How To Get Health Insurance In Thailand As An Expat

If you’re looking for health insurance in Thailand, you may be about to move or have already settled in the Land of Smiles and want to ensure your family’s good health abroad.

Thailand offers one of the better healthcare systems in the world, with state-run medical centres spread throughout the country. However, the quality of these publicly run hospitals will vary and the top medical facilities are in the country’s major cities. If you’ll be living outside the big urban centres, you may want private expat health insurance that comes with emergency medical coverage so you and your loved ones can get to Bangkok or Phuket fast in a health crisis.

As international insurance experts, we can give you medical cover for both unexpected and everyday health care in Thailand and worldwide. Read on to find everything you need to know about getting expat health insurance in Thailand.

How to get health insurance in Thailand

You have a few options to find a health insurance policy in Thailand:

1. Consider reaching out to an insurance broker if you’re short on time. They work by comparing multiple insurance companies and their plans to find you the best deal.
2. Alternatively, you can go directly to an international insurance provider and request a quote. Most insurance providers can give you a ballpark quote in just a few minutes. By going direct, you can quickly get in touch with the company to discuss your quote.

Speaking of direct providers, let’s introduce ourselves: we’re William Russell, a specialised insurance provider that’s been working with expats since 1992.

How to get expat health insurance with William Russell

Getting a quote and becoming a member is simple:

1/ Head to our website to get a quote and enter your details, which includes your age, when you want your policy to start, and your country of residence: Thailand.

2/ Now, select a policy. We offer four different policy levels: Bronze, SilverLite, Silver, and Gold. Here’s what we cover:

• Hospital treatment
• Local ambulances (including air ambulance)
• Advanced diagnostic tests
• Cancer treatment (including genome testing of cancerous cells)
• Transplants
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Access to a 24hr emergency helpline

*Bronze, SilverLite and Silver plans cover complications of pregnancy
**All plans cover emergency restorative dental treatment
Subject to waiting periods

3/ Once you’ve picked your level of cover, confirm your coverage zone. Our Thailand health insurance policies are in Zone 1, which means you can receive care worldwide, with restricted cover in the USA. 

4/ From there, you can review your policy and see the final cost. To wrap up, you then have the choice to get in touch with us, or leave us your contact details and we’ll call you back.

5/ Once we approve your policy and you make your first payment, you become a William Russell member.

How William Russell works 

If you’ve never had health insurance before, you might be slightly anxious about how you make a claim – especially in a foreign country. For example, you might wonder what to do if you have to go to the hospital unexpectedly or need emergency treatment.

Let’s look at the four types of medical claims you may have with a health insurance policy in Thailand with William Russell:

*If you plan a treatment in one of the hospitals or clinics within our Thailand network, you won’t have to pay upfront and ask for reimbursement. We have cashless access and will settle your claim directly with the medical facility. 

The medical evacuation process

A medical emergency, wherever you are, is scary. It’s even more anxiety-inducing with a serious health situation abroad – especially if you don’t speak the language. That’s why we include medical evacuation in all our health policies. 

If you find yourself in a life or limb-threatening situation, help is just a phone call away. Once you call our helpline, we’ll see if we can find you treatment locally. If we can’t, we’ll arrange for an evacuation, even if that means by air ambulance.

We’ll pay for your transport home if you need to return to your home country. You can add Medevac plus to your policy and get greater coverage in medical emergencies (i.e., we’ll pay for the transport of one companion to accompany you if you need repatriation). 

Why choose William Russell? 

Health insurance is straightforward: you pay regular premiums and make a claim when you require medical treatment. Among the many health insurance providers in Thailand, what sets William Russell apart? Here are a few ways we stand out: 

Direct access to the best medical facilities

In our 30+ years of business, we’ve built a network of over 40,000 hospitals and clinics worldwide. As a William Russell member, you can go to one of our networked hospitals with no cash on you. We’ll pay them directly. 

Find the closest private hospitals to you in Thailand in the William Russell network. Here are just a few: 

International insurance specialists

Most insurance providers focus on domestic cover and offer international coverage as a side product. William Russell is a specialist provider with decades of experience helping expats with their international health insurance needs.

Coverage across borders 

While setting up your base in Thailand, you might want health insurance cover when you travel outside the country, too, such as when you visit home. Instead of juggling different travel insurance plans, a health insurance policy with William Russell will cover you worldwide, with restricted cover in the USA.

Easy-to-understand policies

Insurance policies can be full of jargon and complicated terminology, leading to confusion about what the provider is actually covering. You won’t find this with our policies – they’re all written in plain English. 

You’ll also have one of our team members reach out to you before you sign on the dotted line to answer any questions and make sure you completely understand your insurance plan.

