My Quick Guide to Travel Insurance for Thailand

👉 Jump to: Best Travel Insurance for Thailand | Requirements | Why Get Insurance | Safety | Tips

While they did at one point, Thailand no longer requires travel insurance for most tourist visas. 

That said, you may still want to get travel insurance for your trip. In this guide, I’ll show you the sites I search when comparing quotes for my own Thailand travels.

First, a quick introduction. I am a recovering lawyer who now travels the world full time and blogs about it. I have spent months in Thailand across dozens of trips. 

Personally, I always get insured to protect myself. I was glad I did after I contracted dengue on a trip to Thailand several years ago. I’ll continue to insure my future trips even though insurance is no longer a requirement for entry to the kingdom.

Disclaimers: We are not insurance brokers. This post is for informational purposes. It is not insurance advice. Links are affiliate links. Using them supports this independent blog. See our Advertising Policy.

Best Thailand Travel Insurance Comparison Sites

In a rush? Here’s a quick comparison of the top three sites I suggest searching to compare quotes (note: several of these are aggregators that will fetch quotes from multiple companies, helping to give you more options).

Thailand Did Away With Its Former Travel Insurance Requirements

If you read online, you may find some outdated information.

Thailand no longer requires insurance as a condition of entry for most visitors on tourist visas, though its rules have changed multiple times over the past years. Travelers should double check their specific policy to make sure it meets all the current requirements of entry to Thailand.

Moreover, just because something isn’t required doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. Traveling is still very risky these days, and there are several reasons why I personally will continue to buy insurance for my travels.

Why I Personally Get Travel Insurance in Thailand

Depending upon your specific policy, there are many benefits that travel insurers might provide.

Here’s a quick rundown of the coverages I personally value when buying travel insurance (be sure to carefully check your own policy before buying anything):

• ✈️ Trip Cancellation Protection – This a benefit that might cover you for non-refundable trip costs you’ve paid if you must cancel your trip to Thailand due to a circumstance covered under your plan. Note that most insurance providers have pretty strict exclusions around covid-related trip cancellation coverages, so you’ll want to carefully read the terms of the policy and perhaps consider if you’re comfortable with the risks involved in traveling to Thailand.
• 💉 Emergency Medical Insurance – This is something I care a lot about after contracting dengue on my last visit to Thailand. If you are injured or get sick while traveling, you better hope you have coverage for hospitalization, out-patient treatment for medical emergencies, prescribed medicines, x-rays, lab tests, and all the costs that may add up.
• 🚗 Rental Car or Scooter Protection – As discussed below, driving a scooter or motorcycle in Thailand is very common for tourists. Some insurance companies will cover accidents on scooters, but you’ll need to very carefully read the terms of your specific provider. Usually, they will require that you are licensed for the vehicle you are driving (meaning you’ll need to be properly licensed to drive a scooter in Thailand).
• 🚁 Emergency Medical Evacuation – Emergency medical evacuation is a common travel insurance benefit that, where it applies, can include costs related to the transportation and medical services involved in an emergency evacuation.
• 💻 Lost Luggage and Gear Theft Protection – One of the more common safety issues in Thailand is petty theft. Some travel insurance policies will provide protection against your bag being lost, or important items being stolen. Be sure to check policy limits closely because most have a hard cap on how much they will pay out for covered losses in this category.
• 📞 24/7 Emergency Assistance – Thailand is in a very different time zone than the United States or Europe, so you’ll want to make sure you are able to reach your insurer if and when you need to.

It’s super important to note that coverages, conditions, and exclusions vary by insurance provider – so be sure to read carefully!

Travel Safety in Thailand

Generally, Thailand is very safe and crime rates are relatively low. But there are other things to consider.

In particular, know that Thailand does have some of the most dangerous roads in the world. Especially if you plan on renting scooters, make sure you are covered while on the Thai roads.

Let’s break down some of the various safety considerations involved in travel to Thailand:

Scooters

Scooters or motorbikes are a great way to get around in Thailand. They give you the freedom to explore at your own pace, are super affordable and available for rent everywhere, and can be a blast to drive.

And scooters are also enormously dangerous. In fact, by some estimates, Thailand is number one or two in the world for motorcycle deaths! And the news gets worse because if you aren’t properly licensed to drive, it’s virtually certain that your travel insurance company won’t cover you. 

That’s why I took a motorcycle class in the United States before setting off to Thailand a few years ago. I got my motorcycle endorsement and then applied for an International Driving Permit, which makes it legal to drive here in Thailand. 

Crime and Other Risks

Thailand is a reasonably safe place to travel, but there are still some risks that warrant consideration when deciding whether to get covered: 

1. 🚑 Vehicles Accidents and Emergencies – Even if you aren’t driving yourself, there have been many incidents of tourists getting injured when buses, cars, and pedestrians collide. 
2. 📢 Terrorism, Strikes, and Protests – Protests and even coups are not uncommon in Thailand, but there are pretty much always peaceful and rarely disrupt travel. 
3. ⛈️ Natural Disasters – Thailand is near the water and is prone to heavy rains and flooding. Tragically, nearly 5,000 people died in Southern Thailand (including some of the popular islands) during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. 
4. 🐵 Animals – I’ve seen more than a few mangy dogs running around Thailand (not to mention those crazy monkeys). Animal bites are a real risk here. Be sure your vaccinations are up to date, and be careful petting animals. 

Thailand’s Medical System

There’s a scene in Hangover II where one of the characters gets shot and then rushed to a Bangkok medical clinic. He comes out and, of course, his friends are worried, but he says: “Actually the bullet just grazed my arm, 8 stitches, it only cost $6, how is that even possible?”

Ok, so Hollywood may have been stretching the truth about the Thai medical system a little bit. But the point is that the Thai medical system does have a reputation for being relatively affordable in cost (much is government subsidized) and pretty decent in providing quality healthcare service. 

More Tips for Travel to Thailand

🗺️ Where to Go: Some of my favorites include Ko Chang, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Pai. For more, see our full list of the places to visit in Thailand.

📅 When to Go: November to January is generally the best season to visit Thailand. But note that there are different monsoon seasons in different parts of the country, so there is almost always somewhere that can be visited in Thailand regardless of the month. And February through April is the “burning season” in the North, when the skies fill with smoke. I personally avoid trips during this time. 

💬 Language: Thai, though most travelers can get by fine with English as many Thais working in the tourism industry speak at least basic English.

🎒 What to Pack: Clothes sufficient for a week (laundry services are cheap and plentiful in Thailand), a raincoat, an umbrella, waterproof electronics, sunscreen, and insect spray. For more, see Taylor’s full packing list for Thailand. 

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Especially in light of the incredible number of accidents that happen in Thailand every year, I’ll happily continue to pay for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that my trip to Thailand is covered. 

If you liked this article, be sure to check out my full article with all the best travel tips for Thailand.