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Inbound travel insurance for travelers going to Thailand will provide them coverage for medical and travel emergencies and interruptions once they are inside Thailand. Inbound travel insurance doesn’t generally include coverage outside of the final destination unless it is added to your policy.
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As an international broker with over 20 years of experience and over one million customers insured, Pacific Prime is sharing our knowledge with all of you. We want to serve and help you enjoy your global travels with peace of mind and without losing unnecessary funds.
This article will teach you about the differences between inbound and outbound travel insurance, some examples of Thailand travel insurance options, what travel insurance generally covers, and what insurance plans you can choose if travel insurance doesn’t cover you enough.
Also, check out our guide to travel insurance in Thailand about all things related to Thailand travel insurance.
When you’re ready to get a feel for the dozens of insurance options available to you, use our free insurance quote generators for some examples of plans and insurers.
- Use this insurance quote generator for the top travel insurance providers who cover Thailand.
- Use this insurance quote generator for the top travel insurance providers who cover around the world.
Inbound Travel Insurance For Travelers Going To Thailand
Foreign travelers who are entering Thailand need inbound travel insurance to Thailand. This may provide coverage for emergency medical expenses, emergency dental expenses, lost, stolen, or damaged property and travel documents, accidental death, and trip cancellations or delays.
Inbound travel insurance can be purchased by international insurance companies, local Thailand insurance companies, or through a third-party insurance broker who is capable of negotiating with insurers on your behalf.
Many inbound travel insurance plans will provide coverage for:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Permanent disability by accident
- Medical expenses from injury or illness
- Emergency evacuation or repatriation
- Repatriation of mortal remains to your home country
- Loss and damage of travel documents or property
- Public Liability
- Travel delays
- Baggage delays
- Hotel accommodations due to quarantine or isolation (needs a confirmed COVID-19 test)
- Prescription medications
- Necessary surgeries
- Missed connections
- Rental car damage or theft
- Emergency medical reunion of loved ones
Most inbound travel insurance plans will not provide coverage for:
-
- Check-up appointments with doctors
- Dental care not deemed an emergency
- Vision care
- Pre-existing conditions
- Vaccinations
- High-risk activities
- Intentional illegal activities
- Alcohol and drug-related incidents
- Natural disasters
- The simple inclination to choose not to travel anymore
- Loss or theft of belongings that are unattended
- Mental health conditions
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Illnesses from pre-existing viruses before departure
Travel insurance plans are short-term plans. They are not intended to cover your travel or medical expenses for living abroad long term. They mostly cover emergency situations.
If you plan to be abroad for an extended period of time, you will want to see our options in the section below for what to do if travel insurance is not sufficient for your trip needs or duration.
When you’re ready to buy insurance, read here the steps to get travel insurance to Thailand.
In the next section, we’ll discuss the differences between inbound and outbound travel insurance in Thailand.
Thailand Inbound Travel Insurance vs. Outbound Travel Insurance
Inbound travel insurance covers foreign travelers entering Thailand who are not Thai residents. Outbound travel insurance covers Thailand residents who are leaving Thailand to travel abroad. Both plans include typical travel insurance benefits, such as lost and damaged luggage and trip cancellations.
One of the key nuances you should consider when weighing the options of purchasing inbound travel insurance vs. outbound travel insurance is where the insurance does not cover you.
To make this clear, we’ll discuss two possible examples of travel insurance for U.S. residents traveling to Thailand and what they can purchase.
An Inbound Travel Insurance Example For Americans Going To Thailand
For example, a U.S. resident who is leaving the U.S. for Thailand may choose to buy an inbound travel insurance plan for Thailand. This will provide them with travel insurance for unplanned interruptions that happen once they’ve entered Thailand. It does not provide coverage outside of Thailand.
What inbound travel insurance for Thailand often covers:
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation for medical emergencies that occur within Thailand
- Inpatient care and treatments that are administered in Thailand
- Outpatient care and treatments that are administered in Thailand
- Trip cancellation
- Trip delays
- Missed flights or connections
- Loss of personal belongings and luggage
- Personal liability for property or bodily injury in Thailand
- Theft of passport or travel documents within Thailand
An Outbound Travel Insurance Example For Americans Leaving The U.S.
