With no travel insurance, Canadian family struggles to bring injured father home from Thailand

[madmitch]

In response to a few of the comments on here:

 

Regular health or travel insurance would cover an injury following a fall from a ladder. Climbing a ladder would not under normal circumstances be considered a hazardous activity.

 

Travel insurance would probably cost the equivalent of a beer or two a day. It is not expensive. Annual policies for regular travellers are an even better deal. I assume the guy was on a tourist visa and not a non-imm as it states he was a "regular visitor"

 

Accident insurance is cheap but coverage is extremely limited. It may well have paid the medical costs in this instance but that's not his problem; repatriation is the issue and accident insurance would not cover repatriation.

[heybuz]

2 hours ago, legend49 said:

Peoples choice on what they do re insurance. Then again insurance companies always look at ways not to pay. So its all about luck. I hope their luck gets better.

I get insurance but I'm paranoid about said companies paying , finding some excuse not to pay like being in a motorcycle accident as a pillion passenger and the excuse is you don't have a motorcycle license to ride the bike.5????????

[PremiumLane]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

I'm thinking that it's high time travel insurance should be worldwide mandated and a must with every ticket purchased just like half a dozen of surcharges we pay when we buy an airline ticket so should be a bare minimum insurance policy to insure minimum coverage, with the provisions to increase the cover to suits individuals, this way billions will be saved not to mention griff and heartaches will saved to all concerns, be it governments or individuals...

I'm thinking it is high time we didn't have huge insurance companies leeching off other people's medical misfortunes. 

[BestB]

All the best for speedy recovery but a good lesson to all you i am self insured people. When something serious happens you burn through your money faster than you can count. And in such situations one may not be in position to make decisions.

 

getting back to home country for free treatment as proven may not be an option either. 

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, chainarong said:

In mining anything half a meter of the ground you need a fall arrest gear on. 

I didn’t read the whole article-was the guy mining?

[4MyEgo]

26 minutes ago, mngmn said:

 

Medical repatriation is so massively expensive only the really wealthy could afford to 'self insure'. Giving 'taking a huge risk' a silly name like 'self insure' makes it sound like a well thought out strategy.

As silly as the name sounds, I am sure there are those who cannot get insurance for whatever reasons, age, pre-existing conditions, etc etc, hence the reason self insuring can be a well thought out strategy, but that is when all their options are out the window, hence drawing on their funds/reserves, i.e. provided they have them in the first place.

 

I would NEVER suggest self insure in the way some do, i.e. don't pay the medical insurance cover required per annum to put that money aside for a rainy day, the maths doesn't work in their favor if they do it that way, suffice to say, I have thought about it as my family's health care cover is 110,000 baht per year or 0.22% or around 50,000,000 baht in total cover offered, and will the premium will increase this coming year and probably ever year thereafter, but it is not an option to self insure, even though I have reserves, therefore I pay/bite the bullet, and in the event of an emergency or scheduled surgery for me or any member of my family, the burden will be on the insurance company, hence the reason I pay for cover, that said, if the insurer didn't cough up, then I would dip into my reserves and then take the necessary legal action to recover the money due from the insurance company. 

 

As the saying goes, why does an Irishman wear two condoms ?

 

To be sure, to be sure ????

[PEE TEE]

Sad news hope he can get it sorted. is a fact my friend from Canada had a bad motorbike crash the Canadian government paid for his hospital expenses including out patients . he told me he was covered in the event of accidents by the government . they also paid me for taking him back and forth every day for dressing change. mabey is only certain provinces that do this . wish him best of luck to recover       

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, jastheace said:

but hazardous pursuits such as this guy was doing would not be covered.

Climbing a ladder a hazardous pursuit??????

[Banana7]

2 hours ago, friendphil said:

I BELIEVE that you're way off on the 2-3 beers per day cost of insurance.  And at that age, when I lived in Thailand, it simply was not available, at least through Thai providers, and the farang provider options that were available were simply out of reach of most farangs living in Thailand. 

