Thailand travelers: What's your plan if shit hits the fan?

[Beachlover]

So you're traveling in Thailand and something goes badly wrong... You get seriously ill or have a bad accident. Medical treatment is costly and you might need a medivac home, which can cost up to USD$250k.

What's your plan? If you don't have the cash and don't have insurance, you're screwed. Or more accurately, your family and friends' finances will be screwed. Most government won't cover the cost of your medical treatment overseas (even if it's required to save your life) or the cost of a medivac flight home.

Just curious. Does everyone have travel insurance with medical included? Anyone have any experiences of having to use it or being without it when in need?

Anyway, this article clarifies what the Australian government will do for Aussie travelers if things go pear shaped... They reckon one third of Aussies travel without travel insurance, which is plain stupid.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you go, there's no getting out of jail free

There's only so much the Australian government's consular staff can do for travellers who find themselves in difficulty overseas.

IF YOU get into trouble overseas, do you expect the Australian government to come galloping to your rescue?

It seems many people do, with demand for consular services rising and requests stretching from the reasonable to the ridiculous.

Requests made of consular staff range from replacement passports to "can you pay my $120,000 hospital bill", "can you help me get out of jail" or even "I've run out of my medication; can you get me some more please"...

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller- ... 1hfmp.html (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller-tips/if-you-go-theres-no-getting-out-of-jail-free-20110714-1hfmp.html)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Here's what happened to one young guy who traveled to Asia uninsured...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Counting costs

Travellers used to relying on the public health system in Australia can get a nasty shock if hospitalised overseas. Dr Tony Gherardin recalls the case of a young Australian man who was in intensive care in Asia after a car accident and had no insurance to cover the bill. The man was repatriated to Australia, where he later died, and his family was left $200,000 in debt. A spokesman for DFAT, Simon Merrifield, warns that the department cannot pay for medical services and many families have had to take out mortgages or sell assets to pay costs for uninsured travellers.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller- ... 1hfmp.html (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller-tips/if-you-go-theres-no-getting-out-of-jail-free-20110714-1hfmp.html)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[bao-bao]

They reckon one third of Aussies travel without travel insurance, which is plain stupid.
The proper word is probably reckless, but it makes about as much sense as only having 2/3 of your rent money the week before it's due and tossing it all into the lottery, figuring you'll win the other 1/3. It's just not a logical bet. I would think that even such a free-wheeling persona such as our Beachlover would have coverage if he travels.

I'm helping a friend file paperwork now for medical bills occurring on that cruise I recently posted photos of. Their $125 investment stands to save them nearly $100K as I estimate it so far, and it's still in process.

So yes - I take out trip insurance.

[krobbie]

I always take out a comprehensive insurance. I have had to use it 3 times in the five years I have been coming to Thailand.

These were not big expenses but required treatment at BNH Hospital. I also once lost my wallet on the ferry whilst on the Chao Phraya (my fault). I had just been to the ATM to take out an amount for the next week as we were traveling to Chiang Mai the next day. That took the shine off my day, but my insurance paid out as I reported it to Thai Police and got a report. They also reimbursed me for the wallet.

You'd be a mug not to have insurance IMHO.

If you see a farang begging in Thailand, they are very often Dutch.

Why? Apparently, the embassies/consulates of all the major tourist nations to Thailand (the Netherlands excepted..) will, when confronted with a destitute national of theirs, put them on a plane home and sort the money out later..

I can't claim to have conducted an exhaustive survey to prove this, but it's been told to me on more than one occasion..

Medical insurance? Yes, get it - it might save your life..

A little detail that no-one seems to want to collate statistically, is that there are people who fly to Thailand and are never seen again. If no body is found (maggots can reduce a human to a skeleton in under a week in the tropics..) - no-one is likely to investigate.

I know of one case personally, although it was a long time ago now..

..an arrogant twat, who saw the Thais as shag meat and nothing else - big guy, small head..

He had made several trips over before, and then vanished. He left a third share of a furniture business in the UK, and when his family investigated, there was still money in his bank account. Formal enquiries were made with the Thai police, but no known bodies matched.

Moral: Don't upset the locals, carry health insurance, and make good friendships - people who who'll look out for you, and you for them..

[jinks]

I have a so called "Added Value" bank account.

Medical and Travel insurance is provided. +AA +mobile ins +ID theft protection +Credit Cards cover

+I forget the rest...

It costs me ┬г25.00 monthly and is well worth the money.

N.B. Halowe'en mask removed - why not be real and do the same.

[Cees-Holland]

If you see a farang begging in Thailand, they are very often Dutch.

Oops that means I am in the danger zone, I guess.

For some reason I can't believe my country leaves me out to dry, if something goes wrong.
Having said that, we have homeless people here in Holland. What better place to be homeless then Thailand ( I think :) ).

