Thailand is one of the most exotic places to visit on holiday. Travelling to Thailand is exciting, but before you finalise that holiday trip, there are a few things you should always prepare.
One consideration that should be at the top of your list is travel insurance. While beautiful beaches may be your priority, don’t forget to sort this important protection before you depart.
Emerald Life travel insurance includes up to £5 million in medical expenses, plus a wide range of other benefits. Visit our fast online quote form to get a quote now.
You might want to get travel insurance if you visit Thailand a lot for your peace of mind. Depending on the coverage you select, travel policies may cover emergency medical, liability, lost, or stolen belongings. What factors should you consider when you buy a travel insurance policy for your trip to Thailand?
Table of Contents
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
The cost of travel insurance policies for people with medical conditions differs from those who are healthy.
That’s because someone with medical conditions is more likely to make a claim and so insurers have to charge more to take account of that risk.
Thus, make sure you disclose these pre-existing conditions when getting travel insurance for Thailand, especially if it’s your first to get one.
Pre-existing conditions can include any of the following:
- Medical conditions under prescriptions
- Heart and heart-related conditions
- Liver, respiratory, circulatory conditions
- Stress, anxiety, depression, or any psychological disorders
- HIV+ and cancer diseases
The question is: what medical conditions you are required to disclose and which aren’t necessary?
Generally, you are required to disclose any pre-existing conditions that might make you fall ill while travelling to Thailand. However, there are some exceptions.
Let’s take, for instance, the HIV+ condition. Emerald Life is the first insurer that does not require you to declare your HIV status if you are on stable medication and your viral load is undetectable.
If you’re taking birth controls, you don’t need to disclose this information. However, if it may pose some health risks to you, you need to declare it. You might need to undergo medical screening if necessary.
Having a pre-existing medical condition might complicate your claims. Thus, ask questions for more information from your provider if such isn’t available on your statement policy.
Travel Itinerary
Generally, travelling to Thailand is safe. However, before you book your next holiday, always read updated advice from the UK Government (FCDO). Travel advice could change anytime.
Safety Guidelines
Always check and follow safety guidelines while you’re on your Thailand holiday trip. These guidelines could save you from so much trouble in the future, such as accidents, loss of limbs due to accident, loss of luggage, and personal belongings.
Adventure Sports
Thailand offers loads of outdoor activities, from its pristine beaches to mountainous areas. Emerald Life has standard covers on many of these sports. Here are a few adventure sports you might enjoy on your holiday trip.
- Surfing in Phuket
- Kayaking on calm waters
- Ziplining in Koh Samui
- Snorkelling and diving in Khao Lak
- Trekking and hiking in Chiang Mai
Travel Requirements
A British passport and visa are two of the essential travel requirements you should bring when travelling to Thailand. For British nationalities, you don’t need a visa if you’re staying less than 30 days.
Visa exemption is quite common among countries to boost the tourism industry. However, if you plan to stay for more than 30 days, please note that you need to apply for an extension before your exemption expires.
You can get or extend your visa through a Thai Embassy or an immigration office around the country. So, before you continue with your itinerary in Thailand, make sure you have the appropriate documentation as proof that you can travel around the country.
Medical Treatment Costs in Thailand
Medical treatment and services in Thailand’s private hospitals are different from the UK.
If something goes wrong and you need medical attention then you will very likely face a large bill. While Thailand is certainly not the most expensive country for healthcare, unexpected medical bills are the last thing you want on a holiday.
Don’t forget the importance of repatriation. If you need to be transported back to the UK then imagine the cost if you were on a life-support machine and had to have a plane chartered.While an unlikely nightmare, these are the kind of worst-case scenarios that travel insurance can protect you against.
If you have existing medical conditions when you go on a holiday trip to Thailand, then you may be at more risk of medical claims, which makes travel insurance more expensive but possibly also more important for you.
Your Thailand travel insurance should cover medical treatment and services costing up to the designated limit. Thus, you must take everything into consideration, from medical conditions to inclusions, from premium to coverage limit.
Terms and Conditions
Inclusions and exclusions vary from one travel insurance policy to another. For Emerald Life, standard inclusions are explicitly detailed. Anything not mentioned or is not covered is an exclusion, which means you might not receive any coverage on reimbursement or claims.
Thus, make sure you do the following when getting quoted for travel insurance services.
- Disclose any pre-existing conditions, terminal or otherwise
- Undergo a screening process if you have no pre-existing medical conditions
- Discuss any adventure sports you plan to take part in while in Thailand
Travel insurance has three zones: Europe, Worldwide excluding the USA, Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada, and Worldwide including USA, Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada.