In a second example, a U.S. resident who is leaving the U.S. to travel to Thailand may choose to buy an outbound travel insurance plan from the U.S. This will provide them travel insurance for unplanned interruptions that happen once they’ve left the U.S. It does not provide coverage within the U.S.
What outbound travel insurance from the U.S. often covers:
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation for medical emergencies that occur outside of the U.S.
- Inpatient care and treatments that are administered outside of the U.S.
- Outpatient care and treatments that are administered outside of the U.S.
- Trip cancellation
- Trip delays
- Missed flights or connections
- Loss of personal belongings and luggage
- Personal liability for property or bodily injury outside of the U.S.
- Theft of passport or travel documents outside of the U.S.
Just as U.S. residents can buy outbound coverage for when they’re away from the U.S., Thailand residents can buy outbound travel insurance. Outbound travel insurance for Thailand residents in this case would provide coverage for the Thai nationals when they are outside of Thailand.
Thailand Insurance Options If Travel Insurance Isn’t Enough
Travel insurance is short-term, so it isn’t sufficient medical or travel coverage if you plan to tour Thailand for an extended time. In this instance, you may want to consider international insurance, expat insurance, dental insurance, global insurance, or private Thailand health insurance.
Let’s introduce each of these types of insurance so you can determine if they are a better fit for your travel plans.
International health insurance provides medical coverage anywhere in the world (including in your home country if that’s something you add to your policy) and is designed for travelers who cross borders frequently and spend short spurts in each country.
This is akin to outbound travel insurance which has some medical coverage benefits for anywhere outside of an individual’s home country. However, international insurance has more benefits and a longer coverage period than travel insurance.
Pacific Prime can help you select international health insurance from hundreds of plans from the best insurers worldwide. We’ll help you cater your benefits, limits, and coverage levels to your needs.
Get a free quote for international health insurance here, no commitment is needed.
An expat health insurance plan is designed for expatriates who have moved to one specific country to live and work there for an extended period of time (usually more than a year).
It includes international health coverage as well, but it is a much more comprehensive health insurance for needs beyond traveling emergencies. You can add maternity care, vision care, pre-existing conditions coverage, and more.
Pacific Prime has helped over a million people get coverage, and expat insurance is one of our specialties. Get a free insurance quote with this link to get a feel for all the options available to you.
Expatriates who work internationally may want to get a dental health insurance plan, since their international employer may not provide sufficient insurance coverage. Pacific Prime can help you cover routine dental treatments and major dental treatments.
Get a free international dental insurance quote today!
Global health insurance is also tailored to expats, global nomads, and international travelers, but it has a broader scope than international health coverage.
Global insurance can include things like therapies, alternate treatments, mental health services, and routine check-ups.
There are many variables that affect your medical insurance policies and premiums, and Pacific Prime is happy to give you unbiased advice about your options from multiple insurance companies.
Use this free insurance quote generator to get your first look at what different companies provide.
If you don’t plan to travel outside of Thailand and if international health insurance is larger than you need, private health insurance in Thailand may be perfect for you.
Private Thailand insurance can cater to your duration of stay, inpatient and outpatient needs, and include preventive care and wellness programs and more!
Here at Pacific Prime, we are familiar with the healthcare system in Thailand and can walk you through your public and private healthcare options as you move to a new country, culture, and language.
To make your move one step easier, get a free Thailand health insurance quote today!
We also invite you to discover what other insurance plans are available to you as you travel abroad!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is inbound travel insurance?
Inbound travel insurance is coverage for travelers who are entering a country that is not their home country for tourist or work-related purposes. The term “inbound” refers to individuals who are entering a foreign country, while the term “outbound” refers to travelers leaving their home country.
What is outbound travel insurance?
Outbound travel insurance is coverage sold to individuals who are leaving (outbound) their home country for traveling purposes. Usually, this insurance does not provide coverage for incidents that happen within the traveler’s home country.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve defined the differences between inbound and outbound travel insurance for travelers headed to Thailand, you may want to learn about the best COVID travel insurance in Thailand and Chiang Mai travel insurance.
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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