Anyways, we Dutch, have a compulsory health insurance here in Holland, that is valid all over the world.
Personally I top that up with a comprehensive travel insurance, with a well known insurance company with a "good name".

I can use a Dutch debitcard and a Thai debitcard plus my Dutch bank has a service called "Emergency Cash", they will send money even without any debit/credit card (max тВм2000). My return flight ticket is an "e-ticket" re-printable at any time.
Scanned copies of all important papers plus phone numbers and stored them on the Internet.

Until now, I never got sick or otherwise filed an insurance claim, so not sure what will happen if the shit really hits the fan ..

Full medical insurance is a must whether you are living in Thailand full time or just taking a trip, illness or accidents can happen to even the youngest and fittest. And as Krobbie points out losing cash or personnel belongings whilst on holiday can really cause problems if you don't have some kind of cover.

If you see a farang begging in Thailand, they are very often Dutch.

For some reason I can't believe my country leaves me out to dry, if something goes wrong.
Geld in de gevangenis -- Elke Nederlander die in een land buiten de Europese Unie (met uitzondering van Noorwegen, Zwitserland, IJsland, Vaticaanstad, Monaco, Andorra en Liechtenstein) gevangen zit, krijgt elke maand 30 euro van de Rijksoverheid. Met dit geld kan hij noodzakelijke spullen aanschaffen, zoals tandpasta en shampoo.

http://www1.minbuza.nl/nl/Producten_en_ ... buitenland (http://www1.minbuza.nl/nl/Producten_en_Diensten/Noodgevallen_in_het_buitenland/Gearresteerd_in_het_buitenland)

[Dax]

Be smart and purchase the best insurance coverage you can. If I'm not mistaken it works out to a few dollars a day or one night out with the guys. Not doing so would be the worst decision you can make.

AFAIK the Dutch Embassy will act in case of an emergency, but they do not "finance" someone's misery.
In case of an emergency, they will search for people in the Netherlands who will be able to help out.
If they find relatives in the Netherlands they will intermediate in the assistance, but not financially.

If they can't find anybody, they will take care of the proper actions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands will take care that they get their money back.

Full medical insurance is a must whether you are living in Thailand full time or just taking a trip, illness or accidents can happen to even the youngest and fittest. And as Krobbie points out losing cash or personnel belongings whilst on holiday can really cause problems if you don't have some kind of cover.What's the option for retirees in Thailand? I read the Pattaya Expats Club web site, and basically you're screwed if you're over 65 - no company will cover you.

Curious,

I use these people:

http://www.mrlinsurance.co.uk/travel-in ... -insurance (http://www.mrlinsurance.co.uk/travel-insurance/senior-travel-insurance)

Caveat: - I've never attempted to claim off it, so don't know how good their claims handling is.

Thanks Dodger but I was more interested in the expat retiree like combat who I guess lives in Thailand and is retired. What health insurance options do those folks have?

[carruthers]

Be fair to your family,your friends and yourself with Travel Insurance. My Bank gives me insurance as part of my contract with them but before that I always bought an annual insurance covering loss of holiday, theft and medical problems.

Two years ago I had what I thought was very bad indigestion over a period of time. This came to a head at The Rose Hotel in BKK when I had to ask the front desk for a doctor. The hotel was magnificent, a roomboy found a car and ran me round to the Bangkok Christian Hospital (BCH) where I could not even lie down on the gurney because of the pain. The BCH dealt with me immediately and a dose of morphine saw to the pain in minutes. Thereafter I was sent off for an Xray, MRI scan, CAT scan and finally and painfully a gastroscopy where they shove a camera up your nose and down your throat for a poke around. This was all done in 24hrs and I was housed in a 5* room. All this was diagnosed as Gall stones which had reached the crisis of passing into the gut. No further treatment was necessary. The insurance arm of my bank kept in constant touch on my mobile phone and offered MEDIVAC, which was unneccessary and unwanted. The BCH would not release me until the insurance paid up. I got a guarantee that they would honour their responsibilty, paid the bill myself and checked out (such is the desperation for a smoke!) The bill was less than ┬г800 then cTHB40,000 which I could absorb in the short term. The insurance paid me back and waived my small contribution as compensation for the inconvenience.

This or any other med emergency could happen to anyone, any age, any degree of fitness. I have also claimed, in the past, for a phone and cash when my room was burgled, all paid in full. The minor layout really is worth the security.

[bao-bao]

Thanks Dodger but I was more interested in the expat retiree like combat who I guess lives in Thailand and is retired. What health insurance options do those folks have?
Unless you know something the rest of us don't, that was Old Git that replied to you.

I fully expect the usual nitpickers are scribbling that down on their lists, though! :rolling:

[fedssocr]

I always get travel insurance with med-evac coverage just in case. My own health insurance will cover my expenses after the fact for the most part and then the trip insurance kicks in as secondary. I worry a bit less in Thailand as medical care is quite good there. But if I am traveling elsewhere in the region I definitely want some insurance coverage to at least get me back to Bangkok.

