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The Lowdown on COVID-19 Travel Insurance & the Cheapest Policy

Despite the on-going COVID-19 situation, an increasing number of foreign nationals are being allowed back to Thailand.

All those returning, however, are required to have a COVID-19 travel insurance policy, with protection of at least $100,000 USD (3.5 million THB).

In this FAQ, I'll cover all the commonly asked questions regarding the requirements and give you all the information you need to obtain your policy.

covid-19-inbound-travel-insurance

Who Needs COVID-19 Insurance?

This is a compulsory requirement for every foreign national entering Thailand, as announced by the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) in Thailand. There are currently no exemptions.

What Does the Insurance Cover?

The policy covers both medical expenses and costs associated with death of COVID-19, and other illness and accidents. It's essentially medical insurance, but with a focus on COVID-19.

The policy also covers repatriation to the person's country of origin, and funeral expenses.

How Long will this Requirement Last?

At the present time there is no end date, although one would assume it is likely to be a requirement throughout 2021.

It will most likely be removed once the “pandemic” is declared officially over by the World Health Organization.

Why Does Thailand Require This Cover?

The official line is to help visitors avoid having to pay bills out of their own pocket, which makes sense.

But I think we all know that the authorities fear that hospitals will end up picking up expensive bills for those who become ill with infection and can't pay.

While we know that infection is largely symptomatic and generally affects those above 60 and/or with underlying health conditions, should a person become hospitalized, he or she may require a hospital stay for two weeks or more. And that can rack up a fair tab.

Can I Use My Normal Travel Insurance Instead?

You can, but you will still need COVID-19 coverage, which is something that many policies don't currently cover.

Many people have existing travel insurance as part of a bank account benefits package or medical insurance policy.

You can still use this, but you will need to ensure it covers you for COVID-19. If not, you will need to buy this as an additional policy.

Where Can I Buy an Insurance Policy?

16 Thai insurance companies have partnered with the initiative to offer COVID-19 insurance protection to foreign nationals.

The insurance can be purchased online and begins immediately upon arrival in Thailand.

The best place to buy a policy is Mr Prakan. This is a comparison site that searches a number of companies for  the best priced policy.

How Much Does the COVID-19 Insurance Cost?

The good news is that it is not too expensive, if you're from a low risk country that is.

The higher the risk of your country of origin, the higher the premium. And of course your age is a factor, too.

Sure, this is something none of us want to pay, but if you're desperate to get back to Thailand, then you'll be pleased to know that a policy isn't out of financial reach (for most).

I'm from the UK, which is of moderate risk (currently), and the policy was reasonable.

Let's have a look at a quote I got based on a 90-day stay. I entered my age as 54 years old (1966, the year England won the world cup), and as traveling from the United Kingdom.

insurance-quote

covid-19-insurance-thailand

The policy came in at just under 6,000 Baht.

If you are 10 or even 20 years younger, the price drops accordingly. If you're lucky enough to be in your 20's and from a low risk country, you'll be looking at around 1,500 – 2,000 cheaper than my quote for 90 days.

+ Get a Quick Quote Here

I'm Over 65. Can I Get This COVID Insurance?

Yes, but you might need to use AXA or another company.

Mr Prakan would only return quotes for me up to the birth year 1955. The policies are supposed to be available up to 75, though.

Bubba (a reader) sent in the following information from AXA, which notes that they provide insurance for those age 1-75.

axa-covid-19-insurance

axa-covid-insurance-prices

The rates are more expensive than my quote from Mr Prakan, but at least there is this option for the 65-75 age category.

If you're over 75, it seems there isn't an option.

Here's a list of other companies you might choose to try:

  • Assets Insurance Co Ltd
  • Chubb Insurance Company Limited
  • Navakij Insurance Co Ltd
  • Pacific Cross Health Insurance
  • Falcon Insurance Co Ltd
  • East Insurance
  • Asia Insurance 1950
  • Bangkok Life Assurance Ltd
  • Thailand Life Insurance

What Else Does the Insurance Cover?

In addition to C-19 cover, You will receive the following additional coverage.

  • Medical expenses cover
  • Accidental cover
  • Urgent dental care
  • Repatriation cover
  • Third-party cover
  • Luggage insurance
  • 24/7 emergency assistance coverage

How Long Can I Get a Policy For?

Policies range from 30-days to a year. My quote was for 90 days, but simply select the duration you expect to stay for in the drop down menu on the quote form.

How Does Immigration Know I Have Purchased My Policy?

When you buy your insurance, you will receive your policy and certification for COVID-19 coverage. You will show this to immigration when entering Thailand.

Keep a print out and a copy on your phone, just to make sure you don't leave home without it.

What Other Requirements Are There to Enter?

