Do you need travel health insurance for Thailand

By law, health insurance for Thailand is required only for some long-stay visas. For an ordinary visitor it is a question of money and common sense. Below are the visa requirements, what to check in a policy and how insurance works in a private hospital, as of 17 October 2026.

Which visas require insurance

For the LTR the requirement applies for the whole visa period; dependants can instead show USD 25,000 each in a bank account (BOI). For the Non-O-A, the policy comes with a unified certificate acknowledged by the insurer. If insurers turn you down, embassies accept the rejection letter plus a bank account or other policies totalling THB 3,000,000 held for the past two months, separate from the THB 800,000 for living costs. Requirements can vary between embassies, so check the one you apply to. See also our DTV visa guide.

How insurance works in a private hospital

The UK government puts it plainly: all hospitals in Thailand require a guarantee of payment before treating patients, and private hospitals are expensive. In a private hospital it goes in this order:

1. On admission you show your passport, insurance certificate or card and a copy of the policy
2. With your consent the international department sends your insurer a medical report and cost estimate and asks for a Guarantee of Payment
3. The insurer confirms in writing that it will pay the hospital directly, usually limited by amount, time or treatment
4. Until the guarantee arrives, the hospital may ask for a deposit for the uncovered part, refunded once the guarantee comes through

That is how Bangkok Hospital Pattaya describes it. The catch: insurance claims are not processed after discharge. If your documents were not in on time, you pay the bill in full and claim reimbursement from your insurer later.

Not every insurer has direct billing. Bangkok Hospital Phuket asks patients to check with their insurer whether a direct billing agreement exists and notes that such agreements can be suspended. Save your insurer’s assistance number in your phone before you fly.

What to check in your policy

• Sum insured: at least USD 100,000 for the Non-O-A, USD 50,000 for the LTR; for tourists the law sets no minimum
• Motorbike riding: whether it is covered and on what condition, usually a valid motorcycle licence under local law
• Alcohol: there is almost always an exclusion; find the blood alcohol level your policy treats as intoxication
• Medical evacuation: transport home or to another hospital, which the UK and Canadian governments specifically mention
• Direct billing: whether the insurer pays hospitals in your area directly or only reimburses afterwards
• Pre-existing conditions and pregnancy: often excluded, read that section separately

Example wording from an OIC-approved Dhipaya travel policy: motorcycle riding is covered only if the insured holds a motorcycle licence valid under the law of the country visited, and “under the influence of alcohol” means a blood alcohol level of 150 mg% or more. Your policy may differ.

Riding without a motorcycle licence

Most refused claims involve scooters. The Canadian government warns that insurers may deny claims if you rode without a motorcycle licence, and advises against riding motorcycles in Thailand at all. Which licence counts is covered in do you need a motorcycle licence for a scooter, and fines and what to do after a crash in Thai traffic rules.

How much it costs

Prices depend on age, length of stay, sum insured and add-ons, so we do not publish figures we cannot date. Hospitals do not publish treatment prices either, except for some packages. For what to pack and what to buy locally see pharmacies in Thailand, and for jabs see vaccines for Thailand.

Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.