Thailand has long been a popular destination for Australian tourists. The relatively quick flight from Australia, stunning beaches, cultural experiences and low costs appeals to backpackers, honeymooning couples, retirees and families alike.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, or Koh Samui, we’ve done the travel insurance research to take one thing off your to-do list.
Our experts have sifted through thousands of quotes and the fineprint of more than 65 travel insurance policies and found the policies that give you the best value cover for your trip to Thailand.
On this page:
- Do you need travel insurance for Thailand?
- Will travel insurance cover scuba diving in Thailand?
- Checklist for your Thailand holiday
- How much does travel insurance for Thailand cost?
- What is the cheapest travel insurance for Thailand?
- Best value travel insurance policies for Thailand
Do you need travel insurance for Thailand?
Travel insurance is a must-buy for Australians heading to Thailand. Travel insurance provides cover for things that you'll need if something goes wrong, like medical care in case of an accident, alternative accommodation if something interrupts your travel, and cancellation costs if your trip needs to be cancelled or cut short.
Medical evacuation, for example, can cost tens of thousands and is not something you want to hesitate about if you need it.
Medical Cover
The standard of Thailand's medical care varies across the country. Hospitals often need to confirm your insurance before treating you, otherwise they may require cash payment upfront, which can be very expensive.
In the case of serious accidents and illness in more regional areas, you may need to be transferred to hospitals with better facilities in Bangkok and other large cities, so cover for medical repatriation is essential.
If you have a pre-existing condition, read the fine print to make sure you understand whether you're covered if you need medical treatment for the condition while in Thailand. Some insurers will only cover pre-existing conditions for an extra fee and pending a medical assessment, so read your product disclosure statement (PDS).
Natural disaster cover in Thailand
Flooding and storms may interrupt travel around Thailand, particularly during the wet season (May to October). Thailand also experiences occasional earthquakes. so make sure you check travel advice sites like Smart traveller before travelling.
Most travel insurance policies cover medical expenses related to natural disasters, but you should make sure you check that your policy covers cancellation and travel delays for natural disasters too.
Civil unrest
Smart traveller warns that the security situation in Thailand is unpredictable and can turn violent with little warning. Particularly relating to tension in border areas and the potential for protests in Bangkok.
At the time of writing, the Australian government advice is to reconsider your need to travel to the three most southern provinces of the Thailand-Malaysia border.
Beware that travel to areas the government recommends avoiding will affect your travel insurance cover. So keep across government warnings and get in touch with your travel insurance provider if you need personalised advice.
A travel insurance's PDS will outline the cover in case of civil unrest. Watch out that you're at least covered for medical and cancellation costs in the event of civil unrest.
Scooter and motorbike cover
Most insurers only cover you for riding scooters and mopeds if you have an Australian motorbike licence and many require you to wear a helmet and protective clothing. Motorcycle accidents in Thailand are common and if you just have a regular car licence, chances are your insurer will reject your claim for not being licensed to drive the vehicle.
Make sure you think about how you're going to get around the country and read the fine print of your policy documents if you need cover for scooter, moped, or motorbike riding.
Will travel insurance cover scuba diving in Thailand?
Many insurers will cover you for scuba diving with some special conditions, for example to a certain depth with licensed operators only, and many offer further cover as an optional extra for an additional fee and with some special conditions.
Before getting insurance for a diving holiday, make sure it will cover you for the specific dives you intend to do by reading the PDS or getting in touch with the insurer.
We don't review them, but you can get specialised diving insurance from organisations such as the Divers Alert Network that may cover diving activities that are not covered by regular travel insurance policies. But make sure you review their PDS well to insure you understand what they cover and what they don't.
Decompression chambers are located near popular dive sites in Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Phuket, Pattaya, and Bangkok.
Checklist for your Thailand holiday
- You now must complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) within three days before arriving in Thailand. It must be submitted online through the Thailand Immigration Bureau website.
- Use our guide below to buy a travel insurance policy that suits your needs.
- Check if your passport is still valid, and if not, renew your passport online.
- Keep a printout of your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip. It's also a good idea to share them with family or friends before you leave.
- Keep on top of the latest travel advice for Thailand.
How much does travel insurance for Thailand cost?
A couple aged over 55 years will pay around $275 for an 11-day trip to Thailand. A single person aged under 55 or family of four will pay roughly $124 or $223, respectively.
How comprehensive your cover is, your age, how long your holiday is, how far in advance you buy travel insurance and how much excess you nominate will all affect the cost of travel insurance.
Nearly 1400 quotes for 11-day trips to Thailand were analysed to provide the estimates above.
What is the cheapest travel insurance for Thailand?
We analysed a database of over 12,000 quotes for Thai holidays, covering a variety of scenarios to identify both the cheapest insurance policies for a trip to Thailand, and those that provide the best cover.
Note that medical-only policies provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation. They don't provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage, or missed connections.
Tick Travel Insurance Basic
- Price Score for Thailand travel: 99%
- Includes unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation.
Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) Medical Only
- Price score for Thailand travel: 98%
- Includes medical cover only.
AHM Medical Only
- Price score for Thailand travel: 95%
- Includes medical cover only.
InsureandGo Bare Essentials
- Price score for Thailand travel: 95%
- Includes unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation
Tick Travel Insurance Budget
- Price Score for Thailand travel: 95%
- Includes unlimited medical cover; $5000 cancellation cover.
As with most things in life, the cheapest travel insurance policy isn't always the best. To find out the policies that also provide good cover, log in or become a CHOICE member.
Best value travel insurance policies for Thailand
Below, we reveal the best value policies for a trip to Thailand, as recommended by our travel insurance experts. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.
The CHOICE Expert Rating is calculated using the Thailand-specific price score combined with the policy cover score to find policies that give the best return on your investment.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