In addition to the insurance cover, you will need to provide your local Thai embassy with a Fit to Fly Health Certificate and a negative RT-PCR swab test valid within 72 hours of the flight.

Once you meet the requirements and have your flight confirmed, you will be issued with a certificate of entry. You will also need the correct visa, of course.

A Final Word

While this is touted as a special COVID-19 policy, it's actually a general insurance policy that covers COVID-19.

It may be that your existing policy has this cover included, so as long as it meets the $100,000 threshold you'll be good with that.

Safetywing, for example, has offered COVID cover since August on both the Nomad and Remote policies.

They offer comprehensive, cross-territory cover, and therefore it is more expensive. More on Safetywing here.

The only other policy requirement, which is mostly standard anyway, is that the policy must allow for direct billing, which means the hospital can send bills straight to your insurer.

So do explore your options. But to be frank, if you want the cheapest cover, and only want medical insurance for Thailand until this COVID thing has passed, try Mr Prakan.

+ Get a COVID Policy Quote Here

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  1. Leonard Levine says

    As an 85-year old American, who owns my condo in Jomtien and will have a vaccine no later than March, it's clear that getting a COVID-19 policy with $100,000 coverage(my U.S. insurance policy only covers me for a maximum of $50,000) is impossible. Not to mention the 15-day quarantine at a minimum cost of $1,000(there are no participating hotels in Pattaya, nd those in Bangkok charge from 30,000 baht - 57,000 baht. Since I would only spend 3 months in Thailand each year, it's clear that I will spend my 3 months elsewhere this summer. I can only hope that beginning in 2022 I will not have to face these obstacles
    Reply

  2. Ken F says

    I have to say I really don’t understand this one. But then again I don’t know much about medical insurance policies in general. Does most travel insurance really not already cover death from disease? And if it does cover this do they seriously have a list of specific diseases that are covered and those that are not? And is the common flu on this list? Because so far in the USA COVID-19 has only killed about 2.5 times more people than the flu did during the 2017/2018 flu season. The point I’m getting at is that you are probably 100 times more likely to die in a traffic accident in Thailand than you are to die from COVID-19. And the list of other things that are much more likely to kill you than COVID19 is as long as my arm. The fact of the matter is the existence of COVID-19 only increases the overall odds of you dying in Thailand by an infinitesimally small amount. When you realize this you really have to wonder why one would need medical insurance with “a focus on COVID-19”. Why would it focus on one of the least likely things to kill you? It just seems pretty silly to me.In any case, I will probably be getting my vaccination very soon. Do you think that in the very near future that people entering Thailand who have been recently vaccinated will be able to forego having to find COVID-19 specific insurance? Or would this make too much sense?
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      I agree 100%. The average age of a COVID death in the UK is 82.4 years old, while average life expectancy is just 81. Not to mention that most people remain asymptomatic or with minor symptoms, and 99%+ of the population are unaffected.However, the argument, I assume, would be that those who do become ill as a result of COVID are likely to require hospital treatment for 2+ weeks (quite a bill). And the fact that it is still an evolving situation. Insurance companies are probably fearful that it may suddenly become more serious, or a new strain may hospitalize more people all of a sudden, and they will have to pick up a huge tab for that.Going forward I'm sure we will see most insurance companies cover it as standard.
      Reply

      • Ken F says

        When this whole thing first started I remember wondering how the government went about determining just what number of potential deaths was considered enough to warrant damaging the economy and people’s livelihoods to the degree that they have. After all, we never did this for the tens of thousands who die of the flu in this country every year. So, where does one draw that line between safety and personal freedom in this case? Of course I would eventually learn that it has nothing to do with the actual number of potential deaths. When we have these kinds of lockdowns (at least here in the USA) they are apparently triggered by when hospital ICU’s are nearing full capacity (maybe 85% full). Having people die of covid is one thing, but if someone were to die due to there not being enough beds in the hospital it would open those hospitals and perhaps even the government up to lawsuits – not that the lockdown has not already triggering its own law suits. Basically the government just can’t win because either way people are going to be pissed off.Still, I can understand why many people think that governments are overreacting a bit to this pandemic (its not like its Ebola). In fact, just today I read an online comment from a Thai expat who pointed out how silly it is that half the Thais in his area don’t wear a motorcycle helmet when riding, yet many of the people with no helmets were wearing their face masks. And this is indeed silly when you consider that there are over 20,000 traffic fatalities per year in Thailand but to date less than 100 people there have died of covid19. I think the guy’s point was that if the Thai government put half the time and energy into getting people to wear helmets that it does into getting people to wear masks, or limiting their travel in an out of the country, they could save a heck of a lot more lives.
        Reply

