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A Guide to the New Mandatory Health Insurance Rules for Retirees

If you've got questions about the mandatory retirement visa health insurance requirement (O-A visa), this FAQ will answer those questions, and much more.

Please also note that as of late 2021, the requirement has been extended (in some countries) to those applying for a Non Immigrant O Visa too. More on that later on.

In this post I'll cover the following:

  • Why you need health insurance.
  • Who the approved companies are.
  • How much you can expect to pay.
  • How to get it cheaper than advertised.
  • And how you can avoid this requirement altogether!

o-a-visa-insurance-guide

What is an O-A (Retirement) Visa?

The O-A is commonly known as a ‘retirement visa', though there isn't officially a visa called the ‘retirement visa'.

It is for those aged 50+ who want to stay in Thailand for a period of 1 year, without the intention of working. You can extend after the year is up, provided you meet the financial requirements.

The O-A is obtained in your home country and, when you enter Thailand, you are stamped in for a year.

The new mandatory health insurance rule applies to both new Non-Immigrant O-A visa applicants and current Non-Immigrant O-A visa holders who obtained the visa after the enforcement date.

When did the new retirement visa insurance rule commence?

The rule came in to effect on October 31, 2019.

What if I got my O-A visa before this date?

The official line is as follows:

“An alien, who has been granted Non-Immigrant Visa Class O-A (not exceeding 1 year) and has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom before this order takes effect (October 31, 2019), will be able to continual to stay in the Kingdom for the granted length of stay”.

What other visas are affected by this rule?

As of August 2021, some embassies now require this health insurance for those applying for a Non O Immigrant Visa. I expect this to be rolled out across the board, but currently the requirement is active in Japan, some US states, and some European countries. The UK is not yet affected.

The reason for this has not been announced, but it is most likely to bring the O and O-A retirement pathways into line.

Previously, those applying for the O Visa and then doing a retirement extension in Thailand could avoid this health insurance requirement, whereas those going down the O-A Visa retirement route needed to get their year's worth of insurance in their home country before flying.

Bear in mind that the Non Immigrant O Visa is issued for 90 days (single entry), so the insurance needs only cover this duration. The O-A Visa is issued for a year, so the insurance policy needs to cover this period.

Holders of the Non-Immigrant O-X visa have needed mandatory insurance since 2017. No other visas require this mandatory health insurance.

Why introduce mandatory health insurance?

Back in May 2019, a representative of the International Health Division (Health Service Support Department), stated that in 2017 and 2018, foreigners incurred non-paid medical bills amounting to 349 million Baht, and 305 million Baht, respectively.

The records show that in 2017, 565,000 out of 3.3 million visitors didn't pay their medical bills. In 2018, the figure rose to 680,000 out of 3.42 million visitors.

They say the majority of unpaid bills were from retirees on long-stay visas.

I'm not convinced of that, but what is true is that those 50+ years old are more likely to develop long-term illness. The bill for heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes complications, etc., can be a very expensive one.

But don't most expats have insurance anyway?

You would think so. Most I meet do. Furthermore, the majority of stories in the papers surrounding unpaid medical bills are usually regarding tourists in motorbike accidents.

A better solution might have been:

  • A. charging a 500 Baht entry fee to each person entering the country (per year) – this would have covered the cost of unpaid bills cited by the health department.
  • B. making sure everyone who enters the country has medical insurance!

But we are where we are now. Let's move on.

How much cover do I need?

The new rule specifies that the applicant or visa holder must have health insurance that covers not less than 40,000 Baht for outpatient and 400,000 Baht for inpatient medical fees.

Where do I get my retirement visa health insurance?

Those in charge have come up with an approved list of local insurance providers:

The companies are as follows:

  1. Thai Health Insurance
  2. LMG
  3. The Viriyah
  4. Pacific Cross
  5. Falcon
  6. Thaivivat
  7. AXA
  8. Navakij
  9. Dhipaya
  10. Asia Insurance
  11. Aetna
  12. Sompo Insurance

You have to use one of these providers and present your premium with your visa application. The premium must meet the minimum requirements.

How much are the premiums?

Reasonable, I guess, depending on your exchange rate, and if the insurance cover is solely for Thailand. Once you get to 60+ years it starts to get expensive. And if you want regional or international cover the price rockets.

I've had a fair few emails from disgruntled readers. Here's one that explains how restrictive this new rule can be for those over 65 and 70:

4 carriers on the Thailand Long Term Insurance website will insure me at 70 years or older. For me at age 71, the rates range from 69,000 to 81,000 Baht per year. This is prior to an exam and underwriting and subject to change.

The rates are almost double what a 65 year old pays.  At 75 years they increase 33% and at 80 66%, respectively.

So only 4 out of the 7 will actually insure those who are 70+. And for those 80+, there are no options.

Indeed, Thaivivat Insurance goes highest in terms of age. They will insure you at 76 years old, with renewals up to 100 years old – starting at 120,000 Baht.

Is there a cheaper option?

Yes. I found that if you use the Mister Prakan site you can can shave a bit off the premiums.

This site covers numerous companies and five on the approved O-A list:

  1. AXA
  2. Pacific Cross
  3. LMG
  4. Viriyah
  5. Thaivivat

So you can get cover from one of those approved providers and save money on going through the government website.

Here's a couple of quotes I got based on being 50 years old and exceeding the 40k outpatient and 400k inpatient cover. I'm 41 but to be eligible for an O-A visa you have to be 50.

thailand-mandatory-health-insurance

+ Click here for quotes on the Mister Prakan site

I don't want this insurance/have my own, what can I do?

Don't get an O-A visa.

But I want to retire in Thailand, is there another way?

Yes. Get a Non Immigrant O Visa. You don't need the mandatory health insurance for this visa, unless you are living in one of the aforementioned countries that are now asking for this cover as part of the application process.

Still, even if you do require it, you only need 90 day's worth of coverage.

How is a Non Immigrant O Visa different from the O-A?

An ‘O' category visa can be issued for a range of purposes such as visiting family or friends in Thailand, taking a voluntary job, getting medical treatment, attending a judicial process, and even to work as diplomat's housekeeper.

