Thai Visa insurance

[buddy_guy 0]

Thai Visa now sells medical insurance. Must start by age 59.5

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/latest/thaivisa.co...aivisa.com.html

[Eneukman 1]

From a quick look, the cost for 1 1/2 million baht cover seems to be very similar to the scheme provided through the Pattaya Ex-Pats Club. This policy eill only psy up to 6,000 baht per day for your room, which isn't much help if you're in the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital as the daily room charge there is, I believe, in excess of 12,000 baht. You would have to pay the difference yourself. The Pattaya Ex-Pats Club policy has a similar problem.

 

Alan

[jacko 8,775]

From a quick look, the cost for 1 1/2 million baht cover seems to be very similar to the scheme provided through the Pattaya Ex-Pats Club. This policy eill only psy up to 6,000 baht per day for your room, which isn't much help if you're in the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital as the daily room charge there is, I believe, in excess of 12,000 baht. You would have to pay the difference yourself. The Pattaya Ex-Pats Club policy has a similar problem.

 

Alan

I agree with Eneukman. I have insurance via Pattaya Expats Club and although they claim 1,000,000 baht of cover, it would be a peculiar mix of circumstances that would generate such a payout. Having read the policy in detail I still feel I am exposed to an uncomforatable level of risk. Also, as I have just been treated for high blood pressure, it is likely future policies will provide less cover due to 'pre-existing conditions' weasel out clauses. Pattaya Expats Club stated they are looking into a group plan with better cover. Having a policy that leaves me exposed to potentially 6000 baht/day room charges hardly seems effective.

[bart 0]

it is likely future policies will provide less cover due to 'pre-existing conditions' weasel out clauses.

Are we right to assume 'pre-existing conditions' means 'conditions that were pre-existing when the policy was first taken out'?

 

If so, if you keep renewing your existing policy the high blood pressure can't be counted as pre-exisiting.

[Eneukman 1]

Are we right to assume 'pre-existing conditions' means 'conditions that were pre-existing when the policy was first taken out'?

 

If so, if you keep renewing your existing policy the high blood pressure can't be counted as pre-exisiting.

 

Your assumption is correct, but many of us didn't have any private medical insurance cover before moving to Thailand. I certainly didn't.

 

I was diagnosed as having high blood pressure 5 years ago - 200/150. The medication I was put on quickly brought it under control and I have just started cutting my pills into 4 rather than 2 (half of what I used to take in the UK). My wrist monitor has just given me a reading of 113/71, with a pulse rateof 60. That is pretty good and if I can maintain that for another month or two, I may try to stop taking the pills altogether, though I would monitor my blood pressure carefully for some time before being totally satisfied that I no longer need any medication.

 

I don't know whether no longer needing any medication would mean that I would in future be covered for strokes and heart conditions. I susect that I would need to be off the medication for at least 1 year and maybe 2 years before being covered, if at all.

 

Alan

[jacko 8,775]

Are we right to assume 'pre-existing conditions' means 'conditions that were pre-existing when the policy was first taken out'?

 

If so, if you keep renewing your existing policy the high blood pressure can't be counted as pre-exisiting.

I would like to think you are correct, but am uncertain, when it comes time to repay my annual premium, I would know more by the questions I am asked and what I am required to sign. One thing is certain though, I would not be told that these conditions are an issue at the time of paying my premium, more likely at the time of making a claim...

 

That said, I was expecting to be looking elsewhere for more comprehensive cover next year... hence...

Edited August 29, 2007 by jacko

[nidnoyham 30]

The troublw with insurance is, they issue a blanket, one size fits all policy. That way, we all pay a lot.

 

I would be too old to take out this one because I am 60. However, I am a non smoker, clean bill of health, with no past illnesses, surely someone with my track record should get a lower premium ?

 

If I could have a medical, like the recent one at our local school, that showed low blood preasure, good colesteral levels, and a fair body fat ratio, it must reduce the risk of a claim ?

 

A selling point of many Companies , is the 'no medical required' offers, as if they are willing to take a chance.

[torrenova 644]

The problem with the Expats Club policy is that most people taking it out are old and thus likely to claim. It is no good for younger people. The cost has risen dramatically in the last couple of years.

