Medical insurance and renewal of retiree extension of stay visa

[OzMan 189]

I have a retirement visa, although it does not say O, having obtained it in Bangkok 6 months ago. I assume it is an extension of stay. A friend today told me that when I go to renew it I now I must have medical insurance up to 100,000 baht. I thought this requirement was only for O-A visas?

[Tounge Thaied 1,432]

That's correct. A non-immigrant O extension of stay based upon retirement obtained in Thailand does not require an insurance. 

[ubonjoe 47,621]

You have to look at the visa you used to enter the country that gave you the entry you have been extending or a stamp on the first visa page of your passport if you have gotten a new passport.

[jacko45k 17,225]

I think your friend is mixing up requirements.

Since you obtained it in Bangkok I expect you have an Extension based on retirement. 

The insurance requirement is only based on a Non-Imm-OA original entry into the country and retirement extensions thereof. (As you say) The requirement came into effect around October 2019. If it was not required for your Extension just 6 months ago, no reason to suspect it will be required in 6 months time, and likely it is based on a Non-Imm-O not O-A.

 

The insurance requirement is actually 400,000 baht outpatient/ 40,000 baht in-patient, and does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention. 

Edited October 14, 2020 by jacko45k

[OJAS 3,037]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention.  

Wonder whether the OP's pal might somehow be confusing this with the completely separate 100,000 USD COVID-19 insurance requirement for eligible returnees from abroad (the 100,000 figure, rather than the currency, being the common denominator here)?

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by OJAS

[Tracyb 551]

7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I think your friend is mixing up requirements.

Since you obtained it in Bangkok I expect you have an Extension based on retirement. 

The insurance requirement is only based on a Non-Imm-OA original entry into the country and retirement extensions thereof. (As you say) The requirement came into effect around October 2019. If it was not required for your Extension just 6 months ago, no reason to suspect it will be required in 6 months time, and likely it is based on a Non-Imm-O not O-A.

 

The insurance requirement is actually 400,000 baht outpatient/ 40,000 baht in-patient, and does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention. 

You may have your limits reversed in your reply. I believe it’s 40,000 outpatient and 400,000 inpatient.  

[OzMan 189]

Thanks for the replies. When I meet next I will ask him for more details. He went to Immigration on Monday to renew his visa.

[jacko45k 17,225]

14 hours ago, Tracyb said:

You may have your limits reversed in your reply. I believe it’s 40,000 outpatient and 400,000 inpatient.  

Not 'may', assuredly, thank you. So much for my proof reading. 

Edited October 14, 2020 by jacko45k

[OzMan 189]

A Thai friend wrote to Immigration for clarification on health insurance. Their reply was that while all retirement visa holders are now able to leave and re-enter Thailand, which includes current retirement visa holders temporarily unable to return, they must now have a health insurance, provided by a Thai company, to re-enter the country. In effect, all retirement visa holders must now have health insurance once they leave and re-enter the country.

[Pattaya Spotter 2,676]

On 10/14/2020 at 7:30 AM, jacko45k said:

I think your friend is mixing up requirements.

Since you obtained it in Bangkok I expect you have an Extension based on retirement. 

The insurance requirement is only based on a Non-Imm-OA original entry into the country and retirement extensions thereof. (As you say) The requirement came into effect around October 2019. If it was not required for your Extension just 6 months ago, no reason to suspect it will be required in 6 months time, and likely it is based on a Non-Imm-O not O-A.

 

The insurance requirement is actually 400,000 baht outpatient/ 40,000 baht in-patient, and does not tie into the 100,000 baht you mention. 

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement.

[Peter Denis 6,617]

29 minutes ago, OzMan said:

A Thai friend wrote to Immigration for clarification on health insurance. Their reply was that while all retirement visa holders are now able to leave and re-enter Thailand, which includes current retirement visa holders temporarily unable to return, they must now have a health insurance, provided by a Thai company, to re-enter the country. In effect, all retirement visa holders must now have health insurance once they leave and re-enter the country.

Thanks for sharing the info, but unfortunately it is not specific enough to be of any use.

Several moot points:

- It is not Immigration but the Thai embassy/consulate in the country where you apply, that decides whether you meet the requirements to be granted a COE that will enable you to return;

- Depending per country those Thai embassy/consulates interpret and enforce the rules/requirements differently (a still valid permission to stay - protected by a ReEntry Permit - for a Non Imm O or O-A Visa is not always accepted)

- Health-insurance (400K/40K) is only a requirement for Non Imm O-A / O-X and STV applicants.  But Covid-19 insurance with coverage of at least 100.000 US $ coverage is required for all applications.

[Peter Denis 6,617]

12 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement.

A somewhat confused post!

1 - There is NO need to subscribe to a thai IO-approved health-insurance policy when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.

2 - Such insurance (400K/40K in/out patient coverage) is only required when applying for reason of RETIREMENT.  And the cheapest Non Imm O-A compliant policy (LMG Insurance Plan-1 with a 200K deductible) sells for an annual premium of 6.000 to 11.400 THB in the age-categories of 51 to 75 years of age.

[Pattaya Spotter 2,676]

5 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

A somewhat confused post!

1 - There is NO need to subscribe to a thai IO-approved health-insurance policy when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.

2 - Such insurance (400K/40K in/out patient coverage) is only required when applying for reason of RETIREMENT.  And the cheapest Non Imm O-A compliant policy (LMG Insurance Plan-1 with a 200K deductible) sells for an annual premium of 6.000 to 11.400 THB in the age-categories of 51 to 75 years of age.

He qualifies for either and I thought he said "marriage." Whichever one he used, the agent charged him B 2500 for the insurance...maybe that was paid to Immigration to "fudge" the paperwork for the insurance requirement or maybe it was the cost for an actual policy.

[Peter Denis 6,617]

1 minute ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

He qualifies for either and I thought he said "marriage." Whichever one he used, the agent charged him B 2500 for the insurance...maybe that was paid to Immigration to "fudge" the paperwork for the insurance requirement or maybe it was the cost for an actual policy.

Now it becomes clear.  Your friend did NOT subscribe to the thai IO-approved insurance policy, but he paid 2.500 THB to the Fixer Agent to circumvent the insurance requirement as part of the Fixer fee to get his 1-year extension of stay based on his Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement.

[jacko45k 17,225]

3 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

A friend extended his OA based on marriage this week in Pattaya and he paid B2500 for a Thai policy covering the 400k/100k health insurance requirement.

Why, there is no insurance obligation for a marriage extension whatsoever.