News Forum - Insurance companies “hesitate” to give Covid-19 insurance to foreign tourists

[Thaiger]

After facing losses from Covid-19 claims from local cases, many Thai insurance companies are hesitating to give Covid-19 insurance to foreign tourists. The deputy governor of marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand said only a few companies are now interested in joining the Test & Go program, the most popular choice out of the three Thailand Pass options. He said companies are unsure about possible situations if they offer coverage to foreign tourists, especially with reimbursement. Even though Test & Go resumed on February 1, there haven’t been as many tourists as there were in November when the […]

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[Fanta]

Summary: Insurance companies refuse to get involved in the quarantine for foreigners pricing scam. 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

Hospitalization and "treatment" for asymptomatic covid is nothing but a scam!

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

After facing losses from Covid-19 claims from local cases, many Thai insurance companies are hesitating to give Covid-19 insurance to foreign tourists. The deputy governor of marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand said only a few companies are now interested in joining the Test & Go program, the most popular choice out of the three Thailand Pass options. He said companies are unsure about possible situations if they offer coverage to foreign tourists, especially with reimbursement. Even though Test & Go resumed on February 1, there haven’t been as many tourists as there were in November when the […]

The story Insurance companies “hesitate” to give Covid-19 insurance to foreign tourists as seen on Thaiger News.

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I contacted my auto insurance company to file a claim as my car needs to go to the shop for 10 days. They asked if the car was damaged, I said no. They asked if it needed repair, I said no. Then they hung up on me.

[Janneman]

I don't understand why an insurance company would hesitate giving (selling) a Covid insurance. If the isolation (incarceration) costs 2k bath a day, and they know that say 3% of all tourists need to receive 'treatment', they can simply calculate the cost per day of the insurance. There are random factors of course, like an overstay fine from immigration, loads of expensive PCR tests etc. But in the end it should not be difficult to come to a price per day for such an insurance.

[ace035]

33 minutes ago, Fanta said:

Summary: Insurance companies refuse to get involved in the quarantine for foreigners pricing scam. 

Absolutely, the Thai government does not want to offer anymore COVID-19 insurance for incoming tourists which means if they get false positive whether asymptomatic or mild symptoms, they have to pay upfront at the hospital or at the AQ Hotel & when you submit a claim, the insurance will reject and they won't get their money back. That's what the scam and ripping off incoming tourists is about. That's the reason only fewer tourists coming to Thailand since Feb 1 than November before.

[HolyCowCm]

If they can't gouge foreingers 99.9%, then they don't want any part of it as takes the fun out telling us to bend over and having to play the good guy.

[Cabra]

Thailand continues to be the creators of their own demise. 

[Max]

One big scam!!!!

All!!!!!

Tourists from most countrys

ALLREADY HAVE A GOOD INSURANCE!!!!

SPECIALLY EUROPEAN ARE BEING RIPPED OFF.

TOTAL NONSENS!!!!

[Stonker]

33 minutes ago, Transam said:

No need to shout.....

Not really any need to reply, either - it's just the same old whinge from the same old people ...

[Thommo]

I was't scammed    Had my TP approved without  any evidence of insurance. Arrived in Phuket today and already received the 1st test result back .   When you see the amount of thai people just involved at the airports ( both in Phuket and Swampy)  for the processing the arrivals though then  if its a scam its a poorly thought out or exucuted one.  And yes I know the PCR test are not cheap but they are also not in my country for international travel.  I guess  accept it or just spueal like a stuck pig here on the forum.

[SkylineGTR82]

It can somehow be compared to a bad play, what is happening in Thailand. On the one hand, the Thai government is imagining requirements for tourists and "wanted" to ensure that insurance companies offer appropriate insurance for tourists that cover all costs related to Covid.

On the other side are the insurance companies who have no interest in these "customers" because it is not economically viable and for this reason do not offer any corresponding insurance policies.

I have long dealt with the topic of "insurance" for the TP. Apart from "Tune", there is no insurance that pays in all cases (hospital treatment, hotel quarantine, etc.). However, this company is very questionable if you research a little more closely.

If you as a tourist want to be on the safe side in Thailand at the moment, you have no choice than to have several insurance policies.

But that will also be very expensive!

For example, "AXA" quickly increased the already expensive policy for "AXA Sawasdee Thailand Insurance" with the resumption of Test&Go. For 30 days it is no longer 2,250 baht, but 3,350 baht! The services have not changed!

The next problem: If the quarantine now takes place in a hotel in case of a positive test, AXA only pays for possible treatment during the quarantine, but NOT for the accommodation itself.

And as always with insurance companies, if the worst comes to the worst, you have to HOPE that the company doesn't find any clauses to circumvent benefits.

So the whole topic is more than questionable... and in case of doubt, the tourist is the fool.

[Guevara]

1 hour ago, SkylineGTR82 said:

It can somehow be compared to a bad play, what is happening in Thailand. On the one hand, the Thai government is imagining requirements for tourists and "wanted" to ensure that insurance companies offer appropriate insurance for tourists that cover all costs related to Covid.

On the other side are the insurance companies who have no interest in these "customers" because it is not economically viable and for this reason do not offer any corresponding insurance policies.

I have long dealt with the topic of "insurance" for the TP. Apart from "Tune", there is no insurance that pays in all cases (hospital treatment, hotel quarantine, etc.). However, this company is very questionable if you research a little more closely.

If you as a tourist want to be on the safe side in Thailand at the moment, you have no choice than to have several insurance policies.