It can also be issued for the purpose of retirement. Good news.

Where retirement is concerned, you can obtain a single entry Non Immigrant O Visa from your home country, or neighboring country to Thailand, which gives you entry to Thailand for 90 days.

After 60 days in Thailand, you can apply for a 1-year extension at an immigration office – providing you meet the financial requirements, as stipulated in my retirement visa post.

Put simply: in most countries the Non O Visa does not require the mandatory health insurance, and the O-A does.

I want still want good health insurance. Any recommendations?

Yes. Check out these providers here. Also, you can get an immediate quote from Cigna by clicking here. It takes 2 minutes to do.

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Got a question? Did I miss something? Leave it in the comments section below.

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  2. Pauline Cornell says

    I am 80 1/2 years old. I am on a Non-Immigrant O Visa renewable after one year. I have renewed over the last 4 years. I cannot find the mandatory insurance required by the Thai Government of 40,000 ThB coverage for outpatient & 400,000 ThB coverage for inpatient. Additionally, I need coverage of 100,000 U.S. for Covid-19 only. I cannot find one company who will insure me. I have applied but because I am in my so-called 81st year the company will not insure me. My birth date is 16 April 1941. Can you assist me in what my options are please.
    Reply

  3. Jacques Negrin says

    Starting October 2022, expats in Thailand on O-A visa (new and extension) will need to have 3 million baht insurance as per Thai immigration. Premiums for expats 70+ years old will be about $10,000 per year. How will expats 70+ afford to pay for this draconic insurance ?
    (40,000 outpatient/400,000 inpatient will be replaced by 3,000,000 baht insurance)
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      The requirement is still as it has been for some time, with everyone requiring a COVID-specific insurance. This is the requirement from the Thai embassy in London:Copy of evidence stating that applicants have insurance as per stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission and health insurance of Thailand which covers COVID-19 related medical expenses, both inpatient and outpatient, no less than 100,000 USD for the whole period of your stay in Thailand.
      Reply

      • Manfred Schuwerk says

        But if you have this you will not be sure that Immigration in Thailand will accept it. They want to feed the pockets of the local paper insurances or corruptions with insurance under the table, so far so good for them. The facts that a government insurance from Germany is much higher security than all the commercial insurances is for those people not important. They may not want to get safety for Thai economy.
        And this happens although Thai government ordered already to accept insurances under government health care systems for their former employees or officials
        Reply

  4. Manfred Schuwerk says

    Hello. I came back from Germany with Reentry Visa and COE from September 31. Teh Embassy requested from me the Health and Covid 19 Insurance. My Gvoernment Health Care Program and my Postbeamtenkrankenkasse certified both with 100,000 Euro and Covid included and told me that this will be valid also for the visaextension needed October 2. The Immigration office said that the insurance from Government ist worthless since it has no number fitting in their computer System. What do you recommend me to do? I received a covid 19 visa for 2 months, but the Immigration said they will only honor the Insurances from thei list. Please give an advise. I have retirement )-A Thank you
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Manfred, as long as you have an insurance certificate that clearly states cover for 100,000 USD for COVID it should be fine. This has been the case for entry to Thailand for many months now. However, it is my feeling that immigration is applying the rule differently for some reason, perhaps because you are inside the country already. If you are open to getting new insurance cover you can try a quote here..
      Reply

      • Manfred schuwerk says

        I came out of quarantine on September 14 and then went to immgration in korat the next day. They told me that my visa expired on October 2 and i can make extension for the visa. I made first my home registration and tried the next day my visa extension. While in Germany i ask the embassy if the insurance they approved is also valid for october 2 extension the man from embassy told me that the government requested from them the insurance for 1 year and so it’s approved by the government. Why should they request an absolutely complete, safe and without any didaction insurance to change in a commercial insurance.
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          They can't. As long as you have a certificate from the insurance company explicitly stating the necessary COVID cover it has to be accepted. I've had a few of these complaints now, and what seems to be happening is that immigration officials have clearly been told to advise people to take out insurance with "preferred" Thai companies. This is because, I assume, the government get a kick back from these companies. However, some officials interpret this as "must have" insurance from the "preferred" companies and are refusing perfectly good insurance from elsewhere.
          Reply

          • Manfred schuwerk says

            In the announcement from thai government i could read this year that O and O-A have to provide an insurance company but that people insured under government security systems can provide this for health insurance. The tricky insurances asked to except the O visa and so the government security systems health care disappears. When the reason is really that Thailand want to avoid unpaid hospital bills the government insurance is certainly much more reliable than local insurance with limits, deductions and exceptions.
            Reply

  5. Gerry says

    Am American in Thailand since 2012-2013, then away, then back since 2014, working or volunteering. Now 70 so time to retire. I have two pensions deposited in a US bank. I have a bank account at SCB (account opened in 2015) and now use TransferWise, not ATM, to get money from the US to Thailand. I need a visa with a letter from SCB saying that these TransferWise transfers are legit – but SCB says they cannot give the sort of documentation required by Immigration because there is no SWFT code. What am I missing? TIA
    Reply

      • Gerry says

        Thanks Bubba, but I am still confused. I understand the SWIFT code for SCB is SICOTHBK. I now understand that the WISE website is not correct (thanks, did not realize that until now).

        But, my problem remains. My SCB bank code with money moved into Thailand via WISE shows up as "X1" in my SCB bank book, and as "X1 ENET" (code and channel) on my SCB bank statement.

        SCB tells me there is no SWIFT code associated with the incoming WIDE money to my SCB bank account -- hence SCB cannot give me documentation for this transfer.

        Immigration insists on documentation of transfers to SCB.

