What is going rate for Health Insurance?

[cumflywme69]

I'm a 56 year old American Male with my assortment of medical issues. I have heard " tier 1" and "tier 2" mentioned in other threads. After reading through the threads, it seems like their is good, better, and best. What are some typical rates per month/year for the different coverages. I'm not asking for an exact quote, just ballpark figures so I know what to expect.

[caller]

Another factor, is what visa you are here on? OA requires insurance from an 'approved' list of companies, otherwise the extension isn't allowed.

The cost seems to be be incremental, in that it remains the same for a 5-year period, once a trigger point has been reached, 50, 55, 60 etc. Well that's my experience.

It's hard to give a ball point figure if your insurance is going to be based on already known medical conditions, as that will determine the cost. Otherwise, you coukd try insurance via your bank, who seem to operate differently.

It won't be cheap, whatever.

[Hahuahin]

Make sure you sign up before you are 60. I myself are with Pacific cross and it jumped up considerable in price when 60. Thankfully never have needed to make a claim but have friends who have made claims both after medical treatment in Thailand and abroad and never have had issues getting the cost covered. However, I have also heard the opposite from some people.
Should I choose again today I think I will go for AXA.
Anyway just "my two cents"
hahuahin

[Martinoo]

In any case, make sure you have a Full Medical Underwriting (FMU) to show the insurer the issue and the treatment.
Once going to China for a job the insurance company excluded treatment on my 8 years earlier removed gal bladder and increased the costs accordingly, as if they could remove it a second time. I showed them the FMU and things eased down. It showed for example that the research of the tissue had no cancerous or other growths. A recent CT Scan would be handy as well....

There are a few affordable insurances with local Thai insurers that will not insure previous conditions and when you get in before 60 you will get acceptable increases, in some cases, until end of life.. some do not, only until 80 years of age.
Difference with international insurances are the premiums
https://www.thaihealth.co.th/en/home-english/
OPD is so cheap here that you don't really have to inure it, but that is my opinion

[cumflywme69]

Thank you for the information. I need to do my homework on this. I appreciate the help!

[dundrillin]

whatever the costs when you join the annual increases are relentless. I have had a policy for 10 years with Cigna, never made a claim and have a 5000 pound excess and at 75 the cost is over 3000 pounds a year.

[buksida]

With that in mind, would it be an idea not to bother with health insurance in your fifties if relatively healthy, since you’re going to get stung anyway when you get older and actually need it?

AA Insurance is a reliable Hua Hin broker if anyone wants to get quotes.

[Martinoo]

With that in mind, would it be an idea not to bother with health insurance in your fifties if relatively healthy, since you’re going to get stung anyway when you get older and actually need it?

There are insurances, I believe I had Avril in 2014-15, that don't worry about existing issues and you can insure until death..
The premium was not that bad and I was in in my late 40's. I arranged it through AA HuaHin

But specifically to your point, if you are healthy and you have no previous/existing issues, why not insure, if anything happens at least the first treatment, all the way, falls under the insurance... and the not very high insurance costs can be recuperated???

Treatment, operations, IPD in Thai hospitals, apart from the few that are focused on 'rich people', like Bumrungrad, BDMS, are not too expensive compared to western hospitals and they are of a very high level, at least that is my experience...
But still thinking you can do without is never a good idea....imo

[buksida]

The reason for not insuring when you're relatively young and healthy is that you're much less likely to need it, but are still paying an ever-increasing premium whether you use it or not, as pointed out above. That money may be better spent on yield-generating investments (that can also be used as a float to pay any hospital bills if needed).

Premiums are going to be high when you're old, regardless, so personally, I'll wait until I'm a bit older. As you say, the govt hospitals are "relatively" inexpensive, so it is a bit of a gamble.

[dundrillin]

The reason for not insuring when you're relatively young and healthy is that you're much less likely to need it, but are still paying an ever-increasing premium whether you use it or not, as pointed out above. That money may be better spent on yield-generating investments (that can also be used as a float to pay any hospital bills if needed).

Premiums are going to be high when you're old, regardless, so personally, I'll wait until I'm a bit older. As you say, the govt hospitals are "relatively" inexpensive, so it is a bit of a gamble.

i agree it is a gamble and if you can afford to gamble i would say its best to invest the premium equivalent in an investment field you have experience with (and success) However in my case at 75 i'll stay insured.

[deptrai]

I'm a 55 year old American male with my assortment of medical issues. Every insurer I've applied to has rejected me and will not offer insurance at any price so it depends on exactly what your pre-existing conditions are. Even the often recommended agents on Facebook and internet forums have failed me. I haven't given up, so am prepared to self-insure. When I get around to it, I need to research HCI (HealthCare International) Group more in depth and haven't applied yet with Pacific Cross. One of the last agents I was working with said that Pacific Cross is more likely to insure persons with pre-existing conditions than others.

Good luck.

[Martinoo]

The reason for not insuring when you're relatively young and healthy is that you're much less likely to need it, but are still paying an ever-increasing premium whether you use it or not, as pointed out above. That money may be better spent on yield-generating investments (that can also be used as a float to pay any hospital bills if needed).

Premiums are going to be high when you're old, regardless, so personally, I'll wait until I'm a bit older. As you say, the govt hospitals are "relatively" inexpensive, so it is a bit of a gamble.

The reason for insuring when you are relatively young is, that in order to be insured after 55-60 (Thai retirement age) at most Thailand based insurance companies you need to have had an insurance with them for XX years....from 50 or so I believe, not sure

[buksida]

The reason for insuring when you are relatively young is, that in order to be insured after 55-60 (Thai retirement age) at most Thailand based insurance companies you need to have had an insurance with them for XX years....from 50 or so I believe, not sure

Who said anything about Thai insurance companies or being anchored to the "Thai system" and getting stung every year for the rest of your life with ever-increasing bills? Good enough reason for me not to bother since I won't be retiring here, but each to their own.

[Martinoo]

The reason for insuring when you are relatively young is, that in order to be insured after 55-60 (Thai retirement age) at most Thailand based insurance companies you need to have had an insurance with them for XX years....from 50 or so I believe, not sure

Who said anything about Thai insurance companies or being anchored to the "Thai system" and getting stung every year for the rest of your life with ever-increasing bills? Good enough reason for me not to bother since I won't be retiring here, but each to their own.

Just assuming since the topic opened was a question about an insurance in Thailand ....but of course we can discuss all countries and the best insurances. Maybe a good idea to mention the country one is referring too, in order to prevent misunderstanding??

[Dannie Boy]

The bottom line is that medical insurance is expensive everywhere in the world so Thailand may not be far out of line from other countries and as most people know, it gets more expensive as you get older and/or depending on your medical condition. Based on the quotes I received when having to take compulsory insurance for the O-A visa, I decided the minimum to meet the legislation was best for me (reasonably fit and healthy at the time) - fully comprehensive insurance with low excess was prohibitively expensive. Since moving away from the O-A visa I decided to self insure and pay for treatment if and when I need it. Everyone has to make their own decision based on their personal circumstances which could vary enormously.