        • JamesE says

          This is point-in-time argument. It's basically "Right now, COVID kills fewer people than , so why is everybody flipping out?" combined with "It mostly kills older people, right now." Both of which ignore the trend of the disease. As it has continued to mutate (there are hundreds of variants out there right now, eight or more of which are significant) it has shown a trend to become more contagious and, recently with the UK variant, potentially more infectious. Every case is a chance for it to mutate and each mutation is a chance for it to become still more contagious, infectious, or severe. Currently, in the US, COVID has killed somewhere between 4 and 9 times the number of people who died in the 2017-2018 flu season (CDC and worldometer.com data). But, when looking at the *trend* the COVID outbreak hasn't peaked yet so those figures could easily double or more. The point-in-time argument also fails to take into account what happens when COVID survivors - the now-chronically ill or long-haulers - get reinfected next winter or when a new mutant that can step around the vaccine shows up. Ebola, SARS and other dread diseases are often used in the argument without realizing that they aren't communicable until after the onset of symptoms which makes them much easier to contain. Thailand has been particularly effective at controlling COVID because they learned from SARS and listened to current science and understood what the trend would be if they didn't. Countries like the US and UK, The Netherlands, and Sweden didn't and are paying a much higher price.
          Reply

          • TheThailandLife says

            All viruses mutate, though, and none of the mutations have showed increased mortality.The vast majority of mutations are "passengers" and will have little impact, says Dr Lucy van Dorp, an expert in the evolution of pathogens at University College London."They don't change the behaviour of the virus, they are just carried along." Once in a while, a virus strikes lucky by mutating in a way that helps it survive and reproduce.I think the main issue is that the virus is highly infectious, and therefore has the potential to overwhelm a health system, which in turn means people with other health problems can't be treated as quickly or get the treatment they need for cancer, heart disease, etc. But as you say, we just don't know because there is always the possibility that it could become more serious.The problem is that lockdowns are not a long-term solution. You can't lock-up healthy people and restrict their ability to work. People are really suffering and health problems will arise as a result, not to mention loss of businesses, homes, family break-ups, kids having mental health issues and being denied education.To quote the WHO: “Lockdowns are not sustainable solutions because of their significant economic, social & broader health impacts.They’re best used to prepare for longer-term public health measures. During these periods, countries are encouraged to lay the groundwork for more sustainable solutions".The UK government had 9 months (since March) to prepare for the winter, knowing they'd have flu + COVID + the usual respiratory problems in the vulnerable to deal with. And COVID-19 may well become a seasonal illness like flu. In fact if it follows the trend of flu it will calm down when the warmer weather comes along - when people get outside more, have natural vitamin D exposure, exercise more, etc.The reality is that zoonotic diseases are a huge threat to the world. There are several coronaviruses in animals that haven't yet worked out how to jump to humans, but may one day. What most people don't realise is that the threat is always there and being managed by public health experts. Just the other week chickens in the UK were culled due to HN58 flu - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-55398516And then there was the millions of mink culled in Denmark due to a strain of COVID-19. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/25/culled-mink-rise-from-the-dead-denmark-coronavirusThe thing is, the only way to drastically reduce the risk of such viruses is to change the way we interact with and eat animals. Unfortunately this isn't a conversation people want to have. COVID-19, Ebola, SARS, MERS, H5N1, Swine Flu, vCJD, the list goes on. This is a good analysis of the problem and potential solution: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7399585/COVID-19 has a high rate of illness and substantial societal and economic cost but relatively low rates of death in healthy persons. Let's hope it stays that way. But rather than keep relying on vaccines, we need to look at sustainable change - and that comes down to human behaviour. Personally, I see COVID-19 as a stark warning from Mother Nature.Anyway, it's a huge debate and probably one not best suited to a Thailand blog :)
            Reply

  3. Sjaak says

    How I get as 75 + the Covid policy? I am now in Thailand for 10 years end did not leave for one day. Will Immigration askabout that insurance on the moment i extend my stay in Thailand? I stay i Thailand on a Non O-A. Thanks for an answer.Sjaak
    Reply

  4. David says

    I put in a "mock" request for a quote on Mr. Prakan's site. Actually seems reasonable to me.One month stay in March 2021 coming from Canada. Age 65. Quote came up from Allianz just over 3,000 THB.Will check this out again when I have confirmed dates.
    Reply

  5. TheThailandLife says

    Hi all, Mr Prakan read our discussion yesterday and reached out to me to clarify the position on testing positive without symptoms, which was previously wrongly conveyed.-------------I want to personally clarify with you that in the case of testing positive for covid virus while showing no symptoms, our policies will handle the medical expenses up to the amount stated on our plan when they are being moved to a hospital. However our policies won't cover the ASQ costs and will cover everything else in terms of medical expenses in a hospital. So in short, Yes our insurance will cover the hospital costs if they are moved to a hospital when they are tested positive for Covid while showing no symptoms.One of our customer support members, Kay, was a bit confused with your reader's question, as from her understanding he was asking for the ASQ hotel costs.I just wanted to let you know and clarify that point with you.
    Reply

