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Travel insurance vs. expat health plan

Asked 225 hours ago • Updated 206 hours ago
Can long‑stay expats rely on travel insurance?

TL;DR:No — travel insurance is inadequate for long‑stay residency in Thailand; get international expat or approved local health insurance for continuous, visa‑compliant coverage.

No. Travel insurance is designed for short trips and emergency cover only; it routinely excludes routine care, pre-existing conditions, and long continuous stays. Insurers commonly limit single-trip policies to 30–90 days or void claims once a policyholder is living in the country rather than visiting. Long‑stay residents need continuous, comprehensive cover (international expatriate or approved local health insurance) to access private hospitals, cover chronic or routine treatment, and meet visa/immigration requirements. For Thai long‑stay visas and renewals you must present a qualifying policy from an accepted provider rather than a tourist travel policy (see Thai embassy guidance). Compare plans for inpatient/outpatient limits, waiting periods for pre‑existing conditions, network hospitals in Thailand, and emergency evacuation. If you plan to live in Thailand more than a few months, buy an international expat health plan or a Thai‑market policy that explicitly supports long‑term residency and visa compliance (consult insurer terms and the Thai embassy/immigration pages).

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Updated 16 september 2025 07:26 · Published 15 september 2025 12:24