Renewing Expat Health Insurance with Pre-Existing Conditions in Thailand

If you want to know how to renew expat health insurance in Thailand, this article is for you. Renewing medical policies is a task we all need to complete annually, but the renewal of health insurance policies is not always straightforward, especially for expats with pre-existing conditions. If you don’t know what you are doing and you haven’t been told about the pitfalls awaiting the unwary, it can be a very challenging task. However, once you have finished reading our guide, you will be able to renew expat insurance in Thailand like a pro, without any unnecessary delays or hassles.

Understanding Pre-Existing Conditions

Some insurers, like ourselves, are happy to offer and renew expat health insurance with pre-existing conditions to customers from across the globe. Other companies are either somewhat less enthusiastic about providing this type of insurance or unwilling to even consider it. But what is a pre-existing condition?

In the context of expat insurance, pre-existing conditions are any illnesses or medical conditions that were diagnosed prior to your application for coverage or that you were aware of before applying. Pre-existing conditions are usually, but not always, chronic in nature. Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and epilepsy are all examples of chronic, pre-existing conditions.

When buying a new expatriate health insurance policy in Thailand or any other country, pre-existing conditions may complicate the process. The renewal of health insurance with pre-existing conditions may also take longer than the renewal of a standard policy. This is because insurers need to consider the additional risk posed by pre-existing conditions on a case-by-case basis. If the nature or number of your pre-existing conditions changes in between renewals, you need to make your insurer aware of this fact, so they have the opportunity to adjust your premiums if necessary.

Potential Issues When You Renew Expat Health Insurance With Pre-Existing Conditions

Insurers take pre-existing conditions very seriously when underwriting health insurance for expats, and so should you. Any conditions you are aware of must be declared on your application form when buying a new policy.

Failure to disclose pre-existing conditions when you buy or renew expat health insurance will void the policy or policies in question. While it may be tempting not to disclose a pre-existing condition, because doing so is likely to increase the cost of your expat health insurance policy, it is always wise to be honest. There is no point in buying a medical policy that will not pay out on any claims you make because you were not completely honest when completing the application form.

The insurers that are willing to let you buy and renew expat health insurance, having been informed of the pre-existing conditions from which you suffer, are likely to charge higher premiums. Furthermore, they may insist on certain changes being made to the terms and conditions of any policy you purchase. Some of these insurers will provide medical expat insurance in Thailand, including coverage for pre-existing conditions. Others, while still happy to accept clients with pre-existing conditions, will exclude treatment of these conditions from any coverage they offer.

Steps to Take Before Renewal

To ensure the renewal of health insurance with pre-existing conditions is a smooth, hassle-free process, we recommend following these steps:

• Contact Your Insurer 

If you need to renew expat health insurance policies with pre-existing conditions, which were purchased from an insurer other than ourselves, the first thing you should do is contact them a month or two before your policy is due to expire to discuss your renewal options.

• Gather Your Notes and Medical Records 

If you have one or more pre-existing conditions, you may be asked to provide up-to-date reports from your doctor and/or other medical professionals. We recommend gathering all pertinent records before trying to renew expat health insurance with pre-existing conditions to avoid unnecessary delays.

• Explore Your Alternatives 

Make sure you are ready to take immediate action in the event your application for renewal of health insurance is denied. You don’t want to be left without coverage if your existing insurer is no longer willing to work with you. You can approach other healthcare insurers in Thailand as well as companies that operate outside of the country if you wish.

Having prepared properly, you will be ready for any eventuality. Of course, if you purchased your policy from us, you will find it easy to renew expat health insurance with pre-existing conditions in Thailand. This is because many of our policies include a lifetime renewability guarantee.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

When you buy or renew expat health insurance, it’s important to remember that different countries have different laws governing the sale of medical policies. It is also important to remember that the requirements for expats to purchase health insurance vary from one country to another. Wherever you are, it is your responsibility to ensure that you comply with local health insurance regulations.

If you are currently living in Thailand and wish to buy or renew expat health insurance, you should first consider the type of visa you hold. Expats who hold an O-X or O-A Non-Immigrant Long Stay Visa in Thailand are required by law to have health insurance for the entirety of their stay. At the time of writing, there are no specific requirements in place for holders of other visa types, but we recommend checking before your current policy expires, as this may change in the future.

Key Takeaways

It is important to comply with local regulations regarding health insurance for expats, especially if you plan to stay where you are for many years.

If you want to make sure that the renewal of health insurance with pre-existing conditions goes smoothly, don’t forget to gather all relevant medical records and reports before making your application.

If you purchase a policy with lifetime renewability, you can renew expat health insurance quickly and easily every year.

For competitive health insurance in Thailand that’s easy to renew, contact Pacific Cross. We specialise in expat healthcare insurance for people with and without pre-existing conditions.