Insurance for Foreigners Traveling to Thailand

So, you're planning on visiting Thailand? Well, the good news is you've made an incredible choice! Whether you are booking your trip for a permanent relocation, or a simple holiday getaway, Thailand is one of the most naturally and historically spectacular places on earth.

For travelers, there is a lot to do when preparing to leave their home country. This is especially true during these times of coronavirus and COVID-19 travel restrictions for Thailand. So it's important to take the time to research exactly what you need in order to be able to enter the country of Thailand before you book your flights.

When traveling, it is always a good idea to have traveler's insurance. This is in case of unforeseen emergencies. In addition, the Kingdom of Thailand currently has compulsory COVID-19 travel insurance for the remainder of this pandemic.

COVID-19 Insurance for Traveling to Thailand

Since March 19th, 2020, all foreign travelers entering Thailand are legally obligated to show proof of insurance in the event that they may contract COVID-19. This was a law instituted by the Thai government to protect their populace against incoming carriers and to protect their medical system from the increased costs of potential treatment.

The official statement is that all travelers should have health insurance for traveling to Thailand. This insurance must cover both inpatient and outpatient care of at least $100,000 USD. What's more, the policy must explicitly state that it covers treatment for this new novel coronavirus and its variants.

This insurance is required for entry into Thailand. But, even more, it is required to even be approved for a visa for entry. So, whether you are an expat who is moving to Thailand, or simply a tourist, you are going to have to be insured against this coronavirus.

COVID Insurance Requirements

The specifics of the insurance are pretty simple to grasp in actuality. They are broken down into two distinct coverage possibilities that need to be met as laid out by the government of Thailand:

• In the event that the traveler contracts COVID-19 (or a variant of it), they must have complete coverage of costs for treatment. This should cover inpatient care, treatment by a general practitioner, hospital stays, and medications. This must be covered for up to 3.1 million Thai Baht (US$100,000).
• In the event that a traveler may die of COVID-19 related complications, the traveler must be insured for up to 3.2 million Baht. This is to cover the costs of the funeral, and/or reparations costs.

So, it's a pretty cut and dry mandate that we are seeing from the government of Thailand. In short, they are enforcing their stance that travelers who wish to come to Thailand during this pandemic must be insured for the full cost of potential illness or death. Pretty grim, but a necessary step to cover themselves and you.

How To Buy COVID-19 Insurance

Finding COVID-19 insurance for foreigners is actually relatively easy. You simply need to make sure that the coverage you are getting is actually backed and credited from a reliable source. The most popular choices at the moment are:

• AXA
• LMG
• The Viriyah
• Pacific Cross
• Falcon
• Thaivivat

These are just a few places that can supply your single-duration COVID-19 travel insurance. However, you may also contact your current insurance provider and see if they offer comparable coverage. The most important part is that the coverage meets the standards set by the Thai government.

The actual cost of COVID-19 insurance is impossible to pinpoint in a single post. It can range in price depending on your age, insurance history, duration of coverage, etc. However, the average cost ranges between $100 - $3,500.

Check The Policy Wording

It's important to keep in mind that the border security in Thailand reserves the right to refuse anyone entry into the country upon arrival. Just having a visa in hand is not enough to get in, in some cases. You will need to actually present your insurance proof upon arrival, and the wording of the insurance is extremely important.

The Thailand Embassy has made a statement that traveler's insurance needs to explicitly state three things in order for it to be valid upon arrival in Thailand. These are:

• The insurance must state that it covers COVID-19. If it does not list COVID-19 under its coverage scenarios, the traveler will be denied entry.
• The insurance must state exactly how long it is valid for. This must cover the duration of the time the visitor will be in Thailand from start to finish.
• The insurance must explicitly state that it covers a minimum of $100,000 USD and that the coverage is comprehensive in nature--this means it covers all treatment and expenses related to COVID-19.

Important Notice When Purchasing COVID Insurance

Conclusion

It's that simple. Once you have secured your insurance coverage for COVID-19, you may then enter Thailand legally for the duration of these lockdown measures. But, COVID-19 insurance is not the only insurance that travelers are encouraged to have when visiting Thailand. Let's take a look at another scenario!

Get Your AXA COVID Travel Insurance Thailand! CLICK HERE

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Check out the Thai Elite visa program.