        I seem to be encircled by contradictions???
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          Hi Gerry,Another reader, Max, pointed out in the comments here that you must bank with Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank or Thai Military Bank to automatically get the correct bank code to show a transfer. If you're banking with SCB you won't get the correct bank code. Before the reason "Funds for long term stay in Thailand" came up in the list of reasons for a transfer, so you could stipulate that on TW's end, but that option isn't there now, so the The transfer could show up as local or something else.
          Reply

        • Bubba says

          TIT. The Immigration Department thinks that if they institute a policy, and not a law, private firms have to adhere to that. This is not the case as you are finding out. I would recommend you take a deep breath and accept the fact that the current situation will be something you face every year when it comes to renew your visa. Perhaps you should consider transferring the total amount required for your stay and then spend down that amount monthly and replenish it again at renew time. That is what I do. (It seems to work but the ROI is abominable.)
          Reply

          • Bubba says

            And there's probably nothing that can be done. The Thai banks can't even manage bank fraudulent transactions. How can the Immigration Department expect them to provide it with the data it needs to issue visas? The Immigration Department needs to totally scrap the current system and come up with a manageable plan. And that ain't gonna happen because admitting the system is archaic and broken means someone's going to lose face.
            Reply

      • Gerry says

        I am in Thailand. I want an O, not O-A visa, if possible. My current visa, as a researcher/volunteer at Chulalongkorn, is set to expire soon so I will need a new visa (or leave Thailand, which is not my wish).

        A bankbook is not sufficient to prove money flow. In the past, i would have had the US embassy provide evidence/proof, but that option is currently not available (to US and UK citizens). The only way to 'prove' money flow (that I can think of) is a letter from the bank -- which SCB provided. However, the SCB letter does not 'dot an i' and/or 'cross a t', as stipulated by the fine folks at Thailand Immigration.

        The folks at SCB tell me that without a SWIFT code associated with transfers, the funds can not be verified in a fashion that would make their letter acceptable to Thai Immigration.
        Reply

        • JamesE says

          Okay, got it. If you can demonstrate the movement of the money you might be able to use that. So, your US bank statements that show the withdrawal, the Wise transaction details that show the exact amount taken from your US bank, their fees, and the amount sent to your Thai bank, then, your Thai bank statement/passbook that shows that same amount arriving in Thailand. Maybe a letter from SCB confirming those transactions actually happened would help as well. I'd also put a summary sheet together showing what they're looking at .
          Reply

          • Gerry says

            Did all of that. One would think it would be enough. However, rejected the first time at Immigration as did not have the letter from SCB. Returned for second visit, rejected again, the 'wrong letter' from SCB. \Will try again today with some minor caveats, hoping for a miracle -- but not expecting anything other than a 3rd rejection. The money sent through TransferWise to SCB is not sufficient -- again, to repeat, it is the absence of the SWIFT code on TransferWise monies to SCB that is causing grief.

            As pointed out above (in response to my initial post)... Hi Gerry,Another reader, Max, pointed out in the comments here that you must bank with Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank or Thai Military Bank to automatically get the correct bank code to show a transfer. If you're banking with SCB you won't get the correct bank code.
            Reply

  7. ERNEST GEEFAY says

    I just called the Thai consulate in Chicago. I asked them if I could enter Thailand on a non immigrant O Visa...(visiting my Thaiwife)

    And then...

    Apply fora retiree visa or a marriage visa.


    They said that to do that I would have to exit Thailand and THEN apply from outside Thailand

    I'm going to call another consulate to double checkthat
    Reply

  8. sidney leonard says

    Please clarify, if you can, the health insurance requirements which will be applicable to me if I enter Thailand, post pandemic, with a Non-Immigrant O visa with the intention of remaining in Thailand, with yearly extensions, with my Thai wife of 28 years. I am a Medicare recipient in the US, but due to my age I will not qualify for health insurance in Thailand, however I am in excellent health and my retirement benefits as a retired school principal together with investment income will be sufficient to cover any health care needs while in Thailand. - The current information on the Royal Thai Consulate, LA website regarding the Non-Immigrant O visa as well as your previous comments regarding same would seem to indicate that the health insurance requirement is waived with said visa. Is this still your understanding? I am sorry to post again regarding this matter, but it is very important to the planning of our permanent return to Thailand.
    Reply

    • JamesE says

      Define "post pandemic". Right now (I'm in the midst of applying for a Non-imm O (Retirement) as I write) you're required to have a policy for the US$100K COVID coverage and the General Health Insurance of ฿40,000/฿400,000 to get the visa. Whatever happens in the future is uncertain at best, but my opinion is that the insurance requirements will persist for at least several years.

      Have you looked at Pacific Prime for coverage. The quotes I got from them had an allowable age up to 100.

      Once you are in Thailand, again currently, extending your retirement visa does not require maintaining coverage.

      Your best bet might be to come in on a Tourist Visa, convert that to a Non-O (Retirement) in country, and then extend from there.
      Reply

      • sidney leonard says

        James, by "post pandemic" I mean when all is back to normal and all the pandemic restrictions have been lifted. At that time, my Thai wife, a Thai national, and I intend to move permanently to Thailand, I with a Non-Immigrant O (Marriage Visa) which, according to my contacts with a visa official at the Royal Thai Consulate, LA, as a spouse of a Thai national, does not require the ฿40,000/฿400,000 health insurance and who said that, as you stated, the ฿40,000 Baht/฿400,000 Baht would be required for the Non-Immigrant O Visa for retirement.

        I wish you the best as you prepare to retire in Thailand.
        Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      That's interesting. I checked the UK Thai embassy site and it's still the same, so this must be specific to Japan:Non-Immigrant Type O (Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days) - single entry only) Financial evidence e.g. A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, or a copy of 1-month bank statement showing your income from pension, or 3-month bank statement of at least £10,000 Confirmation of legal residence in the UK or Ireland
      Reply

  11. William Tanouye says

    I have a Non O Immigrant visa extension valid to Jan 14th 2022. I returned to Canada to get vaccinated July 20th and will be fully vaccinated September 2nd. I wish to return to Thailand in late September. My understanding is that medical insurance is not required with a Non O Immigrant extension but is required to receive a certificate of entry. Could you please explain this discrepancy and what I must do? Thank you.
    Reply

  12. Brian says

    Hi there does the sentence below still apply? Do you need to buy health insurance when you extend the Non O visa inside Thailand?

