Thailand visa question No. 213/20: Embassy does not want to accept my VGZ health insurance
Questioner: Jules
Does anyone know a solution? I am Jules, 82 years old and I have been living in Jomtien for 21 years. I have been in the Netherlands since April last and cannot leave here.
The last 5 weeks I have had problems with the Thai embassy refusing to renew my now expired visa.
The problem is my health insurance with the VGZ. All insurance companies in the Netherlands refuse to name amounts and seem not to be allowed to do so (40.000 Bth and 400.000 Bth), the embassy continues to demand this.
Even the last few days the embassy has been unreachable, the VGZ promised to call back again and again, but….unfortunately! Another insurance, for example a Thai one, does not work because they are not waiting for an 82-year-old. The Dutch Embassy does not want to help.
Does anyone know a solution?
Thanks in advance.
Happy holidays and a prosperous 2021
Reaction RonnyLatYa
If your health insurance does not want to declare this and the embassy does require it,…. Well, in the end you will of course be left empty-handed
Given your age, it will indeed be difficult to obtain Thai insurance.
Maybe just once Health Insurance Thailand – AA Insurance Brokers (ainsure.net) if they see a solution there. They know the insurance market in Thailand best. Can be done in Dutch.
But maybe you should also look outside your health insurance and there may also be regular travel insurance policies in the Netherlands that do provide those conditions.
Readers who know of a suitable (travel) insurance policy can always let us know.
Maybe OOM insurance can help you.
They offer insurance policies that were previously accepted by the Thai embassy.
I don't know if they have an age limit
https://www.reisverzekeringblog.nl/covid-19-verzekeringsverklaring-thailand/
This is what they say on the site:
English language insurance statement for a visa for Thailand
Do you need an English-language insurance statement for a visa application for Thailand? We can also put the following text on the statement:
This health insurance policy covers the length of stay in Thailand with 40,000 THB coverage for out-patient treatment and 400,000 THB for in-patient treatment.
Take out health insurance and contact us. We will then provide the desired statement.
My CZ health insurance and my V Lanschot Chabot travel insurance also refused to state the specifically stated amounts.
I called OOM and within an hour I had a travel insurance with the requested English statements on the policy conditions.
Dear,
The only option is to take out travel insurance.
With an originally French company you can get a
take out an annual policy and you can normally stay abroad for 3 months
to stay. Can be extended for an additional premium up to 6 or 9 months.
Important condition must be in Belgium or the Netherlands address
otherwise not possible.
I would first try AA insurance in Thailand: very professional and cooperative.
The OOM (Dutch insurance) does provide cover of USD 100.000.
Success!
Instead of amount can also be withdrawn unlimited, which is of course even better with "restriction" based on the applicable NL rates. Think people will soon read over it….
Disclaimer: I have no experience with the Thai embassy, but I requested it from the health insurance companies
Indeed, I think until 2 or 3 weeks ago this was accepted by the embassy in The Hague, I also entered Thailand that way on November 13. I hope that the Dutch health insurers will find a solution to this problem, it is of course great if you are more than well insured and still have to take out double insurance elsewhere. Just because people don't want to mention amounts (I don't know where you get it from that they aren't allowed either) while 100% unlimited is much better than maximum amounts. So health insurers do something about this.
I was told by telephone by OOM Verzekeringen (part of Aegon) that they have no problem issuing a health care policy according to Dutch rules with an explicit mention of the infamous $100,000 cover. Premium is approximately €150 per month. In my opinion this is a hefty amount because they actually provide subsidiary coverage in addition to the regular health insurance, although this does not seem to be stated in their terms and conditions. It is of course also possible to purchase this regular policy as a primary policy from OOM until 31 December 2020. Calculating quickly, the “break even point” would be around four months.
If it becomes a secondary policy for the period of stay, I would take the highest deductible. That may save some costs. The Thai embassy gives me no rules regarding the amount of the deductible.
