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The best travel insurance for your holiday in Thailand
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Joanna Horanin
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Last updated at 10/09/2026, 18:15
Hi, I'm Joanna, the author of The Blond Travels. In the worlds of Thailand and Portugal, I feel like a fish in water - and it's no coincidence! I've been exploring Thailand for over a decade, and I've settled in Portugal for 6 years now. My mission is to support Dreamers - just like you - in discovering these fascinating countries and helping those in love with them find their own place on Earth, preferably for good! Let's uncover these unique corners of the world together.
- Is travel insurance mandatory in Thailand?
- Best Travel insurance for Thailand
- How to choose the best travel insurance policy for your trip to Thailand?
- After you buy your insurance
- Travel insurance to Thailand – FAQs
Travelling to Thailand soon? You’ll need a good travel insurance policy! In this post I will introduce a few good companies, which I use and which offer travel insurance for a short or long holiday in Thailand.
I have been travelling around Thailand for over 13 years. During this time there was a period when I didn’t have any insurance. Then, I changed that and I used nomad insurance and expat insurance. Nowadays, when I go there for a few months, I normally buy normal travel insurance. This is usually enough for me to stay in Thailand a bit longer, but I don’t have to pay a fortune for the policy. I advise everyone to buy insurance because I know from experience that bad things can happen to everyone.
Thailand might seem like a cheap country at first, but if you need to go to a hospital, then you might end up with a huge bill, which will be hard to pay off. In this post you’ll find the best travel insurance for travelling to Thailand and some general advice on how to choose the best policy and what to look out for.
Last update – September 2026.
Quick answer: Travel insurance isn’t yet a legal requirement for most tourists visiting Thailand, but it’s genuinely worth having — hospital bills for foreigners aren’t covered by any public safety net, and a short trip can end with a five-figure medical bill if something goes wrong. It is already mandatory for certain long-stay visas (like the DTV and LTR), and Thailand’s government has been actively pushing to make it compulsory for all visitors too. For a two-week holiday, a solid policy typically runs $40–80 and covers medical care, trip cancellation, and lost luggage.
Is travel insurance mandatory in Thailand?
The first time I went to Thailand, I scratched my leg. I don’t know how it happened. It was just a little scratch. Later on, we had severe rainfall on Koh Phangan and the streets were flooded. I thought I was very cool by walking barefoot through big puddles of water. Little did I know….A day after my leg was infected and I needed medical care. It wasn’t a big deal, really. I got an IV, some meds and was told to rest. The bill for this, however, was around 2,000 THB.
Imagine now being in a major accident or getting really sick. How much would it cost you to stay in a hospital?
Thailand is a great country, but accidents and sicknesses happen all the time. The country has different climate. You might get food poisoning or a sun stroke, you might be in a car accident. Bills for medical care in these instances might be really high.
In the recent years Thailand has been pushing for laws to make travel insurance mandatory. It’s not required by law, but it’s really good to have one. Expat and digital nomad insurance is needed to get non-immigrant visas and DTV visa.
Best Travel insurance for Thailand
| Insurer | Best for | From (2 weeks) | Medical coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heymondo | Most travellers — app-based claims, in-app doctor chat | ~$27 | Multiple tiers — confirm current limits at quote |
| World Nomads | Adventure sports — diving, trekking, 300+ covered activities | ~$85 | $100,000+ |
| AXA (Sawasdee Thailand) | Big-name reassurance, strong Thai hospital network | ~$60–130 | Up to $115,000 |
| Allianz Travel | Global brand recognition, business/longer trips | Quote-based | Quote-based |
HeyMondo
Built specifically for the kind of traveller this post is for – a short holiday, not a long-term stay. Heymondo runs primarily through its app, with in-app doctor chat and real-time claims tracking, so you’re not stuck on hold or emailing a claims department while you’re meant to be on holiday.
How much is it?
From around $27 for a two-week trip.
What does it cover?
Medical treatment, trip cancellation, and lost or delayed baggage, with coverage details varying by plan tier.
How much does it cover you for?
Heymondo offers several coverage tiers — check current limits when you get a quote, since these vary by plan.
Why it’s good:
The app-first approach is the real differentiator — doctor chat and claims tracking built into the same app you’d already be using to check your itinerary, rather than a separate, clunkier claims process.
World Nomads
Popular specifically with travellers who plan to do more than sit on a beach — it covers over 300 adventure activities, which matters in Thailand given how many people add diving, rock climbing, or Muay Thai classes to their trip.
How much is it?
From around $85 for a two-week trip.
What does it cover?
Medical treatment, trip cancellation, lost or delayed baggage, and a notably wide range of adventure sports as standard rather than a costly add-on.
How much does it cover you for?
$100,000 or more in medical expenses, depending on plan.
Why it’s good:
If you’re planning to dive, trek, or do anything adventure-adjacent in Thailand, World Nomads covers more of that as standard than most general travel insurers do — worth the higher price if that’s actually your trip.
Get a quote from World Nomads →
AXA (Sawasdee Thailand)
For travellers who want a big, internationally recognised name behind their policy. AXA is one of the most established travel insurance brands globally, with a strong network of partner hospitals across Thailand — useful if you want to walk into a clinic and have them already know how to bill your insurer directly, rather than you paying upfront and claiming it back later.