 

What looks a far better scheme is a small companies one from BUPA.

 

I'm doing some work on insurance schemes now and would be prepared to post up all I get if others are prepared to split the workload and find out something themselves.

[torrenova 644]

Asked for a quote from AA insurance through Thai Visa. Posted up why the quote was 340,000 baht against a better (longer duration) policy in the Uk at around 25,000 baht and asked who was pocketing the excess.

 

Post deleted (still available through the search function), no PM, PM to moderating team has not been replied to. Seems the same as Secrets over there with crazy censorship and no explanation.

 

I think people want to know why the premium is 14 times the Uk amount but obviously between thai Visa and AA Insurance they don't want to say why ?

[Owen` 2]

Guys, I have some new information that may be of use. Before you get hopes up, this is not an immediate thing, but it is good news of things to come.

 

In the US there is an organization with considerable political clout called AARP. American Assoc. of Retired Persons. The Wall St. Journal recently reported that Aetna insurance company is preparing a health coverage product in cooperation with AARP specifically designed for "early" retirees -- meaning those people who are not yet 65 (when the US gov't's Medicare insurance begins) but are over 50 and have left a job that offered a group rate -- or whose employer no longer offers one.

 

The way this is supposed to unfold is like so. Currently, individual policies are generally not age specific in what is covered. The price varies with age, but the covered illnesses do not. So family insurance that you buy today has pregnancy/prenatal coverage in it, childhood immunizations, extensive sports injury coverage and a host of other risks that do not apply to older folks. Those will be extracted, as will gender specific coverage like hysterectomy reqmts or ovarian cysts and other female illnesses in a policy sold to a man.

 

Traditionally, narrowing "groups" like this was thought to not be a favorable thing because a wide group would have young people included with older people and lower the costs. But by narrowing in this way it is thought that insurance companies can still make a profit on individual policies while lowering the cost to the end user. Also, the product's marketing is narrowed to only advertising venues where the target market's eyeballs reside. This lowers company marketing costs and further permits a lowering of price.

 

So the point here is that change in the insurance area for people in their 50's and 60's is about to arrive and apparently it will be favorable change. I would expect it to sweep the world within a year of Aetna hitting the streets with its product. Competitors will react.

Edited September 13, 2007 by Owen`

[torrenova 644]

Still no word from Thai Visa on who is pocketing the 300k+

[PerpetualTroll 0]

I will pay 49,000 baht for 1 year worldwide cover (minus USA) up to 80 million baht. I am older than 45. I am getting surgery soon resulting from an accident with my dog and my insurance company has agreed to pay BPH 100 percent.

 

Now I know I have good insurance. 1 million baht of cover is only $30k and for a lifetime benefit, this is easily used up.

[winner 0]

Asked for a quote from AA insurance through Thai Visa. Posted up why the quote was 340,000 baht against a better (longer duration) policy in the Uk at around 25,000 baht and asked who was pocketing the excess.

 

Post deleted (still available through the search function), no PM, PM to moderating team has not been replied to. Seems the same as Secrets over there with crazy censorship and no explanation.

 

I think people want to know why the premium is 14 times the Uk amount but obviously between thai Visa and AA Insurance they don't want to say why ?

 

Probably a misprint. From the rates that I have gotten 34,000 per year is more likely the premium. That would be for a participant in the 50 - 60 age range. Not bad prices through Thai Visa.

 

 

From a quick look, the cost for 1 1/2 million baht cover seems to be very similar to the scheme provided through the Pattaya Ex-Pats Club. This policy eill only psy up to 6,000 baht per day for your room, which isn't much help if you're in the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital as the daily room charge there is, I believe, in excess of 12,000 baht. You would have to pay the difference yourself. The Pattaya Ex-Pats Club policy has a similar problem.

 

Alan

 

Are you sure about that room charge? I recently was in a nice private hospital in Bangkok (not Bumrungard) and paid less than 2000 per day for a beautiful private room which was like a studio apartment with a small kitchenette and sitting area. My whole bill including surgery, anesthesia and all of the little charges plus 5 days in the hospital and follow up visits was less than 60,000 baht. If the hospital in Pattaya is really charging 12000 per day for a room it is really a Falang ripoff!

