Travel Insurance in Thailand – What is The Best?
Thailand – The ‘Land of Smiles,’ complete with sparkling palaces and slick cities. A nation where you may visit a golden beach or a temple on any given day of the year. Dive deep to discover vivid coral reefs, or play in a mud bath with an elephant before letting your hair down till the sun comes up. Make your own Pad Thai or try your hand at Muay Thai. Did we need to remind you about Thai food?
Thailand is a paradise for adventurous backpackers as well as a draw for luxury vacationers, and with good reason. This tropical, welcoming, and culturally diverse location has a lot to offer travelers. Thailand received a remarkable 39 million visitors in 2019.
But, before you put on your elephant-print pants and order a chilled Chang, there’s one more thing you should know about Thailand. What could be more enthralling than a guide on Thailand travel insurance?
Table
Is Travel Insurance Required for Thailand?
No, technically. Thailand does not need travel insurance. Because many travelers enter Thailand without it, you will not be required to provide evidence of purchase at immigration.
So, while weighing Chiang Mai hikes and Bangkok rooftop bars, you may consider skipping Thailand travel insurance. But what if you suffer a hiking mishap or misplace your smartphone at the Sky Bar? Your new best buddy will be Bangkok travel insurance.
Overall, Thailand is a relatively secure place for tourists, yet it is not without perils. Tourist violence is uncommon, although attacks are still recorded. While you’re unlikely to get caught up in any political upheaval, Thailand isn’t without its share of trouble. Pickpocketing is frequent in all major traveler hubs. There is a chance of contracting a tropical illness.
And, most importantly, if you want to ride a scooter, keep in mind that accidents are common in Thailand and maybe deadly. Motorcycles were responsible for up to 70% of fatal collisions in 2018. Even if you’re merely riding a pillion, Thailand vacation insurance may protect you.
At the end of the day, Thailand is a fantastic country with a plethora of exciting activities. We strongly advise all visitors to Thailand to get travel insurance. That way, you can enjoy all of the amazing things our country has to offer while being safe!
Healthcare in Thailand
If you do get into trouble, Thailand’s healthcare is among the greatest in the world; the sixth-best, to be exact. It’s so fantastic that Bangkok has emerged as a popular destination for medical, cosmetic, and dental tourism. We’re afraid to say that your Bangkok travel insurance will not cover you for a new nose.
Thailand’s healthcare system is divided into three levels. Appointments are the most expensive, but you can expect to be seen quickly in the private sector, where the facilities are of the finest quality. The Ministry of Public Health is in charge of government-funded healthcare. These services are dependable, although they might be highly busy at times. Rates are lower than in the private sector. Non-profit health organizations work to assist underprivileged Thais.
It’s worth mentioning that most medical practitioners in Thailand are experts in their specialty, thus some visitors may have difficulty finding a good doctor for minor health issues. English-speaking medical practitioners are available across the country, notably in prominent tourist areas such as major cities and Thai islands.
The cost of treatment varies based on the amount of care required and the facility visited.
Thailand’s healthcare is substantially less expensive than that of the West. All hospitals and clinics determine their fees, which are available upon request. A Thai Doctor consultation typically costs 500 – 1000 baht ($15 – $30). Additional charges apply for therapy, laboratory testing, and prescription medication. Remember that prescription medications are more costly in the hospital pharmacy. Shop around for lower-cost medications.
Visitors to Thailand should have travel insurance that covers medical expenses. Always ensure that the hospital takes travel insurance and that your Thailand travel insurance allows you to choose your preferred facility. Keep in mind that if you want to deviate from the banana pancake track, you may discover that healthcare is more simple.
Crime in Thailand
Violent crime against visitors is quite uncommon in Thailand. Such incidents are more likely to occur at night, so be wary if you’re out partying or walking back to your hostel late at night, especially if you’re alone. Female travelers should be cautious after drinking and late at night since sexual attacks are more likely during Full Moon Parties.
Pickpocketing and petty theft are typical occurrences for tourists in Thailand. When assets are left unsecured or displayed in the street as easy pickings, theft happens. Muggings are uncommon in Thailand since Thai robbers are not renowned for being aggressive, yet they do occur. It’s not uncommon for a cunning motorcycle to take a smartphone as they pass an unwary traveler. So, once again, keep your things secure. Purchase a ‘bumbag’ on Khao San Road. You should be especially vigilant in beach bars, marketplaces, public transportation, and tourist zones.
Night buses in Thailand used to have a bad reputation for stealing. Theft is less prevalent nowadays, yet it still occurs. Keep your valuables on you at all times.
If you plan on using sleeper trains in Thailand frequently, think about getting the best insurance for Thailand. The majority of Thailand’s hotels and hostels will include a 24-hour reception desk, CCTV, and lockers. The cheapest dormitories, on the other hand, are likely to be less secure.
