Health Insurance in Thailand

Health Insurance in Thailand Introduction

Some people will not travel 5-miles without health insurance or assurances that they will be safe, while other people just ignore the need for health insurance and think it’s a rip-off. Whatever your opinion, when it comes to travelling to Thailand on holiday, and especially retiring here, it is really important you get health insurance just in case. He who fails to prepare must be prepared to fail… or something like that!

If you come from Northern European nations such as the United Kingdom, Germany or somewhere in Scandinavia, you are probably used to having a free medical services at your fingertips as and when you need it. It doesn’t work like that across Asia, or even in America. This really is a luxury of living in a social state in Northern Europe that you get free medical care.

Do I need health insurance when retiring in Thailand?

It is imperative that you get yourself a decent healthcare plan when retiring in Thailand. For a relatively decent price, you can become fully covered in Thailand. Although when we are younger we do not even think about needing health care, the older we get, the more we understand the need to be fully covered when it comes to health care insurance plans.

Although there are some cheap hospitals in Thailand, they are also cheap in appearance and conditions. If you are in need of a serious operation, we would not advise you to use the local hospitals. International hospitals are more geared to international persons as the name would suggest, but the prices for operations and medical services at international hospitals in Thailand will break your bank account in a millisecond. If you want the best medical services in Thailand, you will have to pay through the nose, which means a health care insurance plan is essential for expat retirees.

How much does health insurance in Thailand cost?

Now we have determined the essential nature of obtaining health insurance when you retire in Thailand, it is important to understand the prices for health insurance packages in the kingdom. Although prices can vary and you pay for what you get, you need to get the best cover you can afford so you can attend the best international hospitals in Thailand and receive preferential treatment.

If we were to give you a ballpark figure on the expected annual payment for basic cover, we would say approximately £1000 per annum, which breaks down to about £83.00 per month. Policies such as Bupa might be a bit cheaper than that but cover less than more reputable insurance plans with companies such as Allianz. It is not uncommon to pay £1500 or even more than that per year for a more comprehensive healthcare plan in Thailand. Here is an example of the average prices you would be expected to pay in Thailand for medical services without a health plan, just so you get an example of the medical prices in Thailand in USD (standard price):

• X-Ray: 25 USD
• Doctors Visit: 15 USD
• Broken Bones: 300 USD (including treatment and plaster cast)
• Serious Surgery: 4000 USD (Such as heart surgery)
• Antibiotics: 15 USD
• Blood Test: 15 USD
• Sexual Health Screen: 150 USD
• MRI Scan: 250 USD
• Outpatient Appointment: 25 USD

Should you get healthcare from your own country or Thailand?

If you know a reputable company for health insurance you have been dealing with in your home country, that might be the best place to purchase a plan. However, there are a great deal of companies in this day and age that focus on offering international style healthcare insurance dedicated to expats living in foreign nations.

Here is a list of some reliable and reputable companies that offer health insurance plans for Thailand that cover international hospitals:

• ACS: One of the best healthcare insurance providers in SE-Asia
• MSH International: Company that offers international healthcare plans for expats
• A Plus II: International healthcare company that offers insurance plans, focusing on SE-Asia
• Bupa Thailand: One of the largest international healthcare insurance brands in the world and has a massive share in Thai insurance
• AXA: Vast range of insurance options catered to expats and seniors living away from home

Recommended Hospitals in Thailand for Expat Retirees

Like we mentioned previously, you do not want to be lumbered in a local Thai hospital with no insurance payment plan to cover your costs. One thing that could be even worse is finding yourself in an international hospital you cannot afford to pay for without a healthcare insurance plan.

Here is a list of some of the best and most well-known hospitals in Thailand, so make sure your international insurance plan covers these type of international hospitals:

• Bumrungrad International Hospital
• Bangkok Hospital
• Siriraj Hospital
• Yanhee General Hospital
• Samitivej Hospital
• Bangkok Christian Hospital
• Phyathai 2 Hospital
• Praram 9 Hospital
• Central General Hospital
• Ramkhamhaeng Hospital

As you can see, if you are retiring in Thailand, it is ultra-important that you obtain healthcare insurance that covers the best international hospitals in Thailand. Please take your time to peruse this information so you can find yourself a competitive healthcare insurance plan to cover all eventualities because the older we get, the more important it is to be covered.