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The best travel insurance for your holiday in Thailand

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Thailand

Joanna Horanin

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Last updated at 28/03/2024, 23:00

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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 always make sure that I have travel insurance when I travel outside of the EU. From my experience, accidents happen. Plus, it makes me feel better if I have a policy with me. I know then that I will be looked after and I won’t have to spend thousands of Euros on medical care.

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.

The best travel insurance policies for your holiday in Thailand

There are so many insurance on the market that it’s always hard to choose the best option. I hope this list will help you to make the right decision.

Quotes given below are estimated based on a 40-year old healthy female traveller, travelling to Thailand for 2 weeks.

Safetywing

Insurance for long-term travellers and digital nomads. You renew your policy monthly and if you no longer need it, you can cancel anytime.

How much is it?
It’s about 30 USD per month and more.

What does it insure you for?
Most things, like cancelled flights, lost luggage, accidents abroad, acts of terrorism, natural disasters.

How much does it insure you for?
Minimum is 50,000 USD in case of sickness and accidents.

Does it cover Covid related hospital stays and bills?
Yes.

Why is it good?
I find SafetyWing very reliable and responsive. They are extremely helpful. I always choose them when I go to Thailand, or somewhere outside of the EU.

Cigna

Cigna is well known for offering medical insurance for expats in Thailand, but you can also buy a travel policy from them, too.

How much is it?
For 2 weeks it costs around 100 USD.

What does it insure you for?
From what I can see on the site it insure you only in case of accidents and covers your medical bills.

How much does it insure you for?
It insures for around 700,000 THB in case of sickness and stays at hospitals.

Does it cover for Covid?
Yes.

Why is it good?
Cigna is a great company and I always recommend them as the insurance for expats. They have a great customer service and you can be sure that you will be looked after by them.

Read my review of Cigna here.
Get your quote here.

AXA Travel Insurance

For short-term travellers. AXA is an internationally recognised company, which offers travel insurance policies to various countries.

How much is it?
The price depends on your country of residence and where you’re going.

What does it insure you for?
Most things, like cancelled flights, lost luggage, accidents abroad, acts of terrorism, natural disasters.

How much does it insure you for?
You indicate the sum. For Thailand, your minimum should be 50,000 USD.

Does it cover Covid?
Yes.

Why is it good?
AXA is a big, international company. It’s recognised everywhere, by all hospitals. You won’t have a problem with claiming your money back.

Get your quote here.

Planet Earth

Planet Earth Travel Insurance Services Ltd is a specialist company providing travel insurance online, anytime 24 hours a day.

How much is it?
Around 50 USD for a 2-week trip, no excess.

What does it insure you for?
Lost luggage, accidents, medical bills, cancelled and delayed flights.

How much does it insure you for?
10 mln USD in case of accidents and sickness.

Does it cover Covid?
Yes.

Why is it good?
I haven’t used it personally, so can’t vouch for them, but they seem to offer reasonably priced insurance.

Get your quote here.

Insure yourself before you go to Thailand

It’s crucial to have a good travel insurance before you even travel to Thailand. This is your backup plan in case your luggage is lost, your flight is cancelled or you have an accident.

Please don’t be foolish and think that nothing will happen to you, or that you will be able to pay your own bills. Every year people get hurt, have accident or get sick while travelling in Thailand. Hopefully, this won’t be you, but why risk it?

Please be aware that Thailand is an affordable destination, but medical bills grow very fast and you don’t want to end up with thousands of dollars to pay before you go back to your country.

How to choose a good policy?

Buying a travel insurance policy is not that difficult. On most sites you put basic details and your country of residence with dates of your travels. After you get a quote, you only need to decide on a few extra things.

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.

Travel insurance for Thailand and Covid

During the pandemic and straight after, Thailand added a requirement of having a travel insurance policy that covers you for 50,000 USD in case of accidents and sickness. Your insurance should have a cover in case of Covid, too. Please check this requirement before you travel.

How to travel safely in Thailand?

To make sure you won’t have to use your travel insurance in Thailand, follow this general advice.

  • Protect yourself from the sun. Wear a hat, put SPF on and drink plenty of water.
  • Don’t eat fruits and vegetables with skin on. Best and safest ones are those that are boiled and cooked.
  • Eat where Thai people eat, or where you see a lot of people.
  • Drink bottled water, don’t drink tap water. Ice is safe in Thailand.
  • Don’t drink and drive.
  • Don’t go swimming after alcohol or drugs.
  • Protect yourself against mosquitos. Use a spray and wear long sleeves in the evenings and at night.