A friend, 65 years old,  paid just under CAD$800 for 171 days for Canadian emergency medical insurance, with CAD$5,000 deductible, coverage CAD$10,000,000. CAD is about 22.7 baht. Doing the math, 800/171= 4.67; CAD$4.67 x 22.7 = 106 baht; Cheapest bottled beer  in a Pattaya bar is 45b. So the insurance costs about 2.4 beer per day.

 

There will probably be rate difference between 65 and 66 years old, but not much.

[PEE TEE]

4 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Climbing a ladder a hazardous pursuit??????

riding a motorbike in Thailand very hazardous 

[Woolsgibb60]

3 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Sad news, hope he recovers, but I cannot understand people that skimp out on health insurance and or travel insurance. From my calculations, it costs between 2-3 beers a day for someone that age, and yes I understand some can't get it because of their age and pre-existing conditions, but @ 66, come on, at least self insure, and at that age, if you haven't got money, you should stay in your home country as opposed to being a burden to others, harsh words, yes, but Thailand owes us nothing and we shouldn't be a burden on Thailand. No doubt I will cop some slack here for my open opinion, but it is what it is, the truth, he is now a financial burden to his family on both sides of the fence.

 

I would hate for something to happen to me which would make me a financial burden on my family, either side of the fence, so I take out medical insurance and travel insurance when I travel, sure it costs, but the burden is on me.

 

U are living in a dream world 2.3 beers per day  for 6 months like £600 .700 get the figures right

[wgdanson]

Just now, PEE TEE said:

riding a motorbike in Thailand very hazardous 

This guy FELL OFF A LADDER.

[henry2109]

1 hour ago, Wavel said:

If the unfortunate gentleman paid for his travel here by credit card. Then surely the credit card company has insurance built in.

 

This might be the case for the flight, if he has an accident on it. But hardely on everthing between the arrival and departure in Thailand. Some people often simply do not understand what is covered and not by their insurance.

[PEE TEE]

3 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

This guy FELL OFF A LADDER.

was in reply to another quote that climbing a ladder hazardous ???  

[4MyEgo]

7 minutes ago, Woolsgibb60 said:

U are living in a dream world 2.3 beers per day  for 6 months like £600 .700 get the figures right

Says the man that failed maths.

 

Calculating your above figures and then multiplying that by 2 gives you exactly the figures I was talking about, even at the lower range.

 

If you think I am wrong, fire at will, I will be waiting for your mathematical reply, if you dare.

[jvs]

55 minutes ago, HHTel said:

  In-patient coverage of 40K baht!

AS far as i know in patient is 400 k and outpatient 40k.

[4MyEgo]

32 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Accident insurance is cheap but coverage is extremely limited. It may well have paid the medical costs in this instance but that's not his problem; repatriation is the issue and accident insurance would not cover repatriation.

There are travel insurers out there that do cover repatriation, just a matter of which policy you choose, the cheaper the policy, the less coverage, the higher the policy, the more coverage, e.g. repatriation.

[digger70]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

One can get "accident insurance" at the local bank for less than 2000 Bt..

You are Sadly mistaking. I have an Accident insurance BKB. 73 yrs young  THB 3800 covers up to THB40000 if you break a bone & if no broken bones it will cover up to THB 20000 . If one want' a higher cover than it cost a lot more. Used it ones for a cut on arm 4 stitches needed Cost Total THB 19000, 8 months ago.  ????

[4MyEgo]

37 minutes ago, heybuz said:

I get insurance but I'm paranoid about said companies paying , finding some excuse not to pay like being in a motorcycle accident as a pillion passenger and the excuse is you don't have a motorcycle license to ride the bike.5????????

If you read the fine print of each and every policy, you will have no paranoia, insurance is insurance, but you have to read the policy in full including the fine print, highlighting what isn't covered.

