OA insurance - the issues

[oznomad]

I wonder if the people at Immigration may not be aware of some of the issues that arise from the incoming compulsory insurance for OA visas.

Under the heading 'if you dont ask, you dont get', lets list off the problems that we, the users, see.

 

This is a constructive list that hopefully will be read by, or forwarded to, the decision makers.

It's not a moan session, a place to ask questions, or to write your life story.

Please post the issues you see with the compulsory insurance, in a brief manner.

 

I will start.

 

1. OA visa holders often already have insurance that more than covers the requirements of 400k / 40k. In my case, that is long term travel insurance, supplied by my credit card. Earlier this year, I had a 500,000 baht medical claim on it, without a problem. For me, the compulsory insurance is just money spent for absolutely no reason.

[glegolo]

I do not fully grasp all the details in this thing with insurance and Non Immigrant O-A VISA but to my own understanding I thought that if I have (like you have) an insurance covering the demand from the Imiigration, I do NOT need to issue/apply for another new one?????

 

I am wrong??

glegolo

[Pattaya46]

12 minutes ago, oznomad said:

In my case, that is long term travel insurance, supplied by my credit card.

I don't know which card you have, but most travel insurances associated to credit cards have strong limitations, and mainly rarely work for trips longer than 30, 60 or 90 days at best.

They are "travel" insurances, not "expat" insurance.

[oznomad]

15 minutes ago, glegolo said:

I do not fully grasp all the details in this thing with insurance and Non Immigrant O-A VISA but to my own understanding I thought that if I have (like you have) an insurance covering the demand from the Imiigration, I do NOT need to issue/apply for another new one?????

 

I am wrong??

glegolo

This is a constructive list that hopefully will be read by, or forwarded to, the decision makers.

It's not a moan session, a place to ask questions, or to write your life story.

Please post the issues you see with the compulsory insurance, in a brief manner.

[scubascuba3]

Ops #1 is travel insurance, that's not accepted. More than that how many days do you spend abroad? your insurance is probably invalid. Annual insurance polices allow for 45-90 days max, depending on the company

 

 

 

 

[oznomad]

10 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

I don't know which card you have, but most travel insurances associated to credit cards have strong limitations, and mainly rarely work for trips longer than 30, 60 or 90 days at best.

They are "travel" insurances, not "expat" insurance.

Mine is 6 months, it used to be 12 months. Expat insurance?? The matter at hand is health insurance, which is more than adequately covered by my card insurance, plus I get travel parts as well.

[oznomad]

Ok, what we want here are issues based on facts. Not speculations, guesses, questions etc.

Plenty of other threads on the topic for those.

 

[madmen]

Travel insurance of any kind Will be only valid on a tourist visa.

 

[Arndt777]

Good idea!

 

For me 1.  (already existing insurance coverage) is an issue too. I have since for than 20 years a health insurance with AXA in Germany. It has international and unlimited coverage. But it will not be accepted by Thai authorities, although its coverage is much more better than all offers from the Thai companies.

 

Issue no. 2 is the regulation, that premium increases are allowed following claims experience, increasing age and health condition. This is opening the door for premium increases when you getting older and when you had a claim (perhaps because of a heart attack). This makes the premium development for you as a policy holder unpredictable. At my German health insurance with AXA premium increases are only allowed, if the claims experience of all insured is getting worse.

[oznomad]

Just now, madmen said:

Travel insurance of any kind Will be only valid on a tourist visa.

 

This is a significant issue.

The purpose of the exercise is to ensure OA visa holders are not a burden on the Thai medical system, through supposed non-payment of bills.

If that requirement is satisfied, then how it is satisfied should not matter.

[EVENKEEL]

My Blue Cross/Blue Shield is good in Thailand but good luck having paperwork for consulate approved. 

[glegolo]

25 minutes ago, oznomad said:

This is a constructive list that hopefully will be read by, or forwarded to, the decision makers.

It's not a moan session, a place to ask questions, or to write your life story.

Please post the issues you see with the compulsory insurance, in a brief manner.

we4twye

Edited October 14, 2019 by glegolo

[Olmate]

3 minutes ago, oznomad said:

This is a significant issue.

The purpose of the exercise is to ensure OA visa holders are not a burden on the Thai medical system, through supposed non-payment of bills.

If that requirement is satisfied, then how it is satisfied should not matter.

Who among us truly retired  here have travel insurance? Not any my guess and it’s no different to self funded anyway. The fact is it’s not acceptable so what’s your point to the topic

[Don Mega]

4 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

My Blue Cross/Blue Shield is good in Thailand but good luck having paperwork for consulate approved. 

they should accept a foreign insurance certificate.

 

https://longstay.tgia.org/document/overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf

Edited October 14, 2019 by Don Mega

[Arndt777]

Issue no. 3 for me are known illnesses of the insured. Any applicant has to inform the insurer about known illnesses (for example: I already had a heart attack). As I see it, the insurer can decide whether he is denying coverage, is imposing a high additional premium or is excluding the medical problem from coverage. If the insurer is excluding coverage, then the expat is walking around partly uninsured. If the insurer is denying coverage or is imposing high additional premiums which cannot be paid by the applicant, then people are excluded from living in Thailand out of medical reasons. So the insurer are deciding who is accepted for a life in Thailand???

Edited October 14, 2019 by Arndt777

[madmen]

3 minutes ago, Arndt777 said:

Issue no. 3 for me are known illnesses of the insured. Any applicant has to inform the insurer about known illnesses (for example: I already had a heart attack). As I see it, the insurer can decide whether he is denying coverage, is imposing a high additional premium or is excluding the medical problem from coverage. If the insurer is excluding coverage, then the expat is walking around partly uninsured. If the insurer is denying coverage or is imposing high additional premiums which cannot be paid by the applicant, then people are excluded from living in Thailand out of medical reasons. So the insurer are deciding who is accepted for a life in Thailand???