    "Put simply: the Non O Visa does not require the mandatory health insurance, and the O-A does."
    Reply

      • Brian says

        Help

        Hi Again,
        I am still confused what the paragraph below means:

        the Non O Visa does not require the mandatory health insurance that the Non OA does?

        But health insurance is still required..

        What is the advantage here?

        Greatly appreciate your clarifying this
        Brian
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          If you apply for a single entry Non O Immigrant visa (90 day validity) in your home country you can enter Thailand and do your retirement extension here, once your 800k has been in a Thai bank for the required 60-day period. You don't need the mandatory health insurance if you go down this route.With the OA visa, applied for in your home country, you get your 1-year stay with the visa but you have to purchase mandatory health insurance.The current COVID insurance requirement for cover of 100k (USD) is a new requirement that applies to all travelers.
          Reply

          • ERNEST GEEFAY says

            I thought that only applies to those who already had retirement visas before Oct 31, 2019

            From your article:

            “An alien, who has been granted Non-Immigrant Visa Class O-A (not exceeding 1 year) and has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom before this order takes effect (October 31, 2019), will be able to continual to stay in the Kingdom for the granted length of stay”.
            Reply

        • Ken F says

          Don’t feel bad because I am still just as confused as you are. Peter basically says that “all” visitors entering Thailand must have covid insurance – no exceptions. But then he also says that with a Non Immigrant O visa you do not need heath insurance (at least not enter the country) which would seem to directly contradict the first statement. In fact, the only way I can think of that one statement would not contradict the other would be if “covid insurance” and “health insurance” were two entirely different things. Anyway, since the term "all" usually mean "all" and not "well, all except these guys" I'm still a bit confused.

          In any case, since I still have at least 4 months before I will be traveling I’m not going to worry about figuring it out today. And if I do end up having to pay the insurance then so be it because even though the rates seem high to me based on average medical costs in Thailand, its still nothing compared to what we have to pay these days here in the USA. And here in California if you choose to do without coverage (or forget to get it) you are apparently charged a penalty. I just found this out when doing my tax returns for last year. Since I was not covered by medical insurance for part of the tax year California stuck me with a tax penalty of $800. Of course having coverage for that period would have cost much more and because deductibles are so high I would have ended up paying the same $1000 or so that I forked out for medical expenses that year regardless. Lets face it we are never going to have a reasonable healthcare system here like in Canada or Japan or many other industrialized nations. Or at least I will not see it in my lifetime.
          Reply

          • TheThailandLife says

            The post was written prior to the mandatory COVID insurance rule. Of course, with an OA, if the insurance meets the 100k COVID requirement then you won't need two separate policies. However, it still makes sense to go the Non O route and get relatively cheap local (in relation to international health insurance) COVID cover.
            Reply

            • Brian says

              Thank you kindly for your prompt answer. My OA expires Dec 4th.
              I am flying to Phuket Sept 13. I will need medical insurance to cover until my visa expires and thought ai would extend this visa with a letter of income support from the Canadian embassy in BKK.
              Could I apply for an O visa in Thailand and at 68 years old would I have a problem getting thai health insurance for a year when I extend the O Visa?
              I can't buy Canadian health insurance for 2022 post my visa expiring without being in Canada

              Clear as mud but all comments welcome Thanks Peter

              Brian
              Reply

            • Ken F says

              Thanks for your reply, as always, but I was really just trying to make another member of the community feel better by letting him know that we were both in the same boat – although I’m not sure he wants to be in any boat that I am in. Anyway, I actually double-checked everything on the embassy website last month and cleared everything up in my own head.

              Still, while the insurance thing has been cleared up for me, your reply left me with yet another question (sorry). When you say “it still makes sense to go the Non O route and get relatively cheap local insurance” it makes it sounds as if you are saying that having a Non O visa somehow makes insurance options available to you that are not available to people with other visa types. If so, how can this be? Surely Thai insurance companies would be glad to take our money no matter what kinds of visas we have. And since we have already established that EVERY non-Thai national who enters Thailand, regardless of visa type, must have health insurance before entering, this means that any Thai policy we buy will have to be purchased online before we leave our own countries anyway. But then again maybe you were talking about two separate and unrelated things in the same sentence that are both by themselves simply good things to get.
              Reply

  14. Kent says

    Just to clarify and I'm not expecting the answer I'd like but is your list of insurance companies exhaustive? For example, I have USA Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) health insurance and it covers me while I'm in Thailand, meeting the Thai requirements. Can I use BCBS for the the O-A Visa? Thanks
    Reply

  15. Warren Harris says

    I purchased a medical insurance policy From AIA through Bank Of Bangkok. All verbal and written terms were conducted in English. When I get back the sighned policy it is all in Thai.They said they will cancell the policy because I can not read it and they do not translate from Thai.I do not want aMEDICAL policy I can not read. Will they cancel the policy and refund my payment as they have agreed through E-Mail
    Reply

  17. PETER WRIGHT says

    O-A thai visa Health Insurance requirement ...

    I am 77 & unable to find health insurance provider
    I have sufficient out of pocket funds to support my medical needs or
    can you assist with health insurance for healthy 77 year old retiree
    Reply

  18. Ron Kortsep says

    Hi Peter,
    I'm 65 and want to move to Thailand. I'm in good health and have full coverage here in the US. If I need to go in the hospital I would come back. So I don't want anymore health insurance. My question if I get the non O visa then extend it for a year to avoid that what happens after that one year extension if I want to stay ? Will I be able to continue to extend the non-O every year ? I meet the financial requirements. Thank You
    Reply

    • Steve says

      Your ability to to return to the US if you need hospitalisation would depend on what you have wrong with you and, if it is serious, whether the airline will deem you fit to fly. Then you will need to suck it up and use a Thai hospital.
      Reply

