Ask Tony Dabbs (Our Health Insurance Expert) - Page 8 - Ajarn Forum

tonyd · 3rd August 2006, 09:39

Thank you for mentioning this, Chalk Face. I have been planning to touch on this subject again for some time. Yes, there is two tier pricing in Thailand, at least in Phuket. But, there is no way AO's wife would know this because it relates to "international" insurance not "Thai" insurance. Since she sells only Thai-based insurance her clients would have never encountered the two levels of pricing.

I don't know how wide spread this is, but I have no reason to believe that it extends outside of the areas heavily populated by international tourists, such as Phuket. It may only be limited to Phuket. I haven't run across it anywhere else. But Phuket Hospital makes no secret of it.

Phuket Hospital has 2 sections, the "Thai" section and the "International Insurance" section. The International Insurance section is more expensive than the "Thai" section. Only people with "International Insurance" are put in the "International Insurance" section. Everyone else, farang or Thai, goes into the "Thai" section. But, they assure me, if you have Thai insurance and want to stay on the international side and pay the additional cost, you can.

International insurance costs buyers considerably more to purchase and pays considerably higher benefits. Since they have the additional coverage, Phuket Hospital apparently provides them some of the additional benefits they are covered for.

It makes sense. I have to admit, though, that I was shocked (calling for a client) when the very sweet and helpful person answering the phone at Phuket Hospital first quoted me one room rate and then lowered that rate by half when she heard my client had Thai insurance.

Bangkok Phil · 3rd August 2006, 21:12

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 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?

tonyd · 4th August 2006, 14:41

Quote:

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?

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.

tazmanian · 11th August 2006, 09:52

I've been dealing with Tony via e-mail for a month or so. At all times I've found him to be professional and - most importantly for his profession - honest. Tony actually tries to focus on what cover the customer wants rather than the package he wants to sell them.

This is not the case for some agents I've dealt with in the past.

Based on my dealings with Tony, I'd recommend him to anybody.

Bangkok Phil · 31st August 2006, 19:54

Tony, is it possible for expats to buy life insurance in Thailand without having a work permit?

kenkannif · 1st September 2006, 17:52

^ I know some that have Phil (Bangkok Life Assurance though).

tonyd · 1st September 2006, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenkannif

^ I know some that have Phil (Bangkok Life Assurance though).

Thanks for your reply, KK. But, I'd have to see it to believe it. There's some information missing here.
-----

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil

Tony, is it possible for expats to buy life insurance in Thailand without having a work permit?

Yes, it is possible for expats to purchase life insurance in Thailand without a work permit, Phil. There are several well respected international life insurance companies authorized to sell life insurance to expats living in Thailand, whether they have a work permit or not. Two of these life insurance companies are Friends Provident International and Zurich International Life. These two companies also offer life insurance plans that couple life insurance protection with long term, low-risk investment. This type of life insurance has become very popular in Europe and in the U.S. Two Thai-based life insurance companies are aso offering this type of product, but, for now, their plans are only tied to investments in Thailand.

The premiums for the international insurance can be paid monthly. They can also be paid by credit card. But, they can’t be paid in Thai baht. They can only be paid in one of four currencies, Sterling, Euro, US Dollars or HK Dollars. Once the insured decides which currency to pay with, that’s the currency the program stays tied to.

This insurance is available through E-InsureThailand.com. But, frankly, we are not even close to being experts with this "new fangled" form of life insurance. Fortunately, we do have good technical support and back up available to us.

Mr Mister · 1st September 2006, 20:33

Hi
Did talk to you before but general inquiry as I had insurance, but now looking for new. Now I may be thick but before I was looking for the total cost price to insure me, for health and accident, not death.
Is there a simple, this is the annual premium and this exactly what you get, and just as importantly here is what you dont get?

Thanks in advance, the last time I was directed to your site but couldn't find laymans information(probably me though)

tonyd · 1st September 2006, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Mister

Hi
Is there a simple, this is the annual premium and this exactly what you get, and just as importantly here is what you dont get?

Good to hear from you again, Mr. Mister. I believe in the importance of a good health insurance program and I believe in the importance of a good life insurance program. But, I don't believe in mixing the two together, as a rule. So we agree in that regard. What you are asking for is exactly what we offer. We represent THI, AXA, BUPA, LMG and NZI-IAG, all good non-life health insurance companies. So, I'm sure that we can help you find the kind of coverage you are looking for. E-mail me. I'll send you some information.

latm · 10th September 2006, 00:02

Tony, you might want to check the thread "Bike accident" in Practicalities. There is a question on there for you.

tonyd · 10th September 2006, 13:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by latm

Tony, you might want to check the thread "Bike accident" in Practicalities. There is a question on there for you.

Thank you for letting me know. Actually, you had already done a good job of answering the question yourself. Hmm...it seems I've taught you well, latm.

For anyone who is interested, the question had to do with concern about reduced coverage for motorcycle accidents. The fact is, no health insurance company in Thailand reduces medical-treatment coverage for motorcycle accidents.

THI has an additional add-on plan that pays a small lump-sum benefit for Accidental Death, Dismemberment or Disability. They call this add-on Personal Accident (PA) insurance and they reduce the lump-sum benefit they pay out by 50% if the accidental death, dismemberment or disability was caused while riding a motorcycle. Many people think that this benefit reduction pertains to the accident coverage of the policy, itself. It doesn’t. Thanks for your help, latm.

mearkat75 · 18th September 2006, 14:36

need to find a cheap hospital to have my child at[not going back to the uk] any suggestions? need somewhere with english talking staff! i am havin anti natel checks at vejthani,but sometimes feel like i am paying over the odds for nothing[like 3 boxes of pills and 5 mins askin if im ok 3000 b!

thanks

tonyd · 18th September 2006, 15:04

Government hospitals offer the lowest priced medical care in Thailand. One of the most respected government hospitals is Chulalongkorn Hospital. Many expats use it. I suggest that you check it out to see if it meets your needs.

tonyd · 30th September 2006, 23:52

F.Y.I. Lying on your application for medical insurance gives the insurance company grounds for canceling or refusing to renew your insurance coverage, even if you really didn’t mean to lie.

We recently were contacted for help through our website by a man who was refused renewal of his insurance policy even though he had had it for 2 years.

During his second year of coverage he was admitted to the hospital for major surgery. The company paid the claim in full, no problem. But while he was in the hospital they discovered that he had once had major heart surgery he didn’t tell the insurance company about. The surgery was done 7 years before he applied for the insurance.

The English portion of the application appears to ask about health history going back only 5 years. It’s possible that the English translation was poorly worded. But, the agent who sold him the policy was Thai. The agent told him not to mention the heart surgery because it happened more than 5 years ago.

The insurance company paid the claim, but they refuse to renew his policy because he “lied” to them. Trying to convince them otherwise became an exercise in cross-cultural communication futility for us.

I’ve learned to understand how insurance companies think. That’s why we tell our applicants not to go back more than 5 years in providing health history “unless it relates to a pre-existing condition.”

The problem we have is getting people to understand just what a pre-existing condition really is. If you had cancer more than 7 or 8 years ago, it was fully removed and doctors have certified that you been cancer free for at least 7 years. It can’t be classed as a pre-existing condition. That’s because cancer can be cured.

But, if you have ever had heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, etc., no matter how long ago, it is still considered a pre-existing condition no matter how long it has been since you required any treatment for the condition. That is because these conditions can not (currently) be cured. They can only be controlled.

As for the man whose insurance had been canceled, we placed him with another insurance company.

Bangkok Phil · 7th October 2006, 09:49

Tony, how much medical insurance is really enough?