Travelers in Thailand Face Issues
We could go on and on about Thailand’s delights all day. Instead, we’d want to direct your attention to the most pressing challenges confronting explorers in Thailand. Namely:
- Theft of personal goods — Thieves are drawn to personal items such as cellphones, laptop computers, and pricey cameras. It’s also all too simple to drop your phone down the side of your seat on an island-hopping cruise or lose it during a party.
- Motorbike accidents — riding a motorcycle is one of the greatest ways to travel in Thailand.
- It’s also one of the best ways to end up in Thailand’s emergency department. Even the most experienced motorcycle rider might be caught off guard by bad weather or inexperienced drivers. Before purchasing Thailand Travel Insurance, ensure that you have the proper license to protect you in the case of an accident.
- Tropical diseases — Dengue fever is an endemic illness in Thailand. It is usually treated in the same manner as the flu, although this sickness might develop more seriously and need hospitalization. A week in a Thai hospital will cost you much more than the $5 per night hostel room.When getting Thailand travel insurance, be sure your policy covers all of the concerns listed above.
Common Activities in Thailand
Where do we even begin? In Thailand, there are a variety of high-octane sports to select from (we’re not just talking about sitting in the back of a tuk-tuk in Bangkok). Depending on your interests, ensure that your Thailand travel insurance covers the following activities:
- Hiring a motorcycle – we’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: the cheapest Thailand travel insurance may not contain a motorbiking provision. Check to see whether you have the right license and if your insurance covers any damage to the car.
- Trekking – whether in the hilly north or when chasing waterfalls in one of Thailand’s magnificent national parks like Khao Sok, trekking in Thailand is an experience you should not miss. However, if you twist your ankle and need to call a helicopter to the closest hospital center, you should double-check your coverage.
- Rock climbing – we’re looking at you when it comes to rock climbing. Tonsai Beach is well-known for its rock climbing, so if you want to learn the ropes, be sure your Krabi travel insurance covers you.
- Scuba diving – If you’re determined to discover Nemo, be sure your Ko Tao travel insurance covers your underwater activities before you take that great leap from the boat.
- And a word about full-moon parties – attending one of these monthly shindigs is a backpacker rite of passage. But keep in mind that robbers may be lurking along the beach before you surrender your inhibitions (and your passport) for a plunge in the moonlight ocean.
- Make sure your possessions are protected by your Thailand travel insurance.
What Should Thailand Travel Insurance Cover?
Most of Thailand’s travel insurance coverage will, more often than not, contain the following;
- Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses
- Luggage and Personal Property
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
These are some crucial phrases to keep in mind while comparing insurance packages. Let’s take a deeper look at each of them to discover what they imply!
Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses
The most significant feature of most travel insurance packages is emergency medical expenses coverage. If you are in an accident or get ill with a mysterious sickness, you want to know that any medical fees and hospital bills will be covered.
Many of you have probably never seen a medical bill. Good. But, believe me, they may quickly become prohibitively pricey. Alex Joyce was reportedly charged $10,000 in Costa Rica. Even two days in a Thai hospital set him back about $2,000.00 (the child has no luck…).
Pre-existing medical and health issues may be excluded or covered for an extra fee.
Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical insurance should ideally provide at least $100,000.00 in coverage. Some are in the millions of dollars.
Luggage and Personal Property
The value of your personal belongings is covered under Luggage and Personal Stuff coverage. Its most typical use is for missing baggage, but many plans also extend it to cover “on the ground” theft, which is beneficial if you are robbed after you get to your destination.
The restrictions on this vary depending on the policy. The highest value, however, seldom reaches $1000, with a maximum item value ranging from – $250 to $500.
This is sufficient for the majority of travelers. However, if you are traveling with a lot of electrical equipment (laptop and camera), or if you are carrying ski equipment, you may want to consider purchasing a separate device cover.
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
Emergency evacuation covers the expense of returning to your native nation in a sickbed is covered. Assume the aforementioned disease is severe, and the decision is made to return you home for additional treatment; this will cover the expensive expenses of flying you home with tubes in your arms.
Repatriation is the expense of returning your corpse to your home country in the unusual event that you die while traveling. This frequently comes at a significant cost. Repatriation charges are not something I would want to burden my family with. While it is fortunately uncommon, I have sometimes come across Facebook or “Go Fund Me” efforts for someone’s corpse to be transported home.
Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation
Non-medical When you need to be evacuated from your location due to an unanticipated catastrophe, this is referred to as an emergency evacuation. Examples include outbreaks of conflict and civil upheaval, as well as disasters that destroy infrastructure, such as the Nepal earthquake.
More recently, the Corona COVID-19 outbreak resulted in the largest worldwide emergency evacuation crisis in history. (FYI, it straddled the medical and non-medical evacuation lines.)
Emergency evacuation insurance will cover the expenses of needing to arrange a last-minute ticket home (which may be quite costly) as well as hotel fees if you are taken to a random, “safe” nation rather than returning home.
Trip Cancellation
It’s upsetting to have to cancel a vacation you were looking forward to. However, being out of money adds a scurrilous insult to serious hurt. Travel Cancellation insurance will assist you in recovering non-refundable trip charges such as airfare and accommodation fees.