      • James Ewing says

        Ron, Your plan works only when it's not an emergency condition. For starters make sure you get the correct non-O. Don't get an O-A/X in the US. Look at the retirement visa threads and read Max's comments on the O - By Reason of Retirement. Also, you could consider an Elite visa - the cost would be all upfront but probably less than insurance. Second, Steve is right, if you do run into a medical situation serious enough for hospitalization you may not be able to find a ride back to the US. Look at medivac insurance. It's pretty reasonably priced. Second, make sure you get a medicare advantage program that covers overseas emergencies. Mine - Humana - will pick up the tab for the ER and treatment until safe for transport. There are ways to do what you want, just not easily
        Reply

    • Steven Ginn says

      What if you are medically unfit to fly?! Or you require a medical assistant to accompany you at the extra cost that will involve. An what makes you think that your Yank hospitals are as good as or better than what you will find in Thailand?!
      Reply

      • JamesE says

        The issue isn't, at it's core anyway, whether the hospitals are better but how to maintain insurance without carrying two policies. The costs involved ramp up dramatically once one reaches a certain age. By maintaining primary insurance in the States and adding medevac insurance - which covers everything from flying with a broken leg to advanced life support in a private jet - can be a least-cost solution. Going with a visa that doesn't require health insurance helps in that regard.
        Reply

  19. Geoff Sloman says

    I wonder how many non O-A retirees with the new 40,000 baht OPD cover realize the limitations imposed by their insurance companies ? Mine is AETNA and they told me that the 40,000 baht cannot be claimed as a lump sum if needed. One can only claim around 1,600 baht Maximum per time which equates to Around 25 OPD visits. Useless.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      It's important to check the policy terms beforehand. AETNA is a local insurer (formally Bupa Thailand) so the cover is likely to be lower. Generally outpatient treatment isn't more than a couple of thousand Baht so you may only have to pay a little on top; it's usually the medication that hikes the bill. I had flu pretty bad once and went for a blood test and got some meds at Pharam 9 and it wasn't more than 2,500 - pretty sure it was cheaper. It was 500 to see the doctor, plus the test, plus the meds.The international insurers are likely to have higher allowances for outpatient care.
      Reply

  20. Robert MacLean says

    Hi Peter, I have visited Thailand a couple of times prior to the insurance requirements and I have a Thai finance - if I travel to Thailand to marry her will I still have to meet the insurance requirements - if the answer is yes it's going to be a real problem because although I am not hard up I am 73 years old and I don't fancy seeing my savings disappear down an insurance black hole!
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Robert, if you read the section under "But I want to retire in Thailand, is there another way?" you'll see that you can get around the insurance requirement by going down the O visa route. In any case, you can get married on a tourist visa. You could get a 60-day single entry.If you're you're referring to the current COVID-19 insurance requirements, I don't know what the post-COVID requirements will be for tourists. But if Thailand requires 100k to cover COVID then I'm sure you'll be able to get that on a normal travel insurance policy. The insurance companies will all have to start covering COVID anyway, otherwise there won't be a travel industry left.
      Reply

  21. cyber_Mark says

    Why so much emphasis on the 'retirement' visa snd no mention of the marriage visa? the marriage visa so much better from both the money required (400k not 800k, 45k/m not 65k/m) and the ability to seek work. what am I missing? both are available, of course from a financial viewport the Thai govt wants the retirement option but its not the only option, so why no mention here??? just askin'!
    Reply

      • Cyber-Mark says

        Not as far as I know - the Thai system is for Thai's only.

        Otherwise, all those seeking the marriage visa would not need to organise their own cover.

        Again AFAIK... you do NOT need to gt the specific policy with those requirements listed above if you go for the marriage visa.

        I could be wrong but that's how it was explained to me.
        Reply

      • Kevin Hoye says

        The short answer is it depends on the employment status of the Thai lady. If she is a government employee then YES as she gets health care for her mother father children and spouse. I think some private employers may offer the same but I am not sure.
        Footnote
        I have just met a lovely lady and we plan to marry, she is a government school teacher and told me about this yesterday 8th September 2020. My visa expires on 25th so we don't have time to marry before I must leave Thailand (Non Imm O-A and having problems getting insured, 66 years old and 2013 pre existing health history - atrial fibrillation - from which I have a 7 year proof of non recurrance following a procedure which cured my problem )
        Reply

    • Martin Doherty says

      I have a Non O visa which does not require mandatory Heath insurance.
      If I leave Thailand for A uk visit on my return will immigration want to see health insurance cert as well as the Re entry permit?
      Reply

  22. sidney leonard says

    Peter,

    Is it still the case that the mandatory health insurance requirement does not apply to the Non Immigrant O visa, and that said visa can still be issued for the purpose of retirement? A recent posting said that his understanding from his lawyer was that the requirement applied to both O and OA visas.

    Thank you.
    Reply

    • Vincent says

      Non O can be issued for retirement. This is my case, I came to Thailand with a multiple entry tourist visa and then I applied in Bangkok for a 3 months non O visa with the purpose of retirement. I extended my Non O retirement visa 2 times till now...if you look on youtube the videos from « integrity legal » the lawyer makes a lot of comments regarding retirement visa and health insurance. In his opinion, both non O and non O-A need insurance certificate to be extended.
      But I would have to read a comment from someone who renewed his non O retirement after October 2019 and the new regulation for health insurance.
      Reply

  23. Vincent says

    Hi Peter, thank you for this information. I am in Thailand with a « non O retirement » visa and will have to make a new extension of stay in October 2020...I understand from your site that I don’t need to give any proof of insurance when I will extend my status. On the other hand, some lawyers are saying that there is no difference for the Thai immigration between non O retirement and non O-A retirement, both are defined by the same regulation...this is in contradiction with your point of view.
    Has someone already experienced after November 2019 an extension of stay based on Non O retirement at Bangkok CW? Was a Health insurance certificate required ?
    What is happening if your yearly insurance is ending before the end of your next « 1 year extension »? Will the Thai immigration adjust your extension with the remaining validity of your health insurance?
    Reply

  24. Glen says

    Hi Peter,

    Thanks for all your sterling work and can I say comprehensive, comprehensible and easy to digest presentation style! Quick q. Been in Thailand since April 2109 on an OA. If I convert from OA to O will I get a better deal on insurance do you know? I mean generally speaking if I buy from a UK provider will I get a better deal than those provided by the 12 nominated Thai providers?
    Reply

  25. Ken F says

    Well, sadly this may very well be the last nail in the coffin when it comes to my plans of retiring in Thailand in a few years. After all, the only reason I’m even considering retiring overseas in the first place is because I will not have sufficient monthly retirement funds to continue to live here on the California coast – well, that and the fact that I’m beginning to really hate even the relatively mild and short winters we have here. Anyway, it’s bad enough that I would have to put at least $15,000 dollars of my savings aside that I would never be able to touch for the rest of my life simply to have a visa. But now I would also have to pay these mandatory and, in my opinion, unreasonably high insurance premiums (unreasonable in relation to actual Thai medical costs). Frankly, if given the option, I would probably just as soon put up a surety bond for 400,000 baht than to pay the overpriced insurance premiums every month.

