Work permits and health insurance

"Do I need to have a Work Permit to buy health insurance in Thailand?" "If I get health insurance and don't really have a Work Permit can the insurance company refuse to pay my claim?

The answer to those two questions is dependent on what kind of company you are getting your health coverage from. Is it a company that sells health insurance policies? Or, is it a company that sells life insurance policies with health insurance riders? If it is one of the seven companies in Thailand that sell health insurance policies, the answer is, "No! No! A thousand times, No!" (Sorry...I get asked about this often). The work permit myth got started because of AIA. They have a very strong marketing organization. They sell health insurance as a rider on life insurance. Since life insurance is a financial product, you are required to have a work permit to buy it. Health insurance coverage not sold as riders to life insurance policies don't have that requirement in any way, shape or form. All that they require is that you reside in Thailand. Nobody even checks to see if you have a visa. But, they do require personal ID, such as the ID page of your passport - Or, Thai ID. Nothing else, though.

Okay. Okay. There are two possible exceptions to the above:
1. AXA states on their marketing brochure that expats require Work Permits.
We have placed a lot of health insurance with AXA over the years and a WP has never, ever been an issue with them.
We recently picked up a client, though, who had been "rejected" by AXA, after also having been rejected by AIA for no WP. We resubmitted his application for him and it was approved right away, with absolutely no problem. I have no idea why he was "rejected" before.
2. MSIG health insurance underwriters really do require a Work Permit, Their simple logic on this is that a WP reflects financial stability and assures the applicant's ability to pay the premium. We sometimes are able to get around the WP thing by showing other proof of financial roots here

Are you insured on that bike?

Buyers are constantly asking me to make certain that the insurance plan they are getting provides full treatment coverage for motorbike accidents. The fact is, contrary to the popular myth, all health insurance plans provide full treatment coverage for motorbike accidents. This myth got started because most policies contain a Personal Accident (PA) rider. PA is actually Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance that provides a lump sum payout for death or loss of a body part. It is totally unrelated to treatment. Some insurers limit the lump sum payout for bike accidents

The issue of AIDS coverage in Thailand

All health insurance policies sold in Thailand permanently exclude coverage for treatment of AIDS. I say "permanently" because many international companies will cover AIDS after a five year waiting period from the effective date of the policy.
Only one insurance company selling in Thailand will insure someone who has AIDS. Of course, they will exclude coverage for medical treatment of AIDS and they will also exclude medical treatment for any other condition that develops as a result of having AIDS. Since AIDS attacks the immune system, I'm told that any number of medical conditions could end up being excluded. It's up to the doctor, though, to determine that.

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