Insurance - William Russell (UK based company)

[Salerno]

If anyone is insured through this mob and heading back to Thailand using only this insurance I'd rethink it.

 

Guy in a FB ASQ group I follow has used them to cover his whole family for more than a decade has tested positive in ASQ. Even though he asked them about it before flying (and got the covering letter for COE etc.) they have now refused to pay:

 

"Unfortunately, there is no medical necessity for you to be admitted as an inpatient in the hospital as this test does not warrant an inpatient admission. This test and treatment can be done on outpatient basis and the reason for your inpatient admission is due the Covid19 quarantine and monitoring protocol.

According to the terms and conditions of your policy, we do not cover any cost of admission for quarantine purposes."

 

Luckily the Thai Dr has told them he won't have to pay for his wife and kid just for him (wife and kid being Thai are being covered under the Government scheme).

 

Scummy insurance companies at their best! Triple check and get it explicitly in writing that you're covered if dragged off to hospital in ASQ.

 

 

[ukrules]

46 minutes ago, Salerno said:

If anyone is insured through this mob and heading back to Thailand using only this insurance I'd rethink it.

 

Guy in a FB ASQ group I follow has used them to cover his whole family for more than a decade has tested positive in ASQ. Even though he asked them about it before flying (and got the covering letter for COE etc.) they have now refused to pay:

 

"Unfortunately, there is no medical necessity for you to be admitted as an inpatient in the hospital as this test does not warrant an inpatient admission. This test and treatment can be done on outpatient basis and the reason for your inpatient admission is due the Covid19 quarantine and monitoring protocol.

According to the terms and conditions of your policy, we do not cover any cost of admission for quarantine purposes."

 

Luckily the Thai Dr has told them he won't have to pay for his wife and kid just for him (wife and kid being Thai are being covered under the Government scheme).

 

Scummy insurance companies at their best! Triple check and get it explicitly in writing that you're covered if dragged off to hospital in ASQ.

 

 

 

I've been saying this for months. No foreign insurance company will EVER pay for medically unnecessary 'treatment' demanded by the Thai government, they only require this to prevent the spread of the virus - that's not what health insurance is for.

 

You're not being treated in the hospital unless you get really ill - why would anyone expect a health insurance company to pay for your stay in what is effectively a luxury 'detention center'?

 

This is why they demanded Thai only insurance companies initially, I'm surprised that changed - they can make Thai insurance companies pay or make it so they're no longer insurance companies.

Edited January 27, 2021 by ukrules

[Salerno]

There's actually a few people that have reported their insurance is covering it.

[aldriglikvid]

While I understand it differs from hospital to hospital, but do we have any feel what it would cost to be hospitalized for 10 days? What are som real and recent numbers? 

[Salerno]

6 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

... do we have any feel what it would cost to be hospitalized for 10 days?

 

Guy I mentioned above is paying 40K Bht (for a family suite).

Edited January 27, 2021 by Salerno

[ukrules]

17 minutes ago, Salerno said:

There's actually a few people that have reported their insurance is covering it.

I'm surprised, they normally only pay out for 'emergency medial treatment' - the key word here being emergency.

[George36]

14 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Guy I mentioned above is paying 40K Bht (for a family suite).

That is conforting to know as worst case scenario.  
 

I read somewhere that some ASQ’s pro-rate their cost based on days you are in hospital.  
 

I depart two weeks from today and I did buy a Thai Covid policy so we will see.  555

 

Thanks.

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, ukrules said:

I'm surprised

 

You and me both, my ex worked in insurance and she used to come home pretty stressed out with tales of the wriggling out of paying she had heard about during the day from other departments (she was in a more specialised field, not general health or property). Why I see them as a necessary evil that you need to do serious due diligence with.

[Salerno]

10 minutes ago, George36 said:

That is conforting to know as worst case scenario.  
 

I read somewhere that some ASQ’s pro-rate their cost based on days you are in hospital.  
 