[dab69]

no plan but my Visa is good for about $24K
can always liquidate stocks and do transfers online

save receipts for reimbursement from my regular insurance
which doesn't magically disappear when I leave the USA

never worried about it and not going to start now

turn off the fan and take Imodium

[UncleSam]

It's easy to say that every expat living in Thailand should have health insurance.....until you turn 70 and then
try to find a company or policy that will insure you. I have yet to find a single company that will even process an
application for insurance for someone who's 70 or more.

Even if you had a policy for years before turning 70, you will find that the premium skyrockets once you go past 70 and, if you develop something that threatens you with big future bills, there's nothing to prevent the company from not renewing the policy after the current year, leaving you out in the cold without coverage.

MRL say they will go up to age 89. They don't seem to have an issue with retirees, provided they know..

They might be a bit squeamish about US or Canadian citizens though - best to check..

[thonglor55]

MRL say they will go up to age 89. They don't seem to have an issue with retirees, provided they know..

They might be a bit squeamish about US or Canadian citizens though - best to check..So just to clarify here, Old Git. Curious is asking about policies for ex-pats who live in Thailand and you're responding on policies for Europeans who travel to Thailand for short periods but don't live here?

Curious is asking about policies for ex-pats who live in Thailand and you're responding on policies for Europeans who travel to Thailand for short periods but don't live here?

When I said 'retirees' I meant just that..

[thonglor55]

Curious is asking about policies for ex-pats who live in Thailand and you're responding on policies for Europeans who travel to Thailand for short periods but don't live here?When I said 'retirees' I meant just that..Exactly - you've used a term which in this context is completely meaningless. There are retirees who live in Thailand and there are retirees who visit Thailand.

[goji]

What's your plan? If you don't have the cash and don't have insuranceNo insurance is no plan. Unless you have about $10million in the bank.

[thonglor55]

The title to this thread intrgued me when I first read it. I assumed it had something to do with Caligula, but it's actually about health insurance.

[Beachlover]

Well... Looks like we have a few good stories from people illustrating the value of having travel insurance. I've never had to make a claim on mine but the day may come.



They reckon one third of Aussies travel without travel insurance, which is plain stupid.
The proper word is probably reckless...
Well... Plain stupid = Reckless... Same thing.


I would think that even such a free-wheeling persona such as our Beachlover would have coverage if he travels.
Not sure if you're implying I don't have coverage. If so, you might've miss-interpreted my post. Of course I travel with insurance. The purpose of this thread is to encourage this


If you see a farang begging in Thailand, they are very often Dutch.

Why? Apparently, the embassies/consulates of all the major tourist nations to Thailand (the Netherlands excepted..) will, when confronted with a destitute national of theirs, put them on a plane home and sort the money out later..
Interesting. Honestly, I don't understand how people end up stranded and with no money on a holiday... unless they also have no brain.


Be smart and purchase the best insurance coverage you can. If I'm not mistaken it works out to a few dollars a day or one night out with the guys. Not doing so would be the worst decision you can make.
Totally agree... I used to buy travel insurance for each trip and that was costing me around $100 a pop. Now I just get an annual policy, which covers multiple trips for about $360. Considering how much we pay for insurance in other areas of our lives, that's nothing.


no plan but my Visa is good for about $24K
can always liquidate stocks and do transfers online

save receipts for reimbursement from my regular insurance
which doesn't magically disappear when I leave the USA

never worried about it and not going to start now

turn off the fan and take Imodium
If you had an accident or major illness in Thailand, would your regular insurance in the US cover you for hospitalisation in Thailand and a potential $300k cost to medivac flight back to the States?



What's your plan? If you don't have the cash and don't have insuranceNo insurance is no plan. Unless you have about $10million in the bank.
I think some people do "self-insure" and that is fine but I wouldn't be comfortable doing that unless I had at least a million dollars in the bank set aside for that sole purpose (i.e. using it won't affect other needs or plans). And I mean a million in cash and ready to go, not shares or other assets.


Be fair to your family,your friends and yourself with Travel Insurance...
Totally agree... especially about being fair to family and friends. If something happens and you don't have the funds or the insurance to deal with it, it's THEIR hard-earned savings, which are going to be screwed over. Totally wrong to put friends and loved ones in that kind of situation.


