4th August 2006, 14:41
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#108 (permalink)
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tonyd
is.....
The insurance guy
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Nontaburi
Posts: 126
vCash: 500
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Re: Ask Tony Dabbs (Our Health Insurance Expert)
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Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil
Tony, we've received a question from a man whose home is in Singapore. He has been assigned to Thailand for a year or two. While stationed in Thailand he will be required to travel to other countries, among them Singapore. He wants to know if he should he buy his medical coverage in Singapore or buy it here? What do you recommend?
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Phil, the dilemma here is that this person travels frequently into high medical cost areas. Both BUPA Thailand and THI will cover him anywhere in the world, but their level of coverage is better geared for Thailand and other low cost health care countries.
Most people can easily solve this problem by supplementing their health coverage with a low cost travel policy whenever they travel into high medical cost countries. In this case, though, the frequency of travel makes this a little impractical.
His best option, therefore, is to purchase insurance that will cover the healthcare costs in the most expensive health care country he visits frequently; in this case, Singapore. Since he is now living in Thailand, he should purchase Thai-based health insurance that will cover the high medical costs in Singapore, but will also provide him with member hospital privileges in Thailand. He would have to seek reimbursement for treatment costs outside of Thailand, but not in Thailand. Both LMG Insurance and NZI-IAG Insurance will provide him with the coverage he needs in Singapore, while giving him hospital member card privileges in Thailand.
Another possible option was offered to me by the health insurance marketing manager at AXA Thailand. AXA has a new plan being issued in the middle of September that is directed mainly at expats in Thailand. She assures me that this new plan should solve the man's problem, if he can wait. She says that this new plan will automatically adjust the coverage up while the insured is traveling in another country with high cost medical care (???). AXA also has a branch in Singapore.
For now, though, LMG and NZI-IAG seem to offer the best options for him.
Last edited by tonyd; 4th August 2006 at 14:48.
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