Mandatory travel insurance for Thailand

[StevieWonders]

I wonder whether Thailand would accept an airline’s complimentary travel insurance in lieu of the individual paying for it.

https://www.executivetraveller.com/airlines-with-free-covid-19-insurance

[Nirish guy]

Well it is Thailand so that all just depends on how much of a bribe you attach with your initial enquiry I guess !?

[gerefan2]

Those policies only seem to be valid 30 days. With the quarantine requirements I doubt anyone is coming here for only 30 days.

[Nirish guy]

On a serious note though I know I certainly would never trust something as important as serious medical insurance to any such "complimentary" policy that I may have gotten free when buying something else. You can bet sure as shit that the insurers already cut the hell out of the policy and removed all the expense cover parts out in order to get it as cheap as possible for the company buying it for their promotion in the first place.

Dont know about any one else but each and any time I've actually stopped to read into those policies there were more dangerous (non covered) holes and get out clauses stuck in there than you'd ever care to see and it was obvious that they were working on probably the most basic cover possible ( which I'm guessing at our collective ages very few of us still get away with taking these days?)

So, maybe if you dont actually care that much about cover I guess such a document "might do" for waving at a visa desk to gain entry ( or not as per your original question) but I'd hate to depend on it if it was ACTUALLY needed perhaps ??

[StevieWonders]

On a serious note though I know I certainly would never trust something as important as serious medical insurance to any such "complimentary" policy that I may have gotten free when buying something else. You can bet sure as shit that the insurers already cut the hell out of the policy and removed all the expense cover parts out in order to get it as cheap as possible for the company buying it for their promotion in the first place. To expand on that, are you saying that the “free” travel insurance policies that routinely go along with buying travel on a Gold, Platinum or Black credit card are equally worthless?

[Nirish guy]

well now that would all depend on what their stated terms are I guess, so maybe go and read the terms of each policy and that should give you your definitive answer, of course what one person deems acceptable another may not so good luck with that too i guess.

[goji]

Anyone should read travel insurance policies & understand the exclusions.

Typical areas to watch:

1 Medical cover is for necessary emergency treatment only, so if you are sent to hospital for failing a covid test, as per quarantine rules, with no symptoms, this is usually not covered.

2 Medical cover is excluded if you are awaiting tests for an undiagnosed condition. The worst b*stard insurers exclude cover if you are awaiting a covid test to travel to Thailand.

3 No medical cover for accidents whilst under the influence of alcohol.

4 UK policies do not provide cover for driving any motorcycle,unless you have a full UK motorcycle license. Some cover you for riding as a passenger, if it's under 125cc

[Blueskytoday]

I dont' know of any other countries requiring MED INS......

[Marc K]

To expand on that, are you saying that the “free” travel insurance policies that routinely go along with buying travel on a Gold, Platinum or Black credit card are equally worthless?

The answer is YES.

The reason I say that is that most of us are beyond our "bronzed" years and entering our "golden years" where preexisting conditions abound. If your preexisting conditions are not covered adequately, the chances of you using your insurance to actually PAY for some medical expense are perhaps 10% at best -- if you break your nose in a drunk bar brawl, or get bitten by the tse-tse fly, then you may have some coverage. : ) Otherwise, forget it, those policies are written with so much wiggle room that they provide virtually no cover for us "kupuna" (Hawaiian for esteemed elders).

Another thing to consider your options here is how much patience you have. I did indeed file to my "global" insurance for a broken nose (no, not from a drunken beer brawl unfortunately). I filed the claim. Then waited. Then answered more interrogatories. Then waited some more. Then answered some more questions. Then submitted more billing information...

It is true that at the end of the day, A YEAR LATER, my claim was paid, almost in full. But my patience took a huge hit. I think I followed up with the insurer about 20 times during the process only to be told that they were working on it. I am sure they hoped I would give up, and I almost did, many times, but I am one stubborn buggah!

[StevieWonders]

The default position of every insurer is “not covered”. However that wasn’t the question. If you re-read what I wrote it was NOT “Is this policy worthwhile?” It was “Will THIS policy satisfy the requirements of the Thai authorities?” Understand?

[Armando]

I have had quite an expensive annual travel policy for about 7 years. Never had to claim on it but decided to check that covid19 is covered. The insurer drew my attention to a clause in tiny writing that pandemics are not covered. Looking back that has been in each policy over the period. I wonder when major insurers had that clause inserted. Can't have been during SARS because that was over quickly and compared to covid19 a relatively small number died. Might it have been fear of ebola?

I know i should have read every clause carefully. I have not renewed that policy.

[a447]

I know I certainly would never trust something as important as serious medical insurance to any such "complimentary" policy ....

My credit card offers travel insurance and I've been using it for years. I can't remember when I last paid for insurance.

At first I was a little sceptical but then I read an article in a consumer magazine which looked into the various policies. It determined that the one my card offers is equal to the best policies on offer from travel insurance companies.

A few years after getting the card I read the policy carefully and came across one thing I hadn't been aware of - the policy is null and void if I don't buy a return ticket.

It wasn't a problem as I always buy tickets which allow me complete freedom to chop and change as I wish. That way I am not tied down to a specific return date. But it is something worth looking into if you have credit card travel insurance.


I guess such a document "might do" for waving at a visa desk to gain entry...

Whether or not a foreign country would recognise my credit card policy for the purpose of entry into that country is another matter. I would need to contact the embassy for clarification.

[Nirish guy]

It determined that the one my card offers is equal to the best policies on offer from travel insurance companies.

Se, why do I think the word "MY" in the "my card" part above is the key to the entire reason why you're covered perhaps ;-) My card I'm fairly sure is probably more like "if you're sick go take paracetamol - and dont bother trying to send us the bill for that at the end of it either chum !" - but THAT would be I'm guessing the difference between my card and YOUR card there perhaps :-) lol