Dear Ronnie,
Picked up my passport today at immigration Jomtien, no problems. I was just in time to get out of compulsory health insurance. Next month I will be 77. With almost all insurers it stops at an age of 70 or 75 years. My insurer AIS also says no! If all insurers say no, then what? A premium of 80-120.000 baht is absurd and unaffordable.
Would love to hear
Cock
Dear Cock,
1. A compulsory health insurance only applies when extending a period of residence obtained with a Non-immigrant OA, but you do not indicate with which visa you obtained that initial period of residence.
2. According to the latest information, Jomtien would only require health insurance if the Non-immigrant OA was obtained after October 31, 2019. In that case, renewal should not be a problem for you in the future.
3. But apart from the obligation to provide health insurance or not, it is of course wise to have one anyway. Even if that obligation does not exist.
The problem, as you mentioned, is the age limit that insurance companies use, or indeed charge absurd amounts for it. And then probably with the necessary exclusions.
The only thing I can think of is to possibly build up a reserve myself to cover medical costs. It will probably not be a solution for everything and especially not for very serious matters, but if no one wants to insure you, this seems to me to be the only solution if you want to stay in Thailand.
4. However, I am not an insurance specialist. I leave that to those who are. Perhaps there are readers who can provide you with a solution.
Regards,
RonnyLatYa
Dear Cock,
I had insurance with BUPA for about 9 years. Switched to Cigna since 1-1-2019. Comparable premium as with BUPA (approx. TBH 9.000 p/m) but much higher (13 x) insured amount. Age was not an obstacle in my case. I am now 71. You may find that premium of 80.000-120.000 BHT per year (I assume) "absurd", but you have to bear in mind that we are well into "the danger zone". Compare it to insuring a burning house. And also remember that you were not insured all your life with that Thai company. In other words, they run a strongly increased risk with the age group we fall into.
To be sure, check with:
http://www.pacificprime.co.th. Walter vd Wal certainly helped me a lot.
If you do not live permanently in Thailand, the premium with the Cigna can be around 264 euros (19000 Baht)
When living permanently in Thailand, at the age of 70, the VGZ premium was increased by 135 euros per month to a total of 520 euros per month. When I obtained information from Cigna, I also arrived at almost the same amount, more than 17600 Baht per month.
Dear Lowmate,
I think €264 is not TBH 19.000. But just under TBH 9.000. Again, I live permanently in Thailand and I switched to Cigna as of January 1, 1. I was 2019 years old then and now 70 years old. And so far I pay approximately TBH 71 p/m; depends on the rate. Because premium is in Euros.
It also depends on the package and insured amount of course.
80.000 bath per year is approximately 200 euros per month. That is not much more expensive than insurance in the Netherlands.
That's right Heidi, but when it comes to people of a higher age who have to take out compulsory insurance because of a NON OA visa, it is no comparison in terms of coverage (400,000 baht for inpatient and 40,000 baht for outpatient compared to (almost) no limit in the Netherlands) .
Just a simple calculation: in NL about € 100 billion goes to healthcare, or 17,2 million NL-3ers: € 5800 per person. Directly € 1300 pp, but via the ZVV another 6,7% of our income and the rest from the Large Common Pot also called the National Treasury.
120k THB / 34 = € 3500 is therefore a BARGAIN, especially because the elderly generally incur significantly more healthcare costs than young people. In other words: where is the king cobra in the tall grass?
Dear Cock, at the age of 77 it will indeed be virtually impossible to insure yourself with one of the Thai companies. 1 companies have been approved for this and we (www.verzekereninthailand.nl / http://www.aainsure.net) have 10 of these in our package (the others will follow soon). A maximum entry age of 75 or even lower applies to almost all of them. The one plan for which you can still apply at the age of 77, however, stops at the age of 80, so that won't make you any wiser either.
In the original discussions at the beginning of this year, an alternative route was mentioned for those who have nowhere to go due to age or pre-existing conditions (ie extra money in the bank).
Practice will now have to learn how these kinds of situations will be handled by immigration.
And otherwise (suggestion from immigration Hua Hin) just leave the country without re-entry so that your NON OA expires, back on a tourist visa and arrange a NON O after arrival. Prepare this well.
Matthieu, that escape route from Hua Hin would not be wrong, just to summarize:
1. You mean by tourist visa the 30 days Visa exemption Stamp I assume you get if you want to enter Thailand without having a Visa.
2.A.. The Visa Exemption will convert you into a Visa Non O Single Entry as soon as possible, but no later than within 15 days.
2B..You do this at your local Immigration Office.
Or is an intermediate step necessary?
4.A.Namely after step 2 B above, please ask asap. a tourist visa for 60 days.
4.B.You do this at your local Immigration Office.
5.A. You convert the Tourist Visa into a Non O Visa Single Entry after 30 days.
5.B.You do this at your local Immigration Office.
What kind of problems do you foresee because of the recommended good preparation?
Are there any practical experiences of people who have switched from Non OA to Non O in this way?
Did I word it correctly, anyone who knows for sure how it works cq. went through the procedure, please let me know, don't like to lose OA after so many years and don't like to end up in uncertainty.
The question remains whether the policy requirement will not also be imposed on Visa O holders later on.
For the time being it seems useful to wait a while before taking action if you can, more insurers will be chosen, experiences with the various offices, which can also act in such a diverse way.
Greetings to J
A piece is missing: Fill in:
2.C.You get Non O for 90 days
6.A. At the latest 30 or sometimes 45 days before the end of these 90 days, you apply for Non O annual extension Retirement at your local Immigration Office.
6.B. you will receive a year extension, provided you meet the conditions, which can be found in Ronny's letters. You can then apply for annual extensions.
The intermediate step 4. A. and B. and 5.A and 5.B are not necessary.
Sorry, how confusing.
Dear Sjaak, with good preparation I actually mean that one must ensure that one can meet the NON O requirements after returning to Thailand (money in the bank and/or proof of income).
I don't know about the hat and brim. We have been on the phone with immigration for the past few weeks, precisely because there is still so much uncertainty. Immigration here in Hua Hin suggested this route for people who really don't want or can't get insurance.
Whether there will ever be an obligation for the other types of Visas sometime in the future... that is still unclear. Immigration here in Hua Hin says they have not heard anything about this, immigration in Chiang Mai says that this will happen one day. In any case, Ales will become a bit clearer in the coming weeks.
Yes, can spread to other visa types, just hope it's not as contagious as the flu. Haven't been able to find out why OA is suddenly popular with Immigraion until now. We row with the oars we have and hope that the oars are not broken before a new boat with requirements is already at the quay.
Thanks for your info, all knowledge is welcome. Some restraint is required, it turns out that the information is incorrect, 1 swallow does not make a spring, even though we want it so badly.
Just take a break for now and it will bubble up.