Insurance or no?

[Yank Retread]

I'm 58 & preparing to retire in Pattaya. I have enough health issues that pretty much anything that goes wrong other than tropical diseases will be chalked up to pre-existing conditions. Is it worth it to get insurance? Is it possible to get insurance just for tropical illness? Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.

[Expat46]

You must have health insurance - without it - they let you die without help here -- No Joking.

 

Try send Email to this insurance company and ask them - or call.

Their staff speak English.

 

http://www.bupa.co.th/bupa_cms/en/home.aspx

 

Insurance = Yes.

[kansuwan]

You must have health insurance - without it - they let you die without help here -- No Joking.

 

Absolutely right. One of my best pals here (expat businessman) was involved in a car crash. No insurance; treatment in BKK and med-evac back to the US wiped out his family's savings and retirement plan. Non-insurance hospitals suck on critical/traumatic care: (i) pal's girlfriend is now a cripple as a result of bodged treatment (another car crash); (ii) it took a local hospital four days to diagnose that a pal had a fractured spine after a heavy fall from his roof. Similar stories about non-traumatic illnesses - wrong drugs, no drugs and so on. Daughter of a friend died at 32 because a congenital cardiac problem was diagnosed but left untreated because the family couldn't afford it(forget what you may have read about the 30 baht health scheme). I had a GF who was an ICU nurse and through her met several Thai medics working at a range of hospitals: every single one of them had health insurance and stories about non-insurance hospitals and the fate of uninsured patients that were truly terrifying.

 

So ... at a minimum you need accident insurance (not least because Thai drivers [and electricians] are lethal). That should come in at between 2k and 3k per annum with a reasonable upper limit on hospital expenses. And you need cover for illnesses. Option I is to start a policy in LOS, but be aware of the fine print: BUPA Thailand is not like other BUPAs - very unkeen to start policies that will extend beyond the age of 70. If you have coverage in the US, it may be more sensible to switch it to international coverage or to their Thai outfit if they have one. The Thai Visa website has some sort of insurance portal specifically for expats, but I don't know anyone who's used it. Shop around.

 

It's not all bad: Thai nurses (even those who don't work in ICU) are cute beyond belief and a bed bath by two of them is an experience not to be missed.

 

Please post again when you've done a bit of research on premiums and coverage - I'm sure there'd be a lot of interest and appreciation from other BMs.

[Benny10]

Like others, I recommend an accident/health insurance.

 

In addition I always carry a credit card, just to avoid dying on the street while the ambulance/hospital is busy clarifiing the details with the insurance company.

Edited August 26, 2010 by Benny10

[Anokanite]

One Thai girl told me that , "If you in the hospital and you run out of money, they will give you shots that will kill you." I have not heard of this anywhere else, don't know if it's true. But you don't hear them arguing about a health care plan. Also I found that while, prices for proceedures are much cheaper, Med's are not.

[gazman]

Like others, I recommend an accident/health insurance.

 

I addition I always carry a credit card, just to avoid dying on the street while the ambulance/hospital is busy clarifiing the details with the insurance coimpany.

 

Very good advice.

[jinners]

not seen anything definitive here, apart from get coverage that is. I'm moving over spring next year. I currently have a UK company covers me everywhere except NAmerica. It is just a bit pricey, and as I'll be trying to keep to a budget, was wondering if there are any good insurances available locally that don't cost the earth and actualy are worth paying the premiums?