Insurance in Thailand for expats: every type compared
The insurance you actually need
Expat insurance in Thailand comes down to a few simple decisions. Living here long term, your priority is private health insurance. Visiting for weeks or months, travel insurance covers the trip. Retiring on an O-A or O-X visa, health cover is a visa condition, not a choice. If you own a condo or house here, or you are partway through buying property in Thailand, add home cover, and if you employ staff, look at group policies. This page is the map for expat insurance in Thailand: pick your situation below and go straight to the detailed guide.
All insurance types
Every insurance category we cover, in one place. Each card links to a full guide with costs, cover levels and how to claim.
- Start here
Health insurance
The one policy almost every expat needs: private hospital care, outpatient plans and policies designed for foreigners. Retirees on O-A or O-X visas should go straight to the mandatory retiree health cover guide.
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Travel insurance
For trips and short stays: emergency treatment, cancellations, lost bags and repatriation. Compare before you fly.
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Life insurance
Long-term protection for your family if you die, plus savings-style policies, and what foreigners can buy.
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Property insurance
Cover for your house or condo and its contents against fire, flood and theft, and what Thai policies include.
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Personal accident insurance
Fixed payouts for injury, disability or accidental death, sold as cheap standalone cover.
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Business insurance
Group health for staff, liability and office cover for company owners and employers in Thailand.
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Pet insurance
Vet bills for dogs and cats add up quickly. See what pet cover in Thailand includes and excludes.
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Drone insurance
Cover for drone pilots, from hobby flyers to commercial operators, and how to get covered.
Why expats need cover in Thailand
Private healthcare here is excellent, and you pay for every bit of it. A serious accident or illness at a private hospital can run to bills most people cannot absorb, and there is no safety net behind you.
Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme, known as the 30-baht scheme, is open to Thai citizens only. No visa or length of stay gives a foreigner access to it. Working expats get basic social security cover at one designated hospital, and everyone else has nothing unless they buy it.
Some visas also require insurance by law. The O-A retirement visa has required health cover of at least 3,000,000 THB (or US$100,000) in combined outpatient and inpatient benefits for new applications since 1 October 2021. The O-X visa and the LTR visa carry their own minimums, while ordinary Non-O extensions, Thailand Privilege membership and tourist entry have no insurance requirement at all.
If any of this applies to you, tell us what you need and get quotes from a partner broker. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
How enquiries work
The Thaiger is not an insurer and not a broker. We work with licensed partner brokers who quote across multiple insurers, and our job is to connect you to the right one. Here is exactly what happens.
- Tell us what you need.
Fill in the short form lower on this page with the type of cover and your details.
- A partner broker contacts you.
A licensed broker calls or emails to confirm your situation and pull quotes from several insurers.
- You compare and decide.
There is no fee to you and no obligation to buy. If nothing fits, walk away.
Get free insurance quotes
Tell us what you need covered, and we will match you with a specialist who can send you real quotes.
FAQ
Is insurance mandatory for expats in Thailand?
Only on specific visas. The O-A and O-X retirement visas and the LTR visa require health cover as a condition of the visa. Non-O retirement and marriage extensions, Thailand Privilege membership and tourist entry carry no insurance requirement. For everyone else it is optional, and strongly advised.
Can foreigners buy Thai insurance policies?
Yes. Thai insurers and banks sell health, life, property and other policies to foreigners. Age limits and residency criteria vary by product and insurer, which is one reason quotes through a broker are worth comparing.
What is the difference between life and non-life insurance?
Life insurance pays out when the policyholder dies, and some policies double as long-term savings. Non-life insurance, also called general insurance, covers everything else: health, travel, property, accidents and vehicles. Most expats need something from the non-life side first.
Does Thai social security cover me if I work here?
Yes. Foreigners employed legally in Thailand pay into the Social Security Fund like Thai staff, at 5% of salary capped at 875 THB per month from 1 January 2026, a cap already set to rise in steps to 1,150 THB by 2032. That buys treatment at one designated hospital you register with. Most expats top up with private health insurance because the designated hospital may not be the one they would choose.
Which insurance does a retiree on an O-A visa need?
A health policy that meets the visa's minimum cover of 3,000,000 THB in combined benefits, from an approved insurer. The retiree health cover guide linked above walks through the exact rules, how extensions differ and what happens if your policy lapses.
How do I get a quote through The Thaiger?
Fill in the form at the bottom of this page. We pass your enquiry to a licensed partner broker, who contacts you with quotes from several insurers. Comparing them is free and there is no obligation to buy.