    Of course I can’t really blame the Thai government for not wanting to get stuck footing the bill for all these deadbeat foreigners – even if they are going about remedying the situation in totally the wrong way. No, I’ll reserve all my ire for all those deadbeat foreigners who caused this situation in the first place. If the statistics given in the article are correct this means that about ten percent of all visitors to Thailand require some sort of medical treatment while there, and that of those people who do, a whopping twenty percent of them do not pay their hospital bills. That’s an astoundingly high percentage, particularly when you consider that most of these visitors came from countries that are much wealthier than Thailand. And if we exclude medical tourism from the statistics and only include those who did not plan on getting sick or injured while in Thailand then the percentage of non-payers is more like 25%. Speaking of which, how on earth is it that someone on a Thai retirement visa cannot afford to pay his own medical bills? After all, if these people have either the required 65,000 baht a month income (500% more than the average Thai income) or 800,000 Thai baht in the bank, they should have absolutely no trouble whatsoever paying their medical bills in Thailand (even major surgery is fairly cheap in Thailand compared to the USA). Not to mention the fact that people with good salaries and large savings accounts are typically responsible enough types that they would likely already have medical insurance.

    So I guess the real question is, are these deadbeats somehow circumventing the visa requirements, or are they just so addicted to prostitutes and booze that they are habitually broke? Or perhaps the Thai government is incorrect in its assertion that most of the offenders posses long term visas. By the way, I actually have absolutely no problem with either prostitution or booze but I do have a big problem with people who live beyond their means and then expect others to ultimately pick up the tab for them.

    In any case, there is really no excuse for someone who meets these income requirements to become a financial liability to their new adopted country. When I lived in Phuket ten years ago with my Thai girlfriend I actually splurged on a very nice and very modern house with a private pool, but aside from rent our total combined monthly expenses only came out to about $450 US, and we lived a pretty comfortable life. And even when you include rent we were still living on about half of what I would be required to have in income in order to qualify for a retirement visa. So, basically, if I lived in Thailand today and I had the required $2100 a month in income I would have more money than I knew what to do with and I certainly would have no problem paying any medical bills I might incur. Also I would think that most people who decide to retire in a foreign country are going to have a substantial amount in savings as well as at least one credit card with a decently high limit on it for emergencies.

    But then again, perhaps Thailand has just become a magnet for deadbeats from around the globe – deadbeats who mostly just sit around all day bitching and moaning about how “unfairly” they are being treated in their new host country. Basically these are people who think the world owes them a living and who probably can't handle the fact that THEY are now suddenly the minority race.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      You can currently avoid the insurance by getting a single entry O visa and then extending that based on retirement after spending 60 days in Thailand. I'm unsure why they specifically choose the O-A for the health insurance. Probably to bring it in line with the O-X rules.
      Reply

      • Ken Furber says

        Peter,

        It sounds to me like you are saying that if I get the O Visa first and then change over to the O-A Visa after 60 days (which I was planning on doing anyway) that I will not be required to get medical insurance, not even after the changeover. That can’t be right. Can it? It would certainly be nice if true. Of course, I have to say that the exchange rates also have me a bit worried lately. When I was spending a lot of time in Thailand in the early 00’s the exchange rate was about 45 baht per US dollar but for the past decade its been hovering around 32 and the 5 year projections show it dropping to 28 by 2024. That means that my $75K in savings may only be 2.1 million baht rather than the 3.4 million that it would have been at the higher exchange rate. And more importantly my already laughably inadequate monthly social security payouts will likely get even less adequate as time goes by.
        Reply

        • James E says

          The early '00s was an anomaly following the Asian crisis in 1997. Since 2006 the Baht has traded in the low-mid 30s with some brief excursions higher in 2015/16 and the recent test of the low. Your 3.4MegaBaht estimate is an overstatement. Read through the comments and there are a number of posts detailing how to do the visa conversion. Currently there are only a few neighboring countries who will issue a plain-vanilla O visa. Max, in particular, has written about the procedure for converting to and O-by reason of retirement as opposed to an O-A.
          Reply

          • Ken Furber says

            James,

            Yes, as someone who has been visiting Thailand since 1990 I am actually intimately familiar with the financial crisis and its aftermath – as well as what led up to it. In any case, I’m not really quite sure what you meant by “overstatement”. After all, when I made the comparison between converting savings at these two different time periods I was in no way suggesting that 45 baht per dollar was normal. I was simply using these two extremes to make a point - the point being to illustrate how drastically things can change and how a retiree living in Thailand on a very small pension in US dollars has to consider that fact that this could get even smaller at any time due to changing exchange rates. Of course this is only really a factor if your pension amount is right on the edge of what you calculate you will need to live in your new country. If you have a suitable buffer on the other hand you needn’t really worry because it’s a fairly safe bet that the exchange rate will stay between 28 and 32 for the foreseeable future.

            Still, thanks for pointing me in the direction of some good reference material in the comments. Since things have certainly changed since I last lived in Thailand nearly 10 years ago I will certainly have to brush up on current visa procedures and requirements.
            Reply

    • Steve Ginn says

      Ken F. It appears that Americans are about the only ones to whinge about the cost of living in Thailand when the country you are leaving is much more expensive than here?! If things are so bad here, stay where you are!

