Why you should have travel Insurance for Thailand
When planning a trip to Thailand, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of exploring its beautiful beaches, vibrant cities, and rich cultural heritage. However, one crucial aspect of travel preparation that should not be overlooked is securing travel insurance. Whether you’re doing diving day trips into the tropical turquoise waters, trekking through lush jungles, or navigating bustling street markets, travel insurance provides essential protection and peace of mind. In this blog, we’ll discuss why having travel insurance for Thailand is a smart decision, highlighting the benefits it offers in terms of health coverage, trip cancellations, and unforeseen emergencies.
Importance of Travel Insurance
While individual circumstances may vary, Aussie Divers Phuket strongly recommends that anyone planning a visit to Thailand invest in travel insurance. Although scuba diving is a relatively low-risk activity when you follow your instructor’s guidance and adhere to safe diving practices, having travel insurance is a wise precaution. Travel insurance is affordable these days and can be invaluable in the event of an accident, emergency, or trip cancellations and delays.
Many travellers to Thailand and Southeast Asia assume that because basic medical care is relatively inexpensive, there’s little need for travel insurance. While it’s true that basic healthcare in Southeast Asia can be affordable, the keyword is “basic”—not “cheap.” Thailand does offer a higher standard of medical care compared to other Southeast Asian countries, and Phuket has several high-quality private hospitals, like Bangkok Hospital, Phuket. However, anything beyond a few nights in the hospital can become costly very quickly. Medical bills for extended stays can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Another consideration when travelling in places like Thailand is that for minor accidents and illnesses, such as falling off a scooter or suffering from food poisoning, hospitals will require upfront payment or proof of insurance before providing any treatment. Having insurance can drastically reduce the waiting time before receiving care at the hospital.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
In addition to medical care, travel insurance can protect you in case of lost or stolen luggage and personal belongings, flight delays and cancellations, personal liability, and financial difficulties. It can also cover emergency dental treatment and evacuation back to your home country. Most policies now include coverage for scuba diving and other activities you might enjoy during your holiday.
Many policies offer add-ons that cover expensive items like cameras, laptops, and iPads, as well as more adventurous pursuits. However, a general travel insurance policy should provide a good starting point for most travellers.
It’s important to note that not all travel insurance policies are the same. Be sure to check the fine print for coverage details, especially concerning scuba diving and any other activities you plan to do while on holiday.
How to Choose the Right Travel Insurance
When choosing travel insurance, buy a policy that suits your travel requirements and needs. Research and compare the plans offered by various insurance companies extensively. It’s important to understand their claims processes, documentation procedures, payment options, network of hospitals, special conditions, coverage, and exclusions.
A good tip is to scan and keep a copy of all your travel documents, including your travel insurance policy number and contact information, so you can easily access them if needed. You can save these scanned documents in the cloud using services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or iCloud. This way, if you lose everything, you can simply log in from a computer and access your travel documents.
Daily Scuba Diving Insurance
If you prefer extra peace of mind or choose not to have comprehensive travel insurance, you can opt for daily scuba diving insurance, which is available through DAN Worldwide for as little as US$10 per day.
Daily dive insurance covers you in the unlikely event of a diving accident or incident. One of the best aspects of dive insurance is that it provides coverage for issues specific to scuba diving, such as damaged eardrums, nasal passages, or decompression illness (DCI).
For more information on daily dive insurance options, speak to our staff at Aussie Divers Phuket, and we can provide you with more details.