At the risk of being punished, I have learned that the Embassy also approves an explicit sentence that says “up to the legal maximum”. Unfortunately I can no longer cite the source.
AA Insurance Brokers is a good alternative. Perhaps I am wrong, but in the construction of OOM, a Thai health insurer should perhaps also see benefits in providing subsidiary cover, because the Covid-19 risk is ultimately covered by the primary health insurance.
I'm happy to trade my opinion for a better one and await TB's comments with interest.
ps although this example applies to the Netherlands and the EU offers a free movement of trade and services I do not think this applies to Belgians (and other non-Dutch nationals) because the Dutch health insurance scheme assumes mandatory acceptance regardless of the insured's medical history , while for non-residents the normal rules apply as for any other insurance. However, after inspection and with the exclusion of known ailments, for example, it could be possible again.
My information is that at uncle's for two people aged 77 and 78 together it costs more than 700 euros per month. If you pass the inspection with a deductible of 1000
Dear Jules, I don't know what VGZ writes in the letter.
For the CoE (don't know if other requirements apply to visas) a letter from Zilveren Kruis was sufficient for me, stating:
Covers costs for Covid;
Basic insurance covers costs up to 100% based on Dutch rates;
Additional insurance covers 100% of the costs above the Dutch up to the actual costs.
So : 100% of the actual costs will be reimbursed. And indeed no amounts mentioned.
That was accepted as such
I have the same problem and I understand that since December these kinds of statements are no longer accepted by the embassy and with your certificate of entry visa. People really want amounts in the letter.
Maybe this is something for you Jules. https://covid19.tgia.org/
Because there are so many complaints about this, but it has not been reported before that this has also been raised with the government, I have recently done so. I have also submitted an English-language statement from my insurer CZ to the Thai embassy with a request for comment. I have not yet received a response from our government, nor from the Thai embassy, but this may be logical because of the holidays.
However, I would also like to point out that it does not hurt to climb into the pen yourself, not only to prepare a message for Thailandblog but, even better, to report our objections to the relevant authorities and authorities!!!! !
I recently sent the following email about the insurance issues to MinBuZa:
Subject: Entry requirements (specific insurance requirement) Thai immigration
Wo 16-12-2020 15:00
[email protected]
https://www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/contact/contactformulier
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Embassy Bangkok, Thailand
Attn relevant policy officer
Subject: Visa/certificate-of-entry insurance requirements of ImmigrationThailand
Breda, December 17, 2020
Ir/Madam!
First of all I would like to mention that I am not writing this letter just for myself but for many who regularly travel to Thailand and have the same problem. For the sake of brevity, I refer to all reports/complaints about this subject at http://www.thailandblog.nl.
Since I have a Thai partner who lives and works in Bangkok, Thailand, I go there once a year for 4-5 months and stay there under a Non-Immigrant “O” retired visa. Due to Covid, my last trip was canceled and I will have to apply for another visa at the Thai embassy next year.
Now, logically, because of Covid, the visa requirements have now been tightened, and for that visa and / or other immigration documents one must also be able to show a health insurance policy, which provides coverage for Covid-19 in the amount of $ 100.000 and general health insurance in the amount of of THB 400.000 (in patient) and THB 40.000 (out patient). As you will notice, these amounts are quite low and our basic health insurance, which also includes coverage in Thailand, has no maximum. Our insurance is therefore much more extensive, much better.
Unfortunately, the Thai embassy in The Hague does not see this as such and English-language statements from our health insurers (CZ, Zilveren Kruis, etc.) are largely not accepted, partly because they do not state maximum amounts because our policies do not have them for basic care. On the other hand, it is recommended to take out health insurance with one of the Thai insurance companies designated by the Thai government. Mind you, this is recommended; it is not made mandatory to take out a policy with a Thai insurer!
