Farang insurance dilemmas building up

[travelerjim]

Thank you GB for your recommendation of Cigna
Cigna is excellent international health insurance

And if one wishes to learn more about Cigna
I may be contacted via a pm ....

I do represent Cigna and I would be pleased to review anyone's particular needs for health insurance.

Thank you...

Tj

[fountainhall]

No age limit for renewal, although the premium price goes up a couple hundred dollars every year.

Is that every year? I ask because if you add $200 per year then I calculate that as adding $11,000 over 10 years with $2,000 of that on the premium at the end of that time. Certainly not unreasonable given other forward policy rates I looked at after about age 60, but still something to be considered at the outset. Am I correct in assuming both amounts are before accounting for annual medical inflation. That rate will obviously depend on overall rates of inflation, but medical inflation tends to be a few percent higher.

if one wishes to learn more about Cigna
I may be contacted via a pm ....

I do represent Cigna and I would be pleased to review anyone's particular needs for health insurance.

Just as a general word of advice, I would never now take out any policy on the basis of its being offered only from one company or one agent, no matter how experienced. A policy for a US-based company may work for someone from the USA. Similarly there will be companies, often smaller ones in the UK, who can offer UK citizens better and perhaps less expensive policies. My recent neighbours who were from the UK had a great policy effected with an insurance company in the west of England - much better than many of the more standard policies. Be aware of what sort of cover you might need and want, have an idea of your budget and then take time to shop around.

I mention this because it is a trap I once fell into - and suffered very considerably as a result.

[Gaybutton]

Is that every year?

You're asking the wrong person. I have no idea. Ask Cigna.

[jimnbkk]

I am a frequent visitor and have been for a number of years, coming twice a year for two months each time. I have medicare (USA) and a supplementary policy which covers me for emergencies. Back in 2007 I had gall bladder surgery at Bangkok Pattaya hospital. I paid with a credit card. My USA credit card company increased my limit to a very large number at my telephoned request, and the hospital had no problems with doing it that way. I paid my hospital bill with Visa, and submitted the claim to the insurance company upon my return home. No problem. I completed a carefully written narrative of my problems, included the original hospital bills all marked paid, and had a check from the Insurance within two weeks.

I know this doesn't help expats, but it covers me 100% as far as any Thai hospital could be concerned. If they tried to make me get a Thai insurance policy it would be too expensive inasmuch I'm 79 now and will soon be the big eight-oh. Maybe this means my visits are coming to an end. (sob!)

I've changed insurance companies recently. Previous companies have put a 60-day limit on my time out of the country that they would cover my emergencies. My new company has put no such limit on my travels. They admit that Insurance companies really have no idea how long a traveler has been out of the country, so what they do is start counting when a patient makes his first claim. (I didn't know that)

[travelerjim]

jiminbkk...
Thanks for sharing this helpful information.

May I ask...

Is your Medicare coverage a "Medicare Advantage" policy

Or the traditional Medicare plus a "Medicare Supplement" policy?

Thanks again...
Tj

[Joachim]

There is no doubt, the older one gets the more important comprehensive health insurance becomes. For Americans the choice is obvious :Medicare.
However, I consider private insurance for expats through big international insurers as a total rip off in the long haul. My own "plan" is to get Medicare upon retirement and set up fund in the area of 2 million baht for coverage of medical emergencies or possible evacuation to US. No desire to feed fat cats from my fixed retirement income.

[Gaybutton]

[Is that every year? I ask because if you add $200 per year then I calculate that as adding $11,000 over 10 years with $2,000 of that on the premium at the end of that time.

I'm not following your math. I'm paying approximately US $4000 per year. If the price goes up by US $200 per year, then in 10 years I'll be paying US $6000 per year.

Where does this $11,000 figure come in?

[fountainhall]

Sorry - must have had a drink too much when trying to do the maths!

[Gaybutton]

Sorry - must have had a drink too much when trying to do the maths!

I see. Well, whatever you were drinking, send a case of it to me, willya . . . ?

[Gaybutton]

My own "plan" is to get Medicare upon retirement and set up fund in the area of 2 million baht for coverage of medical emergencies or possible evacuation to US. No desire to feed fat cats from my fixed retirement income.

I understand your "no desire," but 2-millon baht works out to about US $60,000. If you are seriously ill or in need of surgery, and flying back to the USA is not an option due to a need to do - now - whatever is necessary to save your life, $60,000 could easily be only a fraction of what you'll actually need.

Also, 2-million baht is an awful lot of money to tie up.

You may not want to feed the fat cats, but for practical purposes I don't see much of a choice. If you are wealthy enough to tie up 2-million baht, then instead of tying it up, or taking the risk that it very well might not even be close to enough, I'd get a good medical insurance policy and perhaps opt for a high deductible instead.