usually Thailand only.

  • Comprehensive/Usable Plans (e.g., Pacific Cross Maxima Plus):

    • Cost: More expensive but reasonable (~84,000 THB or $2,400/year).

    • Coverage: Worldwide (excluding USA), higher limits (e.g., 10 million THB), and actually covers medical needs.

Using Home Country Insurance

  • Most foreign policies are not accepted for Thai Visa requirements because they must be from a Thai-approved company.

  • Exception: For Non-OA visas, foreign insurance can be used IF the company signs a specific Thai Foreign Insurance Certificate form. However, the host notes he has never heard of a foreign company actually agreeing to sign this form.

The Importance of an Insurance Agent

The host strongly advises against buying directly from an insurance company’s website. Instead, use a qualified broker/agent because:

  1. Advocacy: An agent can fight for you if a claim is denied. Insurance companies fear losing the agent’s business more than a single customer.

  2. Selection: Agents compare multiple companies to find the best fit for your age and health.

  3. Pre-Existing Conditions: Agents know which companies are lenient or strict about specific conditions (e.g., high blood pressure vs. diabetes).

  4. Cost: The price is the same whether you buy directly or through an agent.

Pre-Existing Conditions

  • Most Thai insurers exclude pre-existing conditions.

  • Case-by-Case: Some insurers may cover them if the condition is managed (e.g., high blood pressure with healthy BMI and no hospitalization).

  • Moratorium Plans: Some plans might cover pre-existing conditions after a waiting period or for an extra fee.

How to Save Money on Premiums

  1. Deductibles: Agreeing to a higher deductible reduces premiums.

  2. Exclude Outpatient (OPD): Dropping outpatient coverage can save 40-50% on premiums.

    • Reasoning: Routine care in Thailand is very cheap (e.g., $20-$40 for a doctor visit), so paying out-of-pocket for minor issues is often more cost-effective than insuring it.

  3. Family Plans: Bundling spouses/children can save 10-15%.

Common Pitfalls (How to Invalidate Your Policy)

  1. Lying on the Application: If you omit medical history, they may issue the policy but will deny claims later when they investigate your records.

  2. Driving Without a License: If you get into an accident (motorcycle or car) without a valid license for that specific vehicle, insurers often deny coverage—even if the police don’t strictly enforce licensing on the road.

Cost of Care Context

  • Thai medical care is significantly cheaper than in the US (estimated at 10% to 40% of US costs).

  • Even top-tier private hospitals are affordable compared to Western prices, meaning you may not need as high a coverage limit as you would in the US.

I always get an international drivers license from Canada before we head to Thailand from CAA, it’s not that expensive but know this, if your license is only for a passenger vehicle, (car/pickup) and you rent a motorbike without having a motorbike license, this could be a issue if you get into an accident. You’d be surprised how many foreigners rent motorbikes in other countries without the proper class of license. Great information Randy.

I just made an unexpected visit to chiang mai ram hospital for some bad stomach issues. Maybe something i ate? Saw a doctor in 30 min, got a IV Drip with pain meds and glucose. Walked out with 5 prescriptions which solved my problem and he bill was $150. Everyone was very nice and I had zero communication issues even though i dont speak thai. Overall it was a very positive experience.

I am officially retiring to Thailand next month in May and have been putting off my decision about getting health insurance. I have a few pre-existing conditions and have read so many stories of people paying for insurance and having their claims denied when they actually try to utilize it. I am still undecided about whether to just self insure, but this video gave me a lot of food for thought. Definitely need to speak with an agent and see what options are available.

The best medical insurance for expats from the USA is Cigna Global. I pay $2,400/year $2 Million lifetime coverage anywhere in the world (except USA; $600 extra if you want 6mo annual coverage in USA), and NO COPAY. A $1 million lifetime coverage plan costs even less. Copay consideration is much more important than the deductible because in the latter case you know the dollar amount you must pay. You don’t know how much you might need to copay in terms of the dollar amount.

For instance, a 20% Copay for cancer can bankrupt you, but a $5000 deductible won’t destroy your life. If you have a copy you really don’t have legit insurance. AXA is not so good (high rates for low coverage). And Pacific Cross is worse because it only covers you in Thailand (what if you need advanced procedure and want to get it in the EU or USA?). Pacific Cross agents work with many YouTubers to pay referral fees which might be why you get so little from PC while paying so much.

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