This was all done in 24hrs and I was housed in a 5* room. All this was diagnosed as Gall stones which had reached the crisis of passing into the gut. No further treatment was necessary. The insurance arm of my bank kept in constant touch on my mobile phone and offered MEDIVAC, which was unneccessary and unwanted. The BCH would not release me until the insurance paid up. I got a guarantee that they would honour their responsibilty, paid the bill myself and checked out (such is the desperation for a smoke!) The bill was less than ┬г800 then cTHB40,000 which I could absorb in the short term. The insurance paid me back and waived my small contribution as compensation for the inconvenience.
Interesting story... I have a mate who was with a group of Aussies in an Asian country when one of them was hit by a vehicle and suffered life threatening injuries. She needed some pretty major medical treatment fast if she was to survive but the local hospitals, being a poor country, demanded cash upfront.

The injured woman had insurance but was obviously incapacitated. So it became my mate's role to liaise with the insurance company to get payments authorised and ensure the cash kept coming through so the doctors would save her life... pretty stressful situation.

[bao-bao]

They reckon one third of Aussies travel without travel insurance, which is plain stupid.
The proper word is probably reckless...
Well... Plain stupid = Reckless... Same thing.

I don't get aroused as some here do by using abusive epithets so I really meant reckless - as in "without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action" - as in the recklessness of youth. You remember those days, right?

But if you were to ask directly I'd agree it's beyond both foolish and reckless to travel to a foreign land such as Thailand without insurance and do as many on the forum do in the name of a holiday.

[lukylok]

and [/i]reckless to travel to a foreign land such as Thailand without insurance and do as many on the forum do in the name of a holiday.

In my experience, even going to an ultra-civilised country as Switzerland without proper insurance in utterly foolish !

[bao-bao]

In my experience, even going to an ultra-civilised country as Switzerland without proper insurance in utterly foolish !
Agreed.

[Dboy]

Even if you had a policy for years before turning 70, you will find that the premium skyrockets once you go past 70 and, if you develop something that threatens you with big future bills, there's nothing to prevent the company from not renewing the policy after the current year, leaving you out in the cold without coverage.

What do people in that age range do then? I've seen plenty of people living in Pattaya that are probably that age. Are they all living without insurance and hoping for the best? I really don't know anything about insurance.

[thonglor55]

What do people in that age range do then? I've seen plenty of people living in Pattaya that are probably that age. Don't you read the papers? They throw themselves off the balcony of their high rise condo.

[jimnbkk]

As an American and over 65, I am on Medicare (a government sponsored health insurance plan), plus I have what they call a supplementary policy that takes over where Medicare leaves off. This policy covers me for up to 60 days out of the country. In May 2007 I was taken ill whilst in Pattaya requiring a major operation. I went to the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital on Sukumvit and was operated on the next day, and stayed for a week in one of their sumptuous rooms (on one of their gosh-awful beds).

Point is, my Supplementary insurance reimbursed me for 80% of my costs (which I had paid with a credit card at the hospital - the company extended my credit limit with one phone call request.) The hospital was very careful to extract cc payment from me nearly daily as memory serves, but they were very polite about it.

So, I never stay anywhere outside USA more than 60 days. Fortunately, Thailand won't let me stay longer either on the 90-day visa, so all is well.

[bing]

Traveler Jim would be a good resource for this question.. (How is TJ, has anyone heard from him in a while) He used to sell a nice package of coverage.. Also I use National Small Business Travel and Health Association, they have a 2 week policy or one month if that is what you need. It can lower the stress of what to do if you get ill while on vacation. I have never had cause to put in for a claim, but the policy gives me a certain peace of mind.

[Beachlover]

I don't get aroused as some here do by using abusive epithets
Come on... you think "plain stupid" is an abusive term? Even for you, I find that hard to believe.


I'd agree it's beyond both foolish and reckless to travel to a foreign land such as Thailand without insurance
Totally agree with you.


and do as many on the forum do in the name of a holiday.
I'm curious what you mean by "do as many on the forum do...".

[travelerjim]

Full medical insurance is a must whether you are living in Thailand full time or just taking a trip, illness or accidents can happen to even the youngest and fittest. And as Krobbie points out losing cash or personnel belongings whilst on holiday can really cause problems if you don't have some kind of cover.What's the option for retirees in Thailand? I read the Pattaya Expats Club web site, and basically you're screwed if you're over 65 - no company will cover you.


It's easy to say that every expat living in Thailand should have health insurance.....until you turn 70 and then
try to find a company or policy that will insure you. I have yet to find a single company that will even process an
application for insurance for someone who's 70 or more.

Even if you had a policy for years before turning 70, you will find that the premium skyrockets once you go past 70 and, if you develop something that threatens you with big future bills, there's nothing to prevent the company from not renewing the policy after the current year, leaving you out in the cold without coverage.



Curious,

I have affordable international health insurance for those of all ages...
especially for those over age 65+


Uncle Sam,

I have affordable health insurance for those over 70+

Hello bing,

Important to know what you have and if it covers you in Thailand...
knowing your options will help you manage your risks better.



If interested contact me and I will be pleased to share
quotes for you.

Take good care!

tj
Back in Thailand in September,
now in USA on extended business and holidays with bf