Checklist Before Getting Health Insurance
Before purchasing health insurance policies in Thailand, review our health insurance checklist.
What are the basic requirements for obtaining health insurance?
If you’re already in Thailand, the simplest way is to go to an insurance company and have them do all the legal work for you. Make an appointment ahead of time and find out what paperwork they need. Every Thai province has an insurance agent and if you live in a tourist or expat-heavy city, you should have no trouble finding one who speaks English. Alternatively, you can go to the websites of the insurance companies or apply to get a quote from the Thaiger.
When selecting a policy, be cautious and don’t just go for the cheapest option; read the fine print, exclusions and coverages. Another factor to think about is the insurer’s credibility, as many insurance companies would go to great lengths to avoid paying any claims. With the popularity of online review sites, it’s now fairly simple to analyze businesses.
Here are some basic requirements needed to purchase health insurance:
- Each individual have to include social security number of a family member who wants to apply for insurance.
- Each individual must include their employer and income details.
- Policy numbers for your current health insurance (if any).
Key Points
- The basic requirements for health insurance can differ from one individual to another.
- Read the policy documents or consult with your agent in detail to understand fully the policy’s benefits.
- It’s important to make sure that everyone in your family is covered by health insurance.
What are the important benefits of a good health insurance policy?
It’s time to figure out what kind of coverage you’ll need and to keep track of the major differences in coverage benefits between insurers and even within the same company’s policies. The simplest policies usually only cover hospitalisation costs in one country and offer few or no other benefits.
Depending on your needs, the desired types of benefits will vary, but most foreign and local plans in Thailand will provide all or some of the following such as vaccinations and medical coverages for inpatient and outpatient. High cover for hospitalization, full cover for chronic conditions and multiple international coverage options.
The insurance policy may be supplemented with additional care coverage, w orldwide coverage, maternity care, dental procedures, pre-existing conditions, and health check-ups. These are the most sought-after inclusions in a health insurance package, according to most expats.
Do health insurance policies have any exclusions?
It’s important to understand every policy’s exclusions, as most policies have a long list of them, here are some common exclusions are as follows:
- Motorcycle accidents in which the rider does not have a valid driver’s licence, does not wear a helmet, is intoxicated, and is not at fault during the accident are not covered by insurance.
- Your policy would be rejected if you include any misleading information while applying.
- If you have any pre-existing medical conditions that was not disclose, your coverage can be cancelled.
- Any accidents or damages incurred as a result of “dangerous events” such as rock climbing, water sports, or even cycling are not compensated. This can also include all sports, but policies differ, so check before applying if you plan to participate in some form of sport or activity.
- Most policies are unlikely to include sexually transmitted diseases unless they are specifically stated.
- Any damages incurred as a result of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack are also not compensated.
Make sure you review all of the coverage, benefits, and if the policy meets the your criteria.
Guidelines on comparing the best health insurance plans.
Comparing health insurance quotes on approved brokers’ websites is strongly recommended. This ensures you’re looking for the right health insurance options from a number of companies. Here are a few of the most important things to consider when evaluating the reliability of the health insurance policies you’re considering:
- Price: The lowest premium does not guarantee the best health insurance coverage in most situations.
- Renewability: Many community health insurance plans are not lifetime renewable, which means that if you have a serious illness, the insurer has the authority to decline to renew your policy.
- Provider networks: It’s important to check a policy’s list of covered hospitals and healthcare facilities.
- Location: Is the plan available worldwide, or is it just for medical treatment in Thailand? For expats and frequent travellers, this is particularly important to remember. If your job requires you to travel to different parts of the globe an international health insurance plan may be right for you and your family.
You and your family would be well protected from high-cost medical care if you have the right health insurance policy.
How long is the waiting period for health insurance?
A waiting period is a period of time during which a policyholder is unable to make a claim for a particular benefit. The waiting period is usually settled upon in advance between the medical insurance provider and the policyholder, and after the waiting period expires, coverage for that benefit becomes available.
Different insurance providers have different waiting periods, for local insurance firms such as Bupa, Pacific Cross, and LMG, the most common form of the waiting period is 30 days. However, there is no waiting period for international companies like MSH and AXA unless it is specified in the agreed-upon.