Who is affected?
All foreigners over the age of 50 who stay in Thailand for a period of at least 1 year and do not intend to work. That is, retirees holding one of the two ‘retirement visas’:
- Non immigrant O-A visa
- Non immigrant O-X visa
Why the change?
The Thailand government claimed that there were a high number of unpaid healthcare bills from foreigners living in Thailand, especially from retirees with long-term visas.
In 2018, they stated, the unpaid amount was estimated to be 305 million baht (approximately 8,3 million euros). Consequently, they have decided to take action against it, making health insurance an obligation for all retirees.
Health insurance conditions
The new regulation requires expats to have health insurance with a company approved by the Office of Insurance Commissioner (OIC) of Thailand. The insurance plan must provide:
- Cover for Outpatient Treatment of no less than 40,000 baht (1,096 euros) and Inpatient Treatment of no less than 400,000 baht (10,968 euros).
- Cover for medical expenses related to COVID-19 of no less than 100,000 USD.
You can take local health insurance from Thai brokers and agents. However, unless you speak Thai, it’s recommended to go with a well-known international company.
With international health insurers you have the advantage to get coverage in Thailand and in your home country, access to the best hospitals & doctors and shorter waiting times. Plus, you'll be able to communicate in your own language with their multilingual team.