This reflects the significant difference in the cost of medical treatment in these places and so the likely cost of potential claims.
For most insurers Thailand will come under “Worldwide excluding the USA”, but always check if unsure. Other insurers will ask specifically which countries you are travelling to and will calculate your premium on that basis.
Cover starts when your plane takes off from your home country. You cannot change your policy once your Thailand travel starts. Thus, it’s essential to find out whether you plan on having a single or multi-trip in a given year.
As with all insurance products, you are expected to make every effort to avoid making a claim. Remember, Thailand travel insurance covers liability, medical benefits, and loss of personal belongings in good faith. Thus, if you have been deliberately doing something to injure yourself or being negligent, you might not have a valid claim. Your provider might need to investigate this matter to validate your claims.
A perfect example of this is injury caused by drunken behaviour, which insurers are unlikely to pay out for.
Single Trip Vs. Multi-Trip
Some policies only cover a single trip, while others cover an annual multi-trip. Regardless, the limit of each trip is 45 days.
As the name implies, a single trip is applicable for one trip to your chosen destination, such as Thailand. You can book in advance of up to 365 days.
For multi-trips, your policy covers 12 months with 45 days max of staying at each destination. Booking your Thailand travel shouldn’t be made more than 90 days[SV3] .
Instances, where you get extended coverage include hijacking or events beyond your control. These instances should happen while you’re in transit to your destination. Some providers might extend your policy automatically.
Travel Policy Cover
Policy cover depends on what you pay for. Some travel policies only cover basic coverage, while others offer more comprehensive cover.
Here are some of the features of Emerald Life travel insurance:
- Cancellation and curtailment
- Hospital benefit
- Personal Possessions and Baggage
- Emergency medical and Repatriation Expenses
- Personal Money
- Loss of Passport
- Personal Accident
- Personal Liability
- Travel Delay and Abandonment
Insurance Premium and Coverage Limit
The premium varies on the type of coverage you want to buy. Comprehensive coverage costs more money compared to basic cover. Usually, the coverage limit also depends on the premium you pay for. A higher coverage limit would mean a higher premium.
Many consumers like to use comparison sites to find the best deal. However, this is not always the case. When you see the top cheapest policies on a comparison site, what they actually cover can vary considerably. The cheapest policy may actually have more exclusions that make it difficult to claim for a lot of things, or a high excess – the amount of money you contribute to any claims.
To really understand what a travel policy includes and how it compares to others, read the policy wording and Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) as these will show the inclusions, exclusions and excesses payable.
Ease of Renewal, Claim, and Cancellation
Let’s say you buy travel insurance for Thailand. During your travel to Thailand or other countries, you got injured while engaging in adventure sports. You want to make a claim to cover for the treatment expenses. In this case, your provider should make the process is easy.
You could find these procedures in the policy wording if you need to make a claim. Most policies have a time limit for when you can make a claim after an incident.
An online form would be a great way for easy claiming, while a claims phone number can help speed up the process
See if you can find out how an insurer performs on claims – from its own website or from customer feedback.
Some insurance companies might include an automatic renewal of your policy. You will receive a notification or letter of any changes on a policy before auto-renewal. However, auto-renew may fail if you have an insufficient balance on your chosen bank account or are not eligible anymore.
Getting travel insurance is optional. In case you decide to discontinue your policy, your chosen insurance provider should make the process of cancellation easy and hassle-free. Some insurance companies may issue a refund if you cancel within a cooling period. Also, you can cancel your insurance policy if you haven’t paid it yet.
Authorised and Regulated
Please select your travel insurance for Thailand from insurance companies who services are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Make sure that these companies can show proof that they’re registered in England or the UK as this ensures they are compliant with UK law, and are regulated so your rights as a consumer are protected. That includes access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in case your insurer goes bankrupt while you need cover
Key Takeaways
Travel to Thailand insurance is not mandatory, but there are circumstances when you need it for your peace of mind. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, are travelling with family members, or engaging in adventure activities during your holiday trip, travel insurance Thailand could be an excellent investment.
Make sure that the insurance company has a registered office and trading name. The company should be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
While you are under no obligation to buy travel insurance, there are plenty of benefits for doing so. For instance, if you fall ill in Thailand, then you may have to pay for medical care or even repatriation if you have to be transported back to the UK for treatment. For that reason, it pays to consider travel insurance that has a good level of medical expenses cover.
At Emerald Life, our cover provides up to £5 million in medical expenses, plus a range of other benefits like baggage cover up to £1500 and £3000 in case of cancellation or curtailment.