  6. JP says

    Just FYI. I contacted "Mr Prakan" to clarify coverage. Specifically asymptomatic hospital coverage. I asked; “Does your insurance cover hospital costs if a person staying in an ASQ hotel tests positive for covid-19 and is moved to a hospital but has no symptoms?” The reply I received was; “Hello Sir, No - that will not be covered because these are quarantine precautions. Thank you very much Kind regards, Kay” It’s not that uncommon for people to test positive for covid, yet have no symptoms. If a person were to test positive during their ASQ hotel stay, but remained asymptomatic, they’d be on the hook for the total cost of the hospital stay. Just something to keep in mind when choosing covid coverage.
    Reply

              • TheThailandLife says

                Got the infographic, thanks! So they wont cover you if you test positive with no symptoms and have to go to hospital. They cite "quarantine precautions" as the reason. But does the state then pick up the bill for the period you are kept in, which I assume is until you test negative? If not, I guess you're looking at somewhere between 1-3k per night depending on the hospital.My next question is what if you have symptoms and have to be admitted while under quarantine? Surely that is precaution too? Are you not covered while under state quarantine at all, or just with no symptoms?
                Reply

                • JamesE says

                  I've been looking at what other hotels are saying and some indicate that *any* symptom - like a fever over 37.5!!! - gets you sent off in an ambulance. If you're not Thai then you (or your insurance) are on the hook. But yes, you're right, once you've cleared quarantine then the local rules for self-isolation kick in.
                  Reply

  7. JamesE says

    The Embassy says "Medical insurance guaranteeing that the insurance company will cover a minimum of 100,000 USD (or equivalent in other currencies) of medical costs incurred by the applicant in Thailand, including medical costs in the event that the applicant contracts COVID-19 (The insurance must cover the whole duration of stay in Thailand)" All of the companies I checked with provide a policy certificate that shows COVID inclusion. I was also unable to find *any* policies which didn't have bells and whistles. It's like they just took last years travel/medical offerings and slapped on COVID coverage. Even the cheapest policy I found was way more than just a COVID policy. Hey Mondo customer support told me they provide a Thailand Specific Policy Certificate that their customers have successfully used during the Time of COVID.
    Reply

  8. JamesE says

    I'm jumping through the hoops applying for the SETV no on offer and wanted to weigh in on a few policies I've found. I'm a US citizen, 67 y.o. and pricing for 6 weeks for reference. Mr. Prakan and Hey Mondo both have very good policies. Mr Prakan tilts toward medical expenses and Hey Mondo tilts toward travel insurance. Prakan comes in at US$203. Hey Mondo has a basic policy at US$147 which is US$100K of medical only, and then two tiers $153 and $173 of combined medical and travel. Hey Mondo is underwritten by AXA. SafetyWing quoted me $212 but I was unable to find *anywhere* on their website what the coverage amounts were other than $100K max. SafetyWing's Nomad policy is priced by the day. Sawasdee, another AXA company, came in at $280 (YIKES!). The last one I looked at, World Nomads, did not have any information that COVID was included nor did it have any info that COVID wasn't included. The Price was $163 for 90 days. MisterPrakan is reassuring as it is definitely approved by the Thai government. All the rest should be as well but I'd check first.
    Reply

    • JamesE says

      I've just dug a bit deeper on Hey Mondo and found a couple of new tidbits. 1) Coverage is for all ages up to 70. 2) They also offer an "Annual Multitrip" policy for US$168. Including COVID coverage. 3) You can cancel the policy up to a month after you get it as long as your trip hasn't started.
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        Have you asked your embassy if companies other than the "government approved" list will be accepted on arrival? They should be but I think it's worth just getting that confirmation. I'd hate to get an over zealous immigration official at the other end insist that it has to be on the list. I don't think World Nomads covers COVID at the moment. I get their updates and haven't seen it mentioned. If someone has an existing travel insurance policy I'd just go for the cheapest COVID insurance policy as a top up while it's required, as long as it meets the 100k requirement you won't need all the bells and whistles.
        Reply

        • JamesE says

          Final Note: I bought a 1-year, multi-trip policy through Hey Mondo (heymondo.com) that is underwritten by AXA. Cover is for 10 MILLION USD. Hey Mondo provided a policy certificate specific to Thailand (and also a general one). Cost US$150 for a year. I did link to the site through traveloffpath.com which resulted in a 15% discount... ;) Only restriction on the policy is that each trip must be less than 120 days in length. (They do have single-trip and long-stay insurance as well, but I didn't price that out.)
          Reply

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