Coronavirus Travel Insurance

Coronavirus Travel Insurance to Enter Thailand

Thailand is finally reopening to visitors, but with the Covid-19 pandemic still ongoing, the Thai government established a set of requirements for all foreigners entering the country. One of the requirements is to have Covid-19 insurance covering you for a minimum of 3.5 million baht (or 100,000 USD). This insurance can then be used to apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE), which is an important document that allows you to enter Thailand during the pandemic, you will need to show your COE at the immigration office upon arrival.

The requirement for Covid-19 insurance is in place as an added layer of protection, ensuring that anyone entering Thailand can cover all medical costs in the event that they are diagnosed with or die from Covid-19 while in the country.

Thai immigration officials are very strict regarding this matter. They will only accept policies that truly satisfy the requirements. The good news is, it’s not that hard to find an insurance provider offering Covid-19 insurance that will be accepted by Thai immigration. Getting insurance is easy as well since they are available to purchase online and are reasonably priced.

What is The Required Covid-19 Coverage?

As mentioned before, the Thai immigration officials are very strict about the Covid-19 insurance policy, so you need to make sure that your Covid-19 insurance covers everything the Thai government requires. Here are the requirements needed for the Covid-19 insurance policy:

• The policy must be at least 3.5 million baht or 100,000 dollars, covering outpatient and inpatient treatment while you are in Thailand.
• The policy must explicitly state that coverage is valid in Thailand.
• The policy must explicitly state coverage of “Covid-19.”
• The policy must cover you for the entire time you are in Thailand.

If you already have travel or health insurance, you may be wondering if you can just use them. Well, the answer is, you can not, unless it has coverage for Covid-19. There are various instances where travellers are denied entry because their insurance doesn’t specifically state coverage for Thailand and Covid-19, so they must turn around and buy a government-approved Covid-19 insurance policy.

Why is Coronavirus Travel Insurance Necessary?

Getting extra insurance may seem like a hassle for people who want to enter Thailand, but there is a good reason why it is necessary. One of the main reasons is, of course, for your own safety. Whether you need to travel to Thailand for work, holiday, or be with your loved ones, travelling during a pandemic is risky. Almost all regular travel and health insurance policies don’t cover you against pandemics, so you will not be covered for anything with Covid-19. The costs of hospital treatment and possible repatriation, as well as quarantine requirements, can be expensive, but Covid-19 insurance can help you pay for it.

Aside from protecting yourself, the Thai government has made it mandatory to avoid being saddled with unpaid hospital bills from travellers who contract Covid-19. As a result, this requirement serves as an additional layer of security for the Thai government, as the country’s economy shrinks as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.