I Traveled for 20 Years Without Insurance
I’ll be honest — for most of my adult life, I never thought about travel insurance. Solo trips to Mexico, weekend flights around the US, backpacking through Southeast Asia. I was young, healthy, and invincible. Insurance felt like something my parents would buy.
And for years, nothing happened. A missed connection here, a dodgy stomach there — nothing that couldn’t be fixed with patience and Imodium. I figured I’d keep rolling the dice.
Then Thailand Made It Real
Thailand is deceptively easy to get hurt in. Not because it’s dangerous — it’s one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia for tourists. But the combination of scooters, island roads, diving, rock climbing, and full moon party culture creates more opportunities for accidents than most destinations.
I’ve seen it happen to other travelers. A scooter slide on a gravel road in Pai — broken collarbone, ฿80,000 ($2,286) hospital bill in Chiang Mai. A snorkeling incident off Koh Tao that required a speedboat medical transfer to Koh Samui hospital. A friend who slipped on wet limestone at Railay Beach and needed emergency dental work in Krabi — ฿15,000 ($429) out of pocket.
When we started traveling with our toddler, the math changed permanently. Beautiful islands, but the nearest serious hospital from places like Koh Tao or Pai is a boat ride or mountain drive away. A medical evacuation from a Thai island to Bangkok starts at $5,000–10,000 USD. One bad accident without insurance could wipe out your savings.
What I Was Looking For
My requirements were specific because of how we travel Thailand:
- Buy while already abroad — We sometimes extend trips or add a destination. I needed a policy I could activate from anywhere.
- Covers the whole family on one plan — Adding a spouse and child shouldn’t mean three separate policies.
- Works for multi-destination travel — We don’t sit at one resort. We’ll hit Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, and three islands in a single trip.
- Affordable for frequent travelers — We go to Thailand yearly. Annual policies were either expensive or restrictive.
- Flexible dates — No locked-in departure and return dates. We change plans constantly.
- Covers scooter accidents — This is critical in Thailand. Many policies exclude motorbike injuries unless you have a Thai license. SafetyWing covers motor vehicle accidents up to $250,000.
Most traditional travel insurance failed on at least two of these. World Nomads was close but expensive for families. Allianz required buying before departure.
What We Ended Up With
After comparing a dozen providers, we chose SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance. Here’s why it fits how we travel:
- ~$56 USD per 4 weeks — auto-renews every 28 days, cancel when you’re home, restart when you leave.
- Buy it while already traveling — most insurers require purchasing before departure. We’ve signed up mid-trip in Chiang Mai.
- Covers 180+ countries — one policy for Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, wherever else we end up.
- Family-friendly — one child under 10 is covered free per adult.
- Simple online claims — submit through their app or website.
We’ve used it for every Thailand trip since.
What It Covers
For reference, here’s what’s included on the Nomad Insurance plan:
- Medical & hospitalization — up to $250,000. Bangkok hospitals (Bumrungrad, BNH) are world-class but expensive without insurance.
- Emergency medical evacuation — up to $100,000. The one that matters on remote islands.
- Emergency dental — up to $1,000. Limestone climbing accidents happen.
- Lost checked luggage — $500 per item, $3,000 max.
- Travel delays — $100/day after a 12-hour delay, up to 2 days.
- Trip interruption — up to $5,000.
- Leisure sports — up to $250,000 for surfing, snorkeling, diving, hiking, rock climbing injuries. Critical for Thailand activities.
- Motor vehicle accidents — up to $250,000. Scooter rentals in Thailand are practically universal — this coverage matters.
What It Doesn’t Cover
No insurance covers everything. Here’s what’s excluded on the Essential plan:
- Pre-existing conditions — Standard across most travel insurance.
- Maternity & pregnancy — Not on the Essential plan. Their Remote Health plan covers this.
- Cancer treatment — Not on Essential. Remote Health is the option.
- Extreme sports — Professional/competitive sports, skydiving, bungee jumping. Leisure versions (snorkeling, diving, rock climbing, surfing) are covered.
- Deductible — $250 per policy period. Small claims under $250 come out of pocket.
None of these were dealbreakers for us.
Thailand-Specific Insurance Considerations
Hospital Quality Varies Dramatically
Bangkok has some of Asia’s best hospitals — Bumrungrad International is essentially a luxury hotel with medical equipment. But on Koh Tao, the “hospital” is a small clinic. On Pai, you’re looking at a basic facility that will stabilize you before transferring to Chiang Mai.
This is why evacuation coverage matters more in Thailand than in many other countries. The gap between island clinics and Bangkok hospitals is enormous.
Scooter Accidents Are the #1 Insurance Claim
Thailand’s winding mountain roads (the 762 curves to Pai are legendary) and island gravel roads are the top source of tourist injuries. Many standard travel insurance policies exclude motorbike injuries unless you hold a valid motorcycle license. SafetyWing covers motor vehicle accidents regardless.
That said — always wear a helmet, don’t drive drunk, and if you’re not comfortable on a scooter, use Grab or songthaews instead. Insurance is a safety net, not permission to be reckless.
Full Moon Party Realities
The monthly Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is famous — and infamous. Alcohol, fire shows, thousands of people on a beach. Injuries happen. Having insurance that covers leisure activities and doesn’t exclude alcohol-related incidents (SafetyWing covers up to the legal alcohol limit) provides real peace of mind.
We’ve Thankfully Never Used It
In all our trips with SafetyWing coverage, we’ve never filed a claim in Thailand. And that’s exactly the point. You hope you wasted your money. But if something goes wrong on a remote island, you don’t want to be figuring out how to pay for a speedboat medical transfer while it’s happening.
At ~$56 for four weeks — roughly ฿1,960, less than two nights at a mid-range hotel — it’s the cheapest peace of mind you’ll buy on any Thailand trip.
Scott’s Pro Tips
- Get insurance BEFORE you rent a scooter. Not after. Not “I’ll sign up tomorrow.” Before you turn that key.
- Take photos of your gear before you fly. If luggage is lost, having timestamped photos of your electronics, clothes, and valuables makes claims dramatically easier.
- Save the SafetyWing app offline. Download it and log in before heading to remote islands. You don’t want to be creating an account over spotty Koh Tao WiFi during an emergency.
- Bangkok hospitals accept insurance directly. Bumrungrad and BNH have international insurance desks. Smaller island clinics may require you to pay upfront and claim later — keep all receipts.
- Thailand requires proof of insurance for some visa types. If you’re applying for a Thailand Pass or long-stay visa, having SafetyWing documentation ready can save time.
Whatever provider you go with, just get something before you fly — especially if you’re island-hopping or renting scooters. Our Thailand packing list and budget guide cover the rest of the practical stuff.