Car insurance recommendation please

[Papa]

I have been using QBE directly for a few years. But they have closed their Pattaya office sometime ago.
I need to renew next month, so I am thinking of having a new policy done directly with a reputable company that has a local office in Pattaya.
Any recommendations/ suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Gaybutton]

I've been using Viriyah Insurance for the last 15 years. I am very satisfied with them. Depending on the make and model of your car, along with the age of the car and whether you have had any claims during the insurance year - full coverage, Class A, zero deductible insurance will cost between approximately 12,000 baht to 18,000 baht per year.

Over the years I've been involved in a couple fender-benders and one more serious when a motorcycle crashed into my car and the driver broke his finger. Viriyah's agent was on the scene within minutes and took care of everything. All I had to do was sign off and take my car to be repaired. I didn't have to lay out even one baht for the repair. Viriyah was billed directly.

Whatever insurance company you decide on, be SURE you get the Class A insurance. You're fully covered provided the driver is a licensed driver and not driving drunk or otherwise under the influence, no matter who the police decide was at fault. Driving in Thailand as a farang, don't settle for anything less than Class A insurance.

If you're going to drive in Thailand only as a holiday maker, be sure you have a valid International Driving Permit along with a valid driving license from your home country. You need both. Remember, Thailand will only recognize the International Driving Permit for the first 90 days upon entry to Thailand.

If you reside in Thailand, it's a pain-in-the-neck, but make sure you get a Thai driving license.

https://www.viriyah.co.th/en/

[Papa]

Many thanks for your response GB.
Currently I am paying just under 12k for my policy after all the NBC deductible.
I will go to the Viriyah office and talk to them this week.

[Gaybutton]

I will go to the Viriyah office and talk to them this week.

Go to their main office on Sukhumvit - close to the Rte 36 intersection in he northbound lane. You won't miss it. You'll see their large blue sign.

[Papa]

Trust me to miss their office,. Found them the second round the block. The settings is a bit unexpected, with the office behind a park like lawns.
My trusted 2005 pickup truck was deemed too old to qualified for 1 st class insurance. They offered me their next best thing, a 2+ policy for 7500b.
The terms was reasonable, now I am a happy customer.

GB , they said your commissions is in the mail; )
Thanks again.

[2lz2p]

Whatever insurance company you decide on, be SURE you get the Class A insurance. You're fully covered provided the driver is a licensed driver and not driving drunk or otherwise under the influence, no matter who the police decide was at fault. Driving in Thailand as a farang, don't settle for anything less than Class A insurance.

Definitely - also, most will have a bail bond amount - mine is 200,000 baht (from what I have read over the years, this is amount that Farangs must provide - 100,000 for Thais, I understand - in case the police decide you are at fault and want to lock you up as being at fault - can happen, especially if there has been injury to the other party.

If you're going to drive in Thailand only as a holiday maker, be sure you have a valid International Driving Permit along with a valid driving license from your home country. You need both. Remember, Thailand will only recognize the International Driving Permit for the first 90 days upon entry to Thailand.

Correct. Although some places will rent a vehicle (car/motorcycle) to a foreigner and accept their home country driving license and police may not ask for an IDP - it is still required and if you do not have a Thai driving license or IDP, Thai auto insurance companies can deny any claims.

I use SRI Ayudhya General Insurance Public Company, Ltd. for both my vehicles - 9 year old car and 5 year old pickup - both bought new. The car is a Honda and the manager of the Honda dealership in North Pattaya handled it and continues to do so (he gets a commission, but the premium is the same whether paid to the company or to him as agent) - back then, they were not including the first years insurance in the purchase price. When we bought the pick up, a Mitsubishi, it did have the first year of insurance included - when that was about to expire, I asked the Honda manager to insure it through Ayudhya - the bf had dinged the car on 2 occasions and another was a little more serious damage - no problems in getting it fixed and insurance handled direct with body shop.