How much is it?
Roughly $30–65 for a week, so budget around $60–130 for a typical two-week trip. Price depends on your age, country of residence, and coverage level chosen.
What does it cover?
Medical treatment, hospitalisation, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, and lost or delayed baggage.
How much does it cover you for?
Up to $115,000 in medical expenses on their Sawasdee Thailand plan.
Why it’s good:
AXA’s size is the real advantage here — it’s a name every hospital in Thailand recognises, and their claims process is well-established rather than something you’re testing for the first time when you’re already dealing with a medical emergency.
Allianz Travel
A globally recognised name, useful if brand trust matters more to you than price — Allianz is one of the largest travel insurers in the world, with a broad international network.
How much is it?
Quote-based — pricing depends on your age, country of residence, and trip length.
What does it cover?
Medical treatment, trip cancellation, and baggage cover, with plans that scale toward longer or business trips as well as standard holidays.
Why it’s good:
The name recognition alone can matter if you want an insurer that’s easily verifiable and well-known regardless of which country you’re calling from.
How to choose the best travel insurance policy for your trip to Thailand?
The amount covered
Each company will give you a few quotes. The most important is the part with the information how much they will be able to pay in case of an accident or sickness. It can be anything from a few thousand dollars to millions. The larger this amount, the more expensive your cover.
Remember that during the pandemic Thailand requires you to have a medical cover of a minimum of 50,000 USD.
Other things you might be worried about
Most travel insurance policies cover the same things – lost luggage, cancelled flights etc. There are things, however, that you might be worried about specifically, like your gadgets. Some companies have an extra cover in case your laptop or camera is stolen.
Your excess
This is a minimum amount that you will be asked to cover when claiming your money back. The higher this amount, the cheaper your policy.
Sports and activities
If you are planning to dive, climb or do any risky activities, it’s best to insure yourself extra. Most companies have this additional option.
Be aware of the rules
Read terms and conditions carefully. Remember that if you drive a scooter in Thailand and have no proper driving licence, and have an accident, you will not be covered. The same goes to any accidents and sickness that was caused by alcohol or drugs.
After you buy your insurance
It’s crucial that you know what to do in a case of emergency. There are a few important factors to remember about.
Find out how to claim
Make sure that you know how to claim money back and who to contact in case of an emergency. Your company should have a number, or a chat, where you can talk to an advisor.
Write down the list of documents they might need from you. Normally, they need any bills and confirmation from police, airline or hospital about the situation you were part of.
Safe your insurance policy and send a copy to someone
The insurance company will send you an electronic copy of your policy. Save it somewhere on your computer. I would advise saving it on Google Drive, so you can always access it.
Send the copy of the insurance, along with your policy number, to a family member, who is staying at home. They should be your next of kin in case of an accident.
Make a copy of your passport with emergency numbers
In Thailand it’s the law to always have your ID with you. I never do that because I’m afraid I would lose it, but I copy the page with my details, write down emergency numbers on it and always carry it in my wallet.
Emergency numbers include: your next of kin, your insurance company, your embassy.
Choosing a good travel insurance policy for your trip to Thailand should be on top of your list. This is an absolute must to make sure that you have safe and worry-free holiday. Remember that you are going to be far away from home. With good travel insurance policy it will be easier to find a doctor, a hospital and do deal with all the paperwork.
If you have never chosen insurance for yourself, spend some time researching the best options. Once you find something that suits you, it will be more a quicker decision also for the future.
I hope that this post has helped you with choosing the best policy.
Travel insurance to Thailand – FAQs
Not yet for most tourists — Thailand’s government has been actively pushing a proposal to make it compulsory for all visitors, but as of 2026 it hasn’t become law for standard tourist entry. It’s already required for certain long-stay visas, though: the DTV requires a minimum of $50,000 in health coverage, and the LTR has its own threshold.
For a two-week holiday, expect to pay roughly $27–130 depending on the insurer and coverage level — app-based options like Heymondo start lower, while bigger established names like AXA sit in the middle to higher end.
At minimum: medical treatment and hospitalisation, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation or interruption, and lost or delayed baggage. If you’re planning to dive, ride a motorbike, or do adventure sports, check that these are covered as standard rather than requiring an expensive add-on.
Yes — most policies require a valid motorcycle licence (category A1 or A1+) plus an international driving licence. Ride without one and get into an accident, and your insurer can legally refuse the claim, no matter how comprehensive the policy otherwise is.
Most standard policies now fold Covid treatment into general medical cover rather than listing it separately, which is different from a few years ago when it was often called out as its own line item. Worth confirming with your specific insurer if you want certainty, but it’s no longer the differentiator it once was.
Travel insurance (like Heymondo, AXA, World Nomads) is built for a fixed trip length — typically a few weeks — and is usually cheaper for that window. Nomad insurance (like SafetyWing, Genki) renews monthly with no fixed end date, aimed at people staying for months rather than weeks. If you’re on a standard two-week holiday, travel insurance is almost always the better value; nomad insurance makes more sense once you’re staying long enough that renewing monthly is simpler than buying one long policy upfront.
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