Medical insurance

[Bread Man]

A member of my family returned to America the beginning of this year for medical reasons. His current marriage extended stay expires in Feb 2022. He wants to return before this expires and has a re-entry stamped.
Question does he have to buy medical insurance to cover hospitals stays in thailand or is he exempt as his visa is still valid. He has tried to get in touch with immigration but he question has not been answered. If he has to buy insurance then he cannot return to Thailand, one because of she and two medical history.
Thank you

[fdimike]

Probably best to have them check with the Thai Embassy in Washington.

[Bread Man]

He has tried this too, but they don't know.
Thanks

[sometimewoodworker]

A member of my family returned to America the beginning of this year for medical reasons. His current marriage extended stay expires in Feb 2022. He wants to return before this expires and has a re-entry stamped.
Question does he have to buy medical insurance to cover hospitals stays in thailand or is he exempt as his visa is still valid. He has tried to get in touch with immigration but he question has not been answered. If he has to buy insurance then he cannot return to Thailand, one because of she and two medical history.
Thank you

All entrants to Thailand (except Thai nationals) are required to have insurance for the period of their stay.

No insurance, No entry. https://tp.consular.go.th/en/plan

In fact he will probably be refused boarding as the airline are responsible for allowing anyone to fly to Thailand who doesn’t have all the required documents/paperwork/insurance, they get the requirements fro IATA.

However he can almost certainly get insurance as the insurance is required to cover hospitalisation FOR COVID and he will be able to get cover that excludes the current/previous conditions.

He will have to get a policy specifically tailored to him so it won’t be cheap and almost certainly will only come from contacting either a really good broker or going directly to the insurance companies.

He is lucky that he only needs insurance up to February 2022 when his current extension finishes

For what may be current go to the IATA page https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/passpo ... ements.htm#

These are the requirements for me, he maybe different

Passengers traveling under the Exemption from Quarantine (EQ) scheme must:
a. arrive from or have been in Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China (People's Rep.), Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR China), Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland (Rep.), Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Kuwait, Lao People's Dem. Rep., Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom or Viet Nam in the past 21 days;
b. Must have a Thailand Pass QR code obtained at https://tp.consular.go.th;
c. Must have a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated at least 14 days before departure;
- This does not apply to:
- unvaccinated passengers younger than 12 years traveling with their fully-vaccinated parents/guardians;
- passengers with a recovery certificate and a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they received at least one dose of the vaccine at most 3 months after the infection and at least 14 days before departure.
d. have a COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point. The test result must be in English or Thai;
e. medical insurance with minimum coverage of USD 50,000.
- This does not apply to nationals of Thailand.
f. have a hotel reservation for 1 night at AQ, OQ, or SHA+ hotel obtained at www.thailandsha.com or https://asq.in.th

[Bread Man]

Many thanks to you for your information. I will pass this on to him s.s.a.p.

Really appreciated..

[choi choi]

You dont state what type Visa he has. As married to a Thai. I assume an "0" type Visa
As far as I know, you are not required for health insurance with this Visa type.
If this is not correct, someone tell me!
Its only "OA ' Visa required to obtain health insurance?

[Bread Man]

Not sure but I will ask him. Thank you

[tamada]

Since the OP's friend will only need the US$50k Covid-specific insurance for a Thailand Pass for a short period (through to expiry of his current Extension in Feb 2022), he can buy this relatively cheap add-on insurance online.

https://www.axa.co.th/en/axa-sawasdee-t ... -insurance

https://www.tuneprotect.com/airasia/ipass/index.php

These and others similar are recommended if it is too difficult to get any existing insurance company to produce the specifically-worded coverage letter that Thailand Pass requires. From what I have read, US citizens face the biggest challenges in obtaining this 'cover note' despite their insurance meeting the minimums.

FWIW, Pacific Cross yearly health insurance includes two letters; one specifically for Thailand Pass applications and the other specifically for O-A visa applications.

[Bread Man]

Thank you everyone, I've passed this on to my family in the USA.

[sometimewoodworker]

You dont state what type Visa he has. As married to a Thai. I assume an "0" type Visa
As far as I know, you are not required for health insurance with this Visa type.
If this is not correct, someone tell me!
Its only "OA ' Visa required to obtain health insurance?

You are confusing the health insurance requirements for an extension with the insurance requirements to enter Thailand so if you have had an OA visa you require heath insurance for your extension AND if you exit and return to Thailand a second COVID insurance. You may be able to get a single policy that has the coverage needed for both requirements, it’s probably going to be expensive

As I said for ALL foreign traveler's into Thailand they must have a Thailand pass, to get the Thailand pass you must have Insurance with minimum coverage of 50,000 USD so with or without a visa insurance IS required.

No insurance. No entry.

This is the requirement today. In the future it may change, in my opinion it will stay in force for the next 6 months it may stay in force for a lot longer than that

[jackspratt]

You are confusing the health insurance requirements for an extension with the insurance requirements to enter Thailand so if you have had an OA visa you require heath insurance for your extension AND if you exit and return to Thailand a second COVID insurance. You may be able to get a single policy that has the coverage needed for both requirements, it’s probably going to be expensive

Just to clarify - if your OA extension is based on marriage, health insurance is not required.

I changed my extension basis from retirement to marriage when the health insurance requirement was introduced. When I re-entered Thailand earlier this year (with a valid re-entry permit) there was no need for me to show health insurance either to the Embassy - to get my COE - or to Immigration at Swampy.

Obviously, COVID insurance was required.

[sometimewoodworker]

Just to clarify - if your OA extension is based on marriage, health insurance is not required.

Absolutely correct under present rules.

The only insurance requirements for extensions are limited to people who have had an OA visa that is being extended for retirement

[Charlieb]

I would suggest an email to Peter Smith, [email protected]. He can sort out any insurance needs for Thailand. He will tell you straight and not try to sell you what you do not need.

[jackspratt]

Alternatively, you can look for COVID insurance via this website:

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

It's where I got mine, and seems to present a level paying field among the various competing commercial interests.

[Bread Man]

Thanks everyone for your comments, will pass on...