But that will also be very expensive!

For example, "AXA" quickly increased the already expensive policy for "AXA Sawasdee Thailand Insurance" with the resumption of Test&Go. For 30 days it is no longer 2,250 baht, but 3,350 baht! The services have not changed!

The next problem: If the quarantine now takes place in a hotel in case of a positive test, AXA only pays for possible treatment during the quarantine, but NOT for the accommodation itself.

And as always with insurance companies, if the worst comes to the worst, you have to HOPE that the company doesn't find any clauses to circumvent benefits.

So the whole topic is more than questionable... and in case of doubt, the tourist is the fool.

Always wise to check and double check the small print.

[FTF020]

5 hours ago, Max said:

Tourists from most countrys

ALLREADY HAVE A GOOD INSURANCE!!!!

SPECIALLY EUROPEAN ARE BEING RIPPED OFF.

This is not nessecarily true. Yes I have pretty good medical and continuous travel insurance.

However, neither one will pay a single penny for Covid related costs if I travel to a place that is marked "orange" or "red" by our foreign affairs ministry. Guess what, that's 95% of the world at the moment, and includes Thailand. 

I do think I could have gotten my TP approved if I uploaded letters from those policies, but I figure getting a cheap specific insurance on top of that slightly increases my chances of actually getting paid anything in case of Covid.

And if they somehow take Thailand off the orange list before I arrive, i'll be triple insured!

Edited February 10, 2022 by FTF020

[satpete]

I do not believe that there are insurances to get in western countries
that will cover quarantine in hotel, hospitel or hospital without illness

the only one I have found is Emirates insurance at flights booking, but now 31 days only

[DontacoXII]

The Thai government expects tourists in mass yet require insurance coverage and the insurance companies don’t want to cover them. That should tell you something. 

[PapayaBokBok]

Thailand shoots itself in the foot again trying to bilk tourists--Film at 11...

[FTF020]

Oh I forgot the Emirates insurance. Then it would be quadruple insured if Thailand gets taken of the orange list in the next few weeks

[satpete]

Barclay card insurance is about 90 days but not for red listed, no quarantine

have one for about 60 days even on red list, cheap about 30 €, but no quarantine also

most people in Germany without private health insurance will take a health insurance for travel overseas, cheap but for about 8 weeks only, this will fit ordinary holidays

for travel in Europe you may not need it

Thai government has no officers who knows about the world outside Thailand

Edited February 10, 2022 by satpete

[ace035]

4 hours ago, SkylineGTR82 said:

It can somehow be compared to a bad play, what is happening in Thailand. On the one hand, the Thai government is imagining requirements for tourists and "wanted" to ensure that insurance companies offer appropriate insurance for tourists that cover all costs related to Covid.

On the other side are the insurance companies who have no interest in these "customers" because it is not economically viable and for this reason do not offer any corresponding insurance policies.

I have long dealt with the topic of "insurance" for the TP. Apart from "Tune", there is no insurance that pays in all cases (hospital treatment, hotel quarantine, etc.). However, this company is very questionable if you research a little more closely.

If you as a tourist want to be on the safe side in Thailand at the moment, you have no choice than to have several insurance policies.

But that will also be very expensive!

For example, "AXA" quickly increased the already expensive policy for "AXA Sawasdee Thailand Insurance" with the resumption of Test&Go. For 30 days it is no longer 2,250 baht, but 3,350 baht! The services have not changed!

The next problem: If the quarantine now takes place in a hotel in case of a positive test, AXA only pays for possible treatment during the quarantine, but NOT for the accommodation itself.

And as always with insurance companies, if the worst comes to the worst, you have to HOPE that the company doesn't find any clauses to circumvent benefits.

So the whole topic is more than questionable... and in case of doubt, the tourist is the fool.

What about paying upfront to the hospital? Does it still exist even if you are asymptomatic or mild symptoms? Will they force you to go to the hospital like pointing a gun on you? This is something that you need to ask questions on because it's been keep on happening about scamming and ripping off incoming tourists so Thailand can recoup the lost money that they have for the last 2 years, they will about to lose all tourists by going to Philippines or Cambodia.

[Noble_Design]

8 hours ago, Transam said:

No need to shout.....

Need to shout in the internet like how Tarzan does when swinging from trees to trees

[Fundok]

18 hours ago, Thaiger said:

After facing losses from Covid-19 claims from local cases, many Thai insurance companies are hesitating to give Covid-19 insurance to foreign tourists. The deputy governor of marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand said only a few companies are now interested in joining the Test & Go program, the most popular choice out of the three Thailand Pass options. He said companies are unsure about possible situations if they offer coverage to foreign tourists, especially with reimbursement. Even though Test & Go resumed on February 1, there haven’t been as many tourists as there were in November when the […]

The story Insurance companies “hesitate” to give Covid-19 insurance to foreign tourists as seen on Thaiger News.

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The problem, from a travellers perspective, is not so much to get health cover which covers all those costs incurred if you get infected abroad. The tricky part is if you are sent to quarantine because you are suspected to be infected but in fact you are not. Not all travel insurances will cover those quarantine costs since technically you aren't sick. So everyone needing to get insurance cover, have an look at what is included and what may be excluded. Otherwise your trip may become very costly.

PS. I am not sure if insurers in Thailand provide cover for quarantine even if you are mit Inverter. Out of curiosity I checked a number of Swiss travel health insurances, and only half of them explicitly stated that also quarantine costs are covered.