[jacko 8,775]

(Winner) Are you sure about that room charge? I recently was in a nice private hospital in Bangkok (not Bumrungard) and paid less than 2000 per day for a beautiful private room which was like a studio apartment with a small kitchenette and sitting area. My whole bill including surgery, anesthesia and all of the little charges plus 5 days in the hospital and follow up visits was less than 60,000 baht. If the hospital in Pattaya is really charging 12000 per day for a room it is really a Falang ripoff!

Eneukman got it right and you did too!

[torrenova 644]

Probably a misprint. From the rates that I have gotten 34,000 per year is more likely the premium. That would be for a participant in the 50 - 60 age range. Not bad prices through Thai Visa.

Errrrr No. Confirmed by AA Insurance by return email who I suspect asked for the thread to be deleted.

 

All these group policies are crap unless you are at the top end of their age range and realise that the policy is minimalistic.

 

Aa followed the expats lot and if you've been here a few years you'll know how much that has risen for the same care. then you're fucked at 65. great policy.

[Chivas 0]

12,000 a day for just the room at Bangkok Pattaya

 

BOLLACKS

 

Stayed there for one night in private room for 2450 baht end of 2006.Youre saying they have lobbed on another 10 k over one year !!

 

Girlfriend recently had 2 night stay in Yanhee International in Bangkok in private suite including seperate bed for me and it was exactly 2000 baht per night for room.

 

 

Chivas

Edited October 15, 2007 by Chivas

[casper_uk 12]

Spent the night in BPH the other day, room cost 5350 ...... same as it was 6 months ago.

[GeorgeK 0]

Still no word from Thai Visa on who is pocketing the 300k+

 

Who are AA Insurance anyhow - anything to do with the UK AA?

[jacko 8,775]

AA Insurance is a broker, they arrange the medical insurance for the Pattaya Expats Club and my motorcycle cover. Used to be on Pattaya Klang, but just moved to Duck Square near Big C South.

http://www.aainsure.net/links.html

[GeorgeK 0]

Nothing on that web site to indicate any relationship with AA Insurance of the UK.

 

The About Us section is a joke as it tells you nothing about them but vague generalities "AA Insurance is run by a team of experts with many years experience in the insurance field, both here and abroad" Nothing about the insurance qualifications or industry experience - are any of the staff members of a professional insurance institute like the CII in the UK, if they genuinely have 'many years experience' why not show it?

 

I see from the website they are connected to AA Condo which was run by the ex-manager of the Nags Head on Pattaya 2 Road ??

[jacko 8,775]

Nothing on that web site to indicate any relationship with AA Insurance of the UK.

 

The About Us section is a joke as it tells you nothing about them but vague generalities "AA Insurance is run by a team of experts with many years experience in the insurance field, both here and abroad" Nothing about the insurance qualifications or industry experience - are any of the staff members of a professional insurance institute like the CII in the UK, if they genuinely have 'many years experience' why not show it?

 

I see from the website they are connected to AA Condo which was run by the ex-manager of the Nags Head on Pattaya 2 Road ??

Then likely there is no relationship. Although the owner there is English, a tall gentleman who comes across as very competent. He often presents at the Pattaya Expats club. I also met an Australian there who was Thai fluent. No idea of any association with a pub manager. Don't expect too much from Thai websites...TIT. I recently sent another one an enquiry regarding a house for sale, and it took them 4 weeks to reply.

[bart 0]

Then likely there is no relationship. Although the owner there is English, a tall gentleman who comes across as very competent. He often presents at the Pattaya Expats club. I also met an Australian there who was Thai fluent. No idea of any association with a pub manager. Don't expect too much from Thai websites...TIT. I recently sent another one an enquiry regarding a house for sale, and it took them 4 weeks to reply.

If GeorgeK means by "AA Insurance of the UK" the venerable Automobile Association of the UK:

 

http://www.theaa.com/

 

then I'm sure there is no connection whatsoever with AA Insurance of Pattaya/Thailand.

 

I think the chap Jacko is talking about is called Peter Smith, and I agree Mr Smith does come over as very competent.

 

However I also agree with GeorgeK - the About Us section of their website is .. definitely not helpful.

Edited October 30, 2007 by bart

[ingo67 8]

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