      Is this you, "deadbeats who mostly just sit around all day bitching and moaning about how “unfairly” they are being treated in their new host country."
      Reply

      • Ken Furber says

        Steve,

        Well, fortunately most of the foreigners I’ve met while visiting Thailand over the past 30 years have been really great people so I can’t see any reason for anyone to stay away just because of a few bad apples like yourself. And lets face it, if it actually bothers you that I am bothered by the thought of a person from a rich country becoming a financially liability to a poor country then its pretty clear that you are definitely one of those bad apples.

        Also, I hate to burst you bubble but there is actually no correlation whatsoever between nationality and this particular negative personality type. And even if there were, this could only be determined by extensive statistical data and not by personal observations. For example, even if men were statistically better drivers then women, every woman you personally know might still be a better driver than every man you know. Still, many people delude themselves into thinking that their own limited personal observations are somehow statistically relevant in determining a pattern among a group consisting of tens of millions of people (they are not). And then there is the fact that when a person grows up harboring feelings of resentment and animosity toward a particular group he will tend to only see what he expects to see in his encounters with members of said group. And this naturally just goes to further re-enforce his already badly skewed perspective. Believe it or not I’ve actually met a few idiots who are convinced that all Toyota’s and Honda’s are junk even though all the statistical data shows that the exact opposite is true. They believe this because this is what they need to believe and little things like facts and reason are not allowed to enter into the equation at all.

        By the way, I think you may need to work a bit on your reading comprehension skills. I never once suggested that things are "bad" in Thailand. The problem is I always make very thorough calculations before moving to another country and if the math doesn't work out I will not go because I will not take even the slightest chance of becoming a financial liability to my new host country.
        Reply

        • Steve Ginn says

          Ken,Like most [slur removed], you talk a lot and say nothing! There are enough whining [slur removed] here as it is so feel free to go to Panama or Costa Rica or somewhere else so we don't have to listen to your problems! And your $75k won't last long! That is only 2.3 million baht and after you lock up 800,000 baht of that in a bank account you are left with 1.7 million baht!, so your "very thorough calculations" aren't very good then!
          Reply

    • James E says

      Ken, I've thought about this a lot, too, and can't figure out why people who don't like the Thai system don't just change plans and head to Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia or any of the (2n+1) other tropical paradises the world has to offer. Thailand over the past few years has been making it more difficult for people of moderate means to retire there. I think they are consciously trying to drive out what they see as riff-raff - those retirees who came to Thailand *just* because it was cheap. This was facilitated by the burgeoning Chinese tourist and retirement trade so there was an economic incentive to clean out the basement. It'll be interesting to see going forward if these more draconian measures come back to bite them in the butt. And, as TTL hints at, this is Thailand, there is always a way around the rules...
      Reply

      • Ken Furber says

        James,

        Yes, its true that they have been making it more difficult for people of moderate means to retire in Thailand but it seems to me that these efforts have mostly consisted of cracking down on existing laws and eliminating the loopholes that foreigners have been taking advantage of for ages. And let’s face it, even with all this, the requirements for a retirement visa in Thailand are still actually pretty similar to those in most other countries in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, believe it or not, you are actually required to hire a domestic servant when you retire there.

        As for the notion that the influx of Chinese tourist over the past decade was the impetus for the recent crackdown on the western "riff-raff, I’m not sure I completely buy into this theory – although it does seem to be the prevailing opinion. The Chinese probably do bring in more money while causing less problems than some other groups but personally I suspect that the crackdown still would have happened regardless of the Chinese tourist influx.

        In any case, when the Thai government does make things a bit more difficult for prospective retirees of limited means, like myself, I don’t get angry about it or take it personally in any way. But then again, I don’t have the massive sense of entitlement that some other western expats seem to have. The problem is that when people are allowed to get away with circumventing the rules for a very long period of time they will eventually come to believe that they are somehow entitled to continue doing what they have been doing. And because of this they tend to have an absolute hissy fit when the powers that be suddenly decide to crack down and actually start enforcing these rules. These people will then also invariably insist that their rights are being violated or that they are the victims of discrimination or some other such nonsense. And while this is obviously a rather childish reaction by these people I’m afraid it’s also just human nature.
        Reply

        • James E says

          Ken, The history of the loosely enforced rules and regulations is important too. Most of the restrictive laws, for the TM30, land ownership, restrictive visas, etc., have been on the books for decades or longer. Seeing the experience of the rest of SE Asia during colonial and post-colonial times forced Thailand into a more defensive posture which is easily seen as an ethnically defensive posture. That being said, when any of these policies do start getting enforced or enhanced, as we're seeing with the retirement visas now, many people take umbrage at the insult to their decision to live or retire in TLOS. But, the whiners are correct in that they are being discriminated against, that's the whole purpose of immigration law. It works that way in Thailand and it works that way in the US. Whining about it, though, doesn't help. They just have to remember that the slogan has always been: Thailand - The Rules Are Different Here.
          Reply

  26. Patrick says

    Well well... an 'approved list'. Again thinking inside the box. Follow rules, don't think. More money for Thai insurance companies? I have health insurance that covers treatment costs anywhere in the world (with some exceptions for the USA, because there health costs are crazy and no one from the USA is allowed to compare health costs in Thailand IMHO because their reference level makes no sense) and Thailand thinks they need to make their own rules? It smells.It just seems like another way to bully those retires out of Thailand. Unwelcome element apparently. In select cases I agree. How about giving access to the Thai basic health care to long stayers? Impossible huh. Always second range citizens. Just good for paying and bureaucratic paper work.
    Reply

  27. Stephen says

    Hi, Greetings ! Just needed to know if an O-A (retirement visa) can be obtained if your 50 years of age since you mentioned 50+If so & if the visa is valid for a year and if I were to get a job during that period, would I be able to change my visa to an employment visa.Cheers ! Stephen
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Yes, you can get one at 50. You would need to obtain a B visa from outside of Thailand, with a letter from your perspective employer. They would then arrange a work permit for you. I'm pretty sure you can't swap from 0-A to B inside Thailand; but don't quote me on that because someone will no doubt say they know someone who did it.
      Reply

  28. Brian says

    Hello I may have missed this.. if I keep my government insurance in Canada and residency and buy supplemental in surance like Blue Cross or other international coverage like I did last year for my Retirement OA will this work?