I depart two weeks from today and I did buy a Thai Covid policy so we will see.  555

 

Cost will be hospital dependent of course, no idea what the reputation of BNH is. Yes, from memory, the majority of reports I've read the hotels have reimbursed most if not all of the cost for the days not used. Again, with that, will come down to how ethical the hotel is.

 

You've got Thai cover so one less thing to wonder about at least. Did you check if they pay up front?

Edited January 27, 2021 by Salerno

[George36]

42 minutes ago, Salerno said:

You've got Thai cover so one less thing to wonder about at least. Did you check if they pay up front?

Nope. Did not know the right questions to ask at the time.  555

 

Too late now.  Visa and COE in hand and don’t want to rock the boat. Hopefully,  I won’t test positive.

 

My ASQ is Somerset Rama 9 Bangkok and this is on the ASQ page: 

“Admittance to Samitivej Thonburi hospital if tested positive for COVID-19”

 

Great information.  Thanks.

[Salerno]

5 minutes ago, George36 said:

Nope. Did not know the right questions to ask at the time.  555

 

555 it's no big deal, just a personal preference really, rather just let an insurance company deal with the hospital direct. 

 

19 minutes ago, George36 said:

Somerset Rama 9

 

Gets good reviews, other than not being allowed to use the balcony (not sure that's changed, in December they said they where looking into it but still not allowed 2 or 3 weeks back).

[George36]

2 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Gets good reviews, other than not being allowed to use the balcony (not sure that's changed, in December they said they where looking into it but still not allowed 2 or 3 weeks back).

Learned about the balcony after booking.  The advised me that I can open the balcony door for circulation only.  
 

On the bright side, they gave me a discount on the one bedroom premiere from 90k to 70k Baht.  
 

For info if anyone interested:  https://thaiest.com/bookings/asq/somerset-rama-9-bangkok

 

Thanks for info about the reviews.

[Salerno]

14 minutes ago, George36 said:

On the bright side, they gave me a discount on the one bedroom premiere from 90k to 70k Baht.  

 

Not bad, did they just offer it up or did you haggle?

 

15 minutes ago, George36 said:

The advised me that I can open the balcony door for circulation only.

 

10 cm each side if I remember correctly from a review 555

[George36]

22 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Not bad, did they just offer it up or did you haggle?

 

The below promotion was left up for an upgrade that was over.  They gave me the upgrade anyway and I would expect an upgrade can be gotten easily.

 

The second upgrade came unexpectedly on the ASQ certificate.

 

”Deluxe (32 sq.m) 60,000 THB per person for 16 days / 15 nights

Studio Executive (42 sq.m) 70,000 THB per person for 16 days / 15 nights

One-Bedroom Executive (57 sq.m) 80,000 THB per person for 16 days / 15 nights

One-Bedroom Premier (57 sq.m) 90,000 THB per person for 16 days / 15 nights

Two-Bedroom Premier (90 sq.m) 125,000 THB per 2 persons for 16 days / 15 nights

Three-Bedroom Premier (123 sq.m) 185,000 THB net per 3 persons for 16 days / 15 nights

Additional child under 12 years old/ dependent adult is charged 40,000 THB  

????The first 50 guests will receive a complimentary upgrade to the next room category* and 4,000 THB hotel credit *Excludes two bedroom apartment”

 

And, I get a welcome basket!  555

 

”Welcome hamper on arrival includes essentials such as Cereal, Soy Milk, Instant Noodles, Crackers, Bread, Butter and Fruit

????”

 

 

[Salerno]

Update on OP

 

After applying pressure, including a couple of his friends (that he referred to William Russell) emailing the company stating they will cancel their policies due to this debacle, the guy in hospital has just posted:

 

Quote

William Russell called me just now to apologise and let me know they would take care of the bill, which is great news. They'll deal directly with the hospital to pay on my behalf.

 

Doesn't restore faith in the industry (he actually paid extra to get this cover in the first place!) but good to see a win against them.

[Salerno]

Conclusion - every cloud has a silver lining

 

Guy and his family have been released after 10 days.

 

The silver lining ... insurance covered his hospital costs (129,000 Bht), the hotel refunded his ASQ costs and their time in quarantine was cut by 5 days. I'd call that a win!