Its quite obvious that the authorities don't have a clue about how health insurance works because they don't need it. They picked a couple of numbers out without giving it a second thought... no surprises there

[farmerjo]

There should be the option of another way for self funded people.

Maybe similar to the required amount in a bank account.

[Don Mega]

" First year, all applicants can buy health insurance from insurance companies in their owned countries or authorized insurance company in Thailand. When the applicants want to renew the visa, the applicants must buy insurance from authorized insurance companies in Thailand only. "

 

http://longstay.tgia.org/home/guidelineoa

 

 

[glegolo]

5 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

" First year, all applicants can buy health insurance from insurance companies in their owned countries or authorized insurance company in Thailand. When the applicants want to renew the visa, the applicants must buy insurance from authorized insurance companies in Thailand only. "

 

http://longstay.tgia.org/home/guidelineoa

 

 

This is NOT a Immigration website, this is from Insurance-organisation in Thailand who is horny to sell insurancies of course. I do noit trust that at all.... I rather wait for Ubon-Joe to confirm what is valid or not valid.

 

glegolo

[oznomad]

59 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Who among us truly retired  here have travel insurance? Not any my guess and it’s no different to self funded anyway. The fact is it’s not acceptable so what’s your point to the topic

This is a constructive list that hopefully will be read by, or forwarded to, the decision makers.

It's not a moan session, a place to ask questions, or to write your life story.

Please post the issues you see with the compulsory insurance, in a brief manner.

[gearbox]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

I don't know which card you have, but most travel insurances associated to credit cards have strong limitations, and mainly rarely work for trips longer than 30, 60 or 90 days at best.

They are "travel" insurances, not "expat" insurance.

This is incorrect. I'm here on travel insurance too, which is valid for 6 months, then I can go back to Australia and come back to Thailand and the 6 months period starts again. I have unlimited medical coverage. The insurance policy does not require any specific type of visa to be valid. I've read the insurance policy very carefully and asked the insurers a few questions as well. 

 

One can get also worldwide 1 year travel insurance from World Nomads for around 1K AUD.

 

Any of the offered O-A visa insurance policies would give me way less coverage.

[DrJack54]

Just a question. If indeed I had to obtain the insurance from Thai company would I be covered when outside of los. I travel a lot to Vietnam and Japan. What happens if I break leg in Osaka.

[Old Croc]

My brief:

 

Self-insured.

Many medical problems, all likely to be excluded as pre-existing.

Have spent nearly 1mill in 6 years at my local hospital. Paid cash every visit never owed them a satang.

Insurance premiums would be +100k. Any claims would be excluded.

 

Need extra funds in bank to be acceptable in lieu of useless insurance policy.

[Pattaya46]

31 minutes ago, gearbox said:

This is incorrect. I'm here on travel insurance too, which is valid for 6 months, then I can go back to Australia and come back to Thailand and the 6 months period starts again. I have unlimited medical coverage.  //

Not incorrect. You may have a way better than average insurance, but just have a look on Google.

Example:

"Credit card travel insurance policies typically only cover trips of up to a certain length (e.g. 31 days or 3 months), so check your PDS before assuming your trip would be covered." from here.

[UKresonant]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

they should accept a foreign insurance certificate.

 

https://longstay.tgia.org/document/overseas_insurance_certificate.pdf

Foreign insurance companies do not issue that certificate with their policies, they issue their companies certificate.

 

If you have a link to a company that is offering to do so, I'm sure it would be of interest.

Edited October 14, 2019 by UKresonant

[Saltire]

I have a UK expat insurance policy in its 5th year now. It covers me for 13 million Baht for inpatient but nothing for outpatient. My premium is about 50% of the 'recommended' Thai policies being pushed on us.

 

Is it possible to buy a policy (in Thailand or elswhere),  solely to cover outpatient costs?

 

If I ask my insurer to amend they will likely amend it, but at a wholly disproportionate cost.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2019 by Saltire

[UKresonant]

36 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Just a question. If indeed I had to obtain the insurance from Thai company would I be covered when outside of los. I travel a lot to Vietnam and Japan. What happens if I break leg in Osaka.

The policy only covering Thailand is a big negative as well, as I see it

[Mitkof Island]

There are far better ways to deal with this issue than the lame direction the Thai government is dealing with this. In my opinion the route they are taking leaving many that will not be able to be insured because of their medical history. This has got to be one of the top ten dumbest ideas ever they have come up with along with the TM 30 fiasco . They gave no options to self insure therefore you are screwed or forced to enlist in one of the lame health plans.

[isaanistical]

54 minutes ago, gearbox said:

This is incorrect. I'm here on travel insurance too, which is valid for 6 months, then I can go back to Australia and come back to Thailand and the 6 months period starts again. I have unlimited medical coverage. The insurance policy does not require any specific type of visa to be valid. I've read the insurance policy very carefully and asked the insurers a few questions as well. 

 

One can get also worldwide 1 year travel insurance from World Nomads for around 1K AUD.

 

Any of the offered O-A visa insurance policies would give me way less coverage.

World Nomads has an age 65 cut-off.

[isaanistical]

9 minutes ago, UKresonant said:

The policy only covering Thailand is a big negative as well, as I see it

My policy is on the list of Thai companies but includes travel cover (up to 3 months).

 

Related issue - what's the deal with people on work permits in LoS? Surely they need insurance, so how is that regulated? And could the same regulation (must be ok as you never hear wp-holders squealing like O-A holders at present) be adapted for other visa categories?