    Are you talking about expats who are non resident in their home countries? or is this not relevant

    Thanks kindly Brian
    Reply

  29. sidney leonard says

    Allow me to clarify my question. Would an official letter from my state teachers retirement system, showing a sufficient monthly income, suffice for the income verification requirement (in lieu of said verification from the US embassy in Thailand which is no longer allowed) when applying for a 1-year extension to an O-visa. Thank you.
    Reply

  30. Steve Ginn says

    The junta already has an office formed specifically for chasing up these "non payers". Wonder what precisely these bludgers are actually doing, because they are obviously not doing what they are there for!

    When an expat attends a hospital, their passport number is recorded as a part of their record. As Immigration has this wonderful, whiz bang computer system to track every bodies movements, one would think that these idiots at the hospitals would have the nous to notify Immigration that passport number **** owes x amount! Then when that passport holder goes for a 90 day report or a visa renewal, the dullards at the Immigration office refuse to do the 90 day report or the visa renewal until a receipt from said hospital is produced!! But then that would be too bloody easy!!
    Reply

  31. Jeffrey Lockwood says

    I saw rumours that a foreign insurance company not on the Thai government list that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for O-A Visa might be accepted at some point by the Thai government. But I don't see any mention of that in your article. There's nothing come of that?
    Reply

      • Jeffrey Lockwood says

        Thai Embassy website does not say that. Please see below. Do you have information from the government that contradicts their website?

        https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

        8.1. Health insurance policy document issued by a Thai or foreign insurance company, stating that the applicant is medically insured for the period and with coverage as mentioned above:

        (a) In case of a foreign insurance company, the applicant must submit the original insurance policy document with 2 copies;

        (b) In case of a Thai insurance company, the applicant must submit 2 copies of the insurance policy document or, if available, the original insurance policy document with 2 copies. A list of Thai insurance companies participating in the scheme can be found here: http://longstay.tgia.org

        8.2. Foreign Insurance Certificate as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission and Health Insurance of Thailand, which must be completed, signed and stamped by the insurance company. The form can be downloaded here: Foreign Insurance Certificate Form

        Thank you.
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          Yes, that's what we initially thought, until stories came flooding in of people's insurance being shunned by immigration and instead handed a list of the approved Thai insurers. Different embassies in different countries say different things. The UK embassy website advises to use the approved companies:"Copy of evidence stating that applicants have insurance as stipulated by the Office of Insurance Commission and health insurance of Thailand which has insurance coverage for outpatient not less than 40,000 Baht and for inpatient not less than 400,000 Baht. Please check longstay. tgia .org for more information regarding the insurance requirement. It is recommended that applicants buy insurance policies from the companies listed in this website, and bring a copy of insurance certificate or policy with them when travelling to Thailand".
          Reply

  32. Michael Stewart says

    This is a very useful article. Can you tell me if I will be required to obtain medical insurance as I got my OA ("retirement" visa) before 19th October 2019. I will be applying for a 12 month extension in November 2020 and wonder if I will have to supply evidence of medical insurance then?
    Reply

  33. Edward E. Moss says

    I have lived in Thailand of an on for the past 15 years . I have helped a village
    near [Thamaka ] . BY BUYING THEM ABOUT 20 ACERS [RHYE] I HAVE BUILT A HOUSE FOR THEM AN A RESTURANT . THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY HOUSE WITH POOL IS ABOUT 12 MILLION BAHT. CURRENTLY IN THE U.S.A. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN USE THAT AS COLLATERAL INSTEAD OF GOING THE BANK ROUTE /
    Reply

  35. sidney leonard says

    When I applied here in CA at the Thai consulate several years ago for an O-A visa, an official letter from my state teachers retirement office showing a sufficient monthly income sufficed for the income verification requirement. Would such a letter suffice for an O visa applied for in Thailand?

    My Thai wife of 27 years and I decided not to stay permanently then (2017), but have decided that we may do so in the next few years. Since I am 85 years old, the new health insurance rules will, of course, require of me an O-visa.

    Thank you for all the great information your provide in TheThailandLife.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Sidney,You would apply for the O visa in your home country and then do the 1-year extension (based on marriage) in Thailand. The requirements for applying for the O visa may differ depending on the Thai embassy of your home country. Generally, however, you will need bank statements covering 3 months, which show a monthly income of more than £1,500 (not sure what the amount is for US citizens).After 60 days in Thailand you will be eligible to do the 1-year extension at immigration. The requirements for doing the extension in Thailand have changed a little because the UK and US embassies no longer issue income verification letters. More on that here: https://www.thethailandlife.com/thai-marriage-visa
      Reply

  36. BA says

    I hear people talking about how "easy" it is to switch to a type O, but unless you are married to a Thai person or have family, you must be legit volunteering and per the Thai embassy website you must have "Original letter of invitation or acceptance from the non-profit foundations AND foundations registration with Thai government". Is there something I'm missing? Honestly, I think the insurance requirement makes sense, but I'm not sure how to go about buying it from a Thai insurance company when I have to apply for the Visa in my home country.
    Reply

  38. James E says

    Good info! Coming from the U.S. our Medicare system will cover overseas medical emergencies but not ongoing treatment or "casual" medical needs. I like the O-visa option and hopefully they won't be adding the insurance requirement to that anytime soon.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      I just wonder how long it will take some bright spark to realize everyone is just using the O visa route instead. I also forgot to mention that the Elite visa doesn't require the health insurance either, surprise surprise.
      Reply

      • Keith Livingston says

        The O Visa requires either money in the bank in Thailand, or a regular income coming into the bank in Thailand. With an OA, you can keep the money in your home country, at first.

        Perhaps that's the loophole they were trying to close.
        Reply

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