Of course, this should not happen and certainly not if you have already met many other (financial) requirements (eg THB 800.000 in a Thai bank). For me this was the last straw that broke the well-known camel's back and in the end I have to turn to you. Perhaps you can discuss this with the Thai embassy in The Hague and/or our embassy in Bangkok can work on this. It will be a relief to many of us if this unnecessary problem is soon resolved.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
A copy of this message has been sent directly as via contact form
The Thai embassy in The Hague accepted my insurance, which stated 'unlimited' at the amount of reimbursements.
It would help if you also mentioned which insurer you are dealing with. Because what they say is wrong. Dutch health insurance policies also have a maximum, but that is laid down in agreed rates such as daily money for, for example, use of ICU, etc.
Sjoerd,
Would you like to tell us which company that insurance is from?
And what is the exact English text that was approved?
Many thanks in advance
If I were you, I would thoroughly investigate the Dutch health insurance companies and especially read the rules of the supplementary insurance in more detail. To give an example, Ohra's health insurance policy states the following on their website:
The basic health-care plan reimburses urgent care abroad up to a maximum of the Dutch rate. This may mean that you have to pay extra, because healthcare in some countries is much more expensive than in the Netherlands. All our supplementary insurance policies fully reimburse the costs above the Dutch rate. This way you can go on holiday with peace of mind.
up to and including 31 December, you can possibly change your health insurance. Good luck with your search.
I have taken out OOM insurance and I am leaving for Thailand next Wednesday. They provide exactly what the Thai embassy asks for.
There are quite a few visas and insurances mixed up here.
There are visa applications for long stays, for which you must demonstrate that you are insured for (hospital) treatment (in/out). You must also be able to demonstrate separately that you are insured for corona (minimum 100 baht coverage). FOR LONG STAY !
There are visas for SHORT STAY, with this application you only have to show that you are insured for corona (minimum 100dzd baht cover)
The period of stay, the corona policy and the return ticket must match.
The corona insurance is separate from the (hospital) treatment insurance = not the same
A long stay and a short stay = not the same
A reason for refusing a Dutch insurer is possible, because it allows you to stay abroad for a maximum of 8 months per year.
This could be a problem for a long stay visa application
it is not about 100.000 baht, but 100.000 dollars
Has little to do with short or long stay in itself.
You always need a COVID 100 000 Dollar to get your CoE. Whether this is for a long or short stay does not matter.
You additionally need a 40 000 / 400 000 Baht insurance only to obtain certain visas (O/OA/OX/STV) and even a re-entry when retired.
For example, it is mandatory for a Non-immigrant O visa based on “Retirement” and not for “Thai mariage”. Whether you go for a long or short stay does not matter in itself.
Moderator: questions from readers must go through the editors
you can do one thing marry Thai state officials who have insurance for husband and parents
A state hospital
All government officials employed. Elected representatives, police, education, employees and state hospitals, much more than you would expect.
Roughly comparable to people who receive their salary here according to 1 of the BBA scales or who are affiliated with the ABP.
You can also go “free” to the military hospitals. Better equipped here than the central hospital.
https://covid19.tgia.org/
The difficulties of issuing the Covid guarantee statement have been raised many times in the past. Also as an 80 year old by me. Referring to Uncle insurance is only interesting and perhaps affordable for younger Thailand goers but not for me and probably not for the questioner either. The Thai insurance policies indicated by the embassy generally do not accept persons over the age of 75. I did receive the above link to a Thai insurance policy that offers people, also over 80, a Covid statement and is somewhat affordable.
Insured are all necessary medical costs, including COVID-19 treatment and necessary
observation, which could not be foreseen at departure, during a temporary stay abroad for a
period of at least 365 days. The costs of transport with an ambulance are only covered
when this transport is necessary for medical reasons to obtain medical care at the nearest
hospital. In case of an admission to a hospital our insurance company only covers the costs
of the lowest nursing class.
l which are not included in our health insurance;
l or medical tests; treatment or an admission to hospital which were the purpose of
traveling abroad;
l of transport, other than mentioned above.
All the above mentioned is assured under the conditions of the policy.
This is the text on my letter from Unive/VGZ.
Hopefully that will be enough next year