You can’t make this claim merely because you changed your mind about going on vacation or broke up with your partner. Sickness, family crises, grief, natural disasters, and war are all legitimate cancellation reasons.
Trip Interruption
Travel Interruption occurs when anything goes wrong or stops your trip, leaving you stranded. As an example, suppose your pre-paid hotel burns down and you’re obliged to book a new one. Another case in point is when your flight home is canceled and you need a couple of additional nights at a hotel.
Is there anything else?
Is there anything else?
The products listed above are what we believe to be the fundamental, bare-bones types of travel insurance coverage. Some policies, on the other hand, have a few extra components to them. The following may be included in the top Thailand travel insurance policies:
Adventure Sports and Activities
All travel insurance coverage does not cover adventure sports and activities. The concept of adventure sports and activities varies depending on the supplier, but might include, for example,
- Hiking
- Canoeing
- Martial Arts
- Bungee Jumping
- Scuba Diving
- Informal basketball games….
If you plan on doing anything physically or outdoorsy during your vacation, you should double-check that your insurance company covers it. Snapped tendons are painful enough on their own without the added burden of costly medical expenditures.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment
This one is maybe a little macabre. It does not cover travel expenditures per se, but rather gives you (or you’re next of kin) monetary compensation if anything occurs to you.
If you die, your loved ones will be compensated. Alternatively, if you break a toe or whatever, YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED.
It’s similar to having a small amount of life insurance tied to your travel insurance.
“Well, sweetheart, I’m afraid I have both good and terrible news. The unfortunate news is that our darling daughter, Jenny, died while on a vacation to Thailand. The fantastic news is that we will get $10,000! Thailand, we’re coming!”
Coverage of Electronics and Gear
Some insurance plans provide coverage for electronic devices, while others do not. Those that do occasionally charge a fee and typically have a maximum item value restriction. If you just travel with a phone or a tablet, your travel insurance may cover it completely. However, if you, like us, travel with a quality laptop and camera, you may want to consider purchasing a device cover.
For years, I’ve kept a separate device cover on my MacBook Pro.
What Is the Best Thailand Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance — always the same, but always unique. It is not conceivable (or legal) for us to assert that one of them is superior to the rest. No. Insurance is a very complicated product, with each policy taking into consideration a large amount of data and a diverse collection of circumstances.
Remember that the “best” travel insurance is always determined by where you are going, when you are going, and, ultimately, by you and your requirements. The best travel insurance for one trip may not be the greatest for another.
We will highlight a few of the various travel insurance companies available below. These are all companies that we have utilized in the past.
| What is Covered? | World Nomads Standard Plan | World Nomads Explorer Plan | Iata Seguros | SafetyWing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Accident & Sickness | $100,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 | $250,000 | |
| Baggage & Personal Property | $1000 | $3000 | $1000 | $3000 | |
| Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation | $300,000 | $500,000 | 100% of cost | $100,000 | |
| Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation | $25,000 | $25,000 | $0 | $10,000 | |
| Trip Cancellation | $2500 | $10,000 | $1,500 | $0 | |
| Trip Interruption | $2500 | $10,000 | 100% of cost | $5000 |
SafetyWing is a newcomer to the travel insurance market, but they’re already making a significant impression. They specialize in digital nomad insurance and provide open-ended coverage on a monthly subscription basis. Because they mainly protect digital nomads, they don’t provide much in terms of trip cancellation or delay, so keep that in mind.
SafetyWing, on the other hand, shines on the health side of travel insurance, including dentistry and certain complementary therapies. They even provide free coverage for young children.
If you are not concerned about cancellation and delay, or if you will be spending a significant amount of time on your trip, SafetyWing may be the ideal choice for you.
- Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses – $250,000
- Baggage and Personal Property – $3000
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation – $100,000
- Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation – $10,000
- Trip Cancellation -$0
- Trip Interruption – $5000
How to Choose the Best Thailand Travel Insurance
Choosing the best travel insurance for your Thailand vacation is like picking out a pair of shoes. Only you know how well they fit and how many kilometers you can get out of them.
To determine who the best insurance for you is, tally up the cost of your vacation, the amount of equipment you want to bring, and the activities you expect to participate in.
You should also consider how much you can spend. This includes how much you can afford to pay for coverage as well as how much you can afford to lose in the rare case of an occurrence. Sometimes the cheapest Thailand travel insurance may suffice, and other times it will be worthwhile to pay a little more.
Last Thoughts on Thailand Travel Insurance
Are you still awake? We understand that travel insurance isn’t the most exciting vacation subject to consider while planning your next trip, but it is necessary. And, in a wild area like Thailand, knowing what to anticipate in the event of a medical or emergency issue is helpful.
Hopefully, this article has assisted you in locating the best – or at least the most affordable – Thailand travel insurance for your requirements. You may now devote your time to studying the greatest Thai islands and visiting (ethical) elephant sanctuaries. Once you’ve found your match with the finest Thailand insurance, peruse some of our travel recommendations to the Land of Smiles.