A personal claims experience

You don’t want to be transferred multiple times on a call-centre line when making a medical claim.

Instead of relying on external call centres, we ensure you interact with only a few designated individuals. A dedicated claims manager will consistently update you on your claim’s progress, and we strive to evaluate claims within 10 days. Our customers value our personal approach: there’s a reason we have a 4.4/5 rating on Feefo. 

Specialised support for cancer, emergency, and maternity claims

You want a compassionate person on the other end of the phone who understands what you’re going through in difficult moments. For complex claims like cancer, emergency, and maternity, we have specially trained team members to handle your case. They know what your treatment involves and are proactive about progressing your claims. 

Emergency helpline (available 24/7) 

Medical emergencies rarely stick to sociable hours. As a William Russell member, you’ll have access to a 24/7 emergency helpline. If you’re in a life or limb-threatening situation, call us immediately. If you can’t get care locally, we’ll have you medically evacuated. 

Cover for families, groups, and individuals

We cover many individuals in Thailand, including retirees, students, expats, frequent flyers, and employers. We can also offer you group plans – ideal for growing families and, if you’re an employer, a group of employees. 

Additional international insurance plans

If you’ve got a family to look after, you probably want as much protection as possible. We offer life insurance and income protection. While these policies are separate from your health insurance coverage, you’ll have the same dedicated policy manager on all three (please note: any claims you make will go to a different team member). This makes it easier to manage your insurance needs and speeds up renewals.

How the healthcare system works in Thailand 

According to the Global Health Security Index (4), the healthcare system in Thailand ranks fifth in the world. The Thai government funds its public healthcare through taxation. Anyone who works in Thailand (whether you’re a local or an expat) pays a 5% tax (deducted from their salary) to enrol in Thailand’s Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS),

Even though it’s affordable, Thailand’s public medical care might not offer the same level of treatment everywhere in the country. It also fails to meet public demand with state-run hospitals making up approximately 35% of all of Thailand’s medical centres. (8) For example, you may experience long waiting times and struggle to find public hospitals and specialist doctor consultations in rural areas because most medical centres are in Thailand’s bigger cities, like Bangkok and Phuket. Even in the larger cities, there just may not be enough beds to satisfy in-patient care under the UCS.

Private healthcare in Thailand is different. Private medical facilities make up 65% of all the medical centres in Thailand. (8) So, for expats who want to avoid pay-as-you-go medical bills, private health insurance may be a good option. It allows you to take advantage of the country’s many high-quality private medical centres without breaking the bank. 

Where are the private hospitals in Thailand?

Most of Thailand’s private hospitals are in Bangkok and in what is known as upcountry (the territory outside of and above Bangkok). Only 6% of these private medical facilities are large complexes. However they make up almost 20% of the country’s total hospital beds. (8)

3 tips to stay healthy (and safe) in Thailand

Most travel websites will tell you Thailand is a safe place for tourists. Still, every country has places and situations to watch out for, such as:

1/ Be mindful of traffic: Sadly, according to the World Health Organisation (6), Thailand has one of the highest road fatality rates globally. As a pedestrian, make sure you only use pedestrian crossings and don’t always expect vehicles to stop – even when they’re supposed to. If you’re riding a motorbike (a popular mode of transport in Thailand), wear your helmet and avoid driving at night if you don’t have to.

2/ Get the right vaccinations: Make sure you’re properly vaccinated before you travel to Thailand. On top of your routine vaccinations, the National Health Service (UK NHS) and Centre of Disease Control (CDC) recommend you vaccinate for: 

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Rabies

3/ Beware of scams: People in Thailand are extremely friendly. But even in the “land of smiles,” you should be cautious of scams. Don’t use unauthorised tour guides and make sure you choose a reputable taxi provider. For both, always agree on a price before you leave.

Trust William Russell with your health insurance in Thailand

Living in or considering a life in Thailand brings a mix of excitement and apprehension. By choosing an international health insurance policy with William Russell, you can rest easy knowing you’re taking care of your family’s health. Trust in our expertise for peace of mind during your time in the Land of Smiles.

Sources:

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7897427/
(2) https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/itineraries/thailand
(3) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations/jabs/
(4) https://www.ghsindex.org/country/thailand/
(5) https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/others/comparative-health-policy-library/thailand-summary
(6) https://www.who.int/thailand/news/detail/03-01-2023-a-new-year-s-resolution–for-life
(7) https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/thai-elite-visa
(8) https://www.krungsri.com/en/research/industry/industry-outlook/services/private-hospitals/io/io-private-hospitals#:~:text=Currently%2C%20there%20are%2022%20large,hospital%20beds%20in%2