 

It's not a lucky dip, where you just buy an insurance policy and then hope for the best, insurers won't pay for certain things, you have to find them and then highlight them, being fully aware of what is not covered, then make the informed decision, e.g. of $hit it doesn't cover you if you are a pillion passenger, or it does, but will not cover you if the rider is not appropriately licensed, or it simply doesn't cover riding motorbikes, or scooters over 125cc.

 

Most people blame the insurer because they didn't read the fine print or the policy, KNOW what your buying, then if the insurer knocks you back and you feel its unjust and is within the policy, then you have legal recourse, but would have to be an insurance company that is small and dodgy, suffice to say, stick with the bigger ones.

[SoonOh]

Since he fell off a ladder at his wife’s house, wife should pay for his medical expenses. 

 

Oops, where is immigration. Working with out permit... 

 

Only an idiot would travel with out medical insurance. 

 

It is time Thai Immigration demands Medical insurance upon arrival. 

[448glb]

2 hours ago, jlwilliamsjr18 said:

Perhaps you can educate us.

"One can get "accident insurance" at the local bank for less than 2000 Bt."

I just came back to Thailand first week of November I bought Travel Insurance for $50. So that is 1500 baht. I had a kidney stone attack and was 100% covered for over $6000. So now you’re educated ????

[Prince77]

It starts to annoy me that there is always a mix-up between HEALTH - and TRAVEL insurance. The later has nothing to do with age or existing pre-conditions - it is a travel insurance which covers accidents and unforeseenable cases of illness.

 

A travel insurance costs peanuts and should be mandatory for ALL visitors / tourist in Thailand for their own benefit and safety.

 

Of course it is not meant for so called "long stay tourists".

[Yinn]

3 hours ago, dotpoom said:

One can get "accident insurance" at the local bank for less than 2000 Bt..

 

2 hours ago, jlwilliamsjr18 said:

Perhaps you can educate us.

"One can get "accident insurance" at the local bank for less than 2000 Bt."

 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I had some of that, when I tried to claim they wouldn't pay.

 

 Here the link. My friend used it. He happy. I get it also.

 

maybe the link will open in thai language. For english look at the top right.

 

https://kasikornbank.com/EN/News/Pages/Insurance-via-K-PLUS.aspx

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

I'm thinking that it's high time travel insurance should be worldwide mandated and a must with every ticket purchased just like half a dozen of surcharges we pay when we buy an airline ticket so should be a bare minimum insurance policy to insure minimum coverage, with the provisions to increase the cover to suits individuals, this way billions will be saved not to mention griff and heartaches will saved to all concerns, be it governments or individuals...

That might work if payment were based on nature of ailment/injury rather than the somewhat more lucrative ethnicity of patient.

[Prince77]

Check it here: https://www.worldnomads.com/eu/travel-insurance/whats-covered/#insuranceQuotePanel

 

[murraynz]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I wouldn't really describe falling off a ladder as a hazardous pursuit?

it IS  a hazardous pursuit....im sure that in many countries, it is near the top of the list for accidents....regardless, all insurance companies will do their very best, to find a way out ,from settling a claim...

 

my sympathies with the guy, im about 2 yrs older...

thailand must be considered a 'high risk' country, with bad driving etc etc, so anybody who visits is very foolish, not having good insurance or funds to pay for any misshap..

 

why should thai people be expected to pay for foreigners misshaps....no no no...

[Marley01]

Or marry a government worker where you are covered for all medical, medication and everything else.

just saying.

[Tayaout]

3 hours ago, jlwilliamsjr18 said:

Perhaps you can educate us.

"One can get "accident insurance" at the local bank for less than 2000 Bt."

It's only available is you travel less than 3 (or 6 months dont remember) and it's a travel insurance not health insurance. 

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, dotpoom said:

One can get "accident insurance" at the local bank for less than 2000 Bt..

I agree, we should not be a burden on Thailand, but Thai people living in the UK getting free medical treatment should also not be a burden on the UK. 

[Xbeemer]

If he hasn't been out of the province of BC for more than 6 months, he will be covered by the provincial medical insurance at the equivelant cost of the same treatment in BC. Unfortunately, he can only claim when he gets back home.