Thailand Travel Insurance for Australian Travellers
Few countries on earth combine tropical islands, world-famous street food, buzzing cities and ancient culture like Thailand — and few destinations are as popular with Australian travellers. Go Insurance provides Thailand travel insurance for Australians, with flexible comprehensive, budget and student options you can tailor during your quote. And because Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Thailand, travel insurance isn’t a nice-to-have for a Thai trip — it’s essential.
Cover is subject to the PDS, including its limits, conditions and exclusions. When you quote, select Thailand as your destination — it sits within the South East Asia region of travel. Visiting neighbouring countries too? Add each destination and your quote will cover the whole trip.
Thailand Cover at a Glance
The Land of Smiles — With Risks Worth Insuring
It’s widely known that few countries sport better tropical islands and heavenly sandy beaches than Thailand. You’ll find tranquil bliss on some of the most famous islands in the world — Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan and the iconic Ko Phi Phi Leh, which hosted the movie “The Beach”. In the capital, Bangkok, attractions like the Grand Palace, the Wat Arun Buddhist temple and Lumphini Park sit alongside massive shopping complexes and legendary markets. Thailand’s economy is driven by tourism, which means every taste is catered for — a cocktail of shopping, idyllic beaches, nightlife and authentic culture.
The flip side of paradise is what happens when a trip goes wrong there. Medicare provides no cover in Thailand, the international-standard private hospitals travellers rely on in Bangkok and Phuket expect payment or a guarantee up front, and a medical evacuation home to Australia can become one of the largest bills of your life. Add the scooter traffic, ferry crossings, dive sites and famously big nights out, and Thailand is exactly the kind of destination where flexible, well-understood travel insurance earns its keep.
What Your Thailand Cover Can Include
A Go Insurance policy for Thailand can provide benefits across the events that most commonly derail a Thai trip, subject to the limits, conditions and exclusions in the PDS.
Which Level of Cover Suits Your Trip?
Go Insurance lets you select exactly what’s covered, so you get the protection you want at a cost that suits your trip.
No Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Thailand
Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with a small number of countries — such as the United Kingdom and New Zealand — that give Australian travellers access to essential public medical care. Thailand is not one of them.
That means Medicare provides no cover of any kind in Thailand. If you’re injured or fall ill there, you’ll be treated as a private patient. Bangkok and Phuket are home to some excellent international-standard private hospitals, but they generally require payment or a guarantee before treating you — and if your condition needs care beyond what’s available locally, the only way home is a medical evacuation to Australia, a cost that can run far beyond what most travellers could fund themselves.
Travel insurance with overseas medical cover is the only safety net an Australian traveller has in Thailand. Go Insurance policies include access to 24/7 emergency assistance on +61 7 3481 9880, and if you’re admitted to hospital, or your medical costs are likely to exceed $2,000, you must contact us — it’s a condition of the policy, and it lets our team manage costs and your care directly with the hospital.
Scooters & Motorbikes — Know the Rules Before You Ride
From Phuket’s hills to the island roads of Ko Samui and Ko Pha-ngan, scooters are everywhere in Thailand — and scooter accidents are consistently among the most common and most expensive claims Australian travellers face there. Under the PDS, cover while riding a two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle only applies if strict conditions are met, including:
Also worth knowing: personal liability cover excludes claims arising from operating motorised vehicles including scooters, and rental vehicle excess cover doesn’t apply to scooter or motorbike hire. Read General Exclusion 23 in the PDS in full before you ride.
How to Get Covered for Thailand
Getting Thailand travel insurance with Go Insurance takes a few minutes — here’s how it works.
Get a Quote
Start your quote at goinsurance.com.au and select Thailand as your destination — it sits within the South East Asia region of travel. Add any other countries you’re visiting on the same trip.
Choose Your Cover Level
Select comprehensive, budget or student cover, and declare any pre-existing medical conditions so your cover is valid when you need it.
Add Optional Extras
Cruising, sailing between the islands or bringing your own board? Add cruise, sailing or water sports cover during the quote — extras can’t be added after purchase.
Confirm & Travel
Check your Certificate of Insurance shows everything you selected, save our 24/7 emergency assistance number, and enjoy the Land of Smiles.
Things to Know Before You Travel
Like all travel insurance, cover for Thailand has limits, conditions and exclusions. Key things to be aware of:
Your Thailand Pre-Travel Checklist
Thailand Travel Insurance — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything Australian travellers commonly ask about travel insurance for Thailand.
Do I need travel insurance for Thailand from Australia?
Yes — travel insurance is essential for Thailand. Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Thailand, Medicare provides no cover there, and the international-standard private hospitals in Bangkok and Phuket generally require payment or a guarantee up front. Travel insurance with overseas medical, evacuation and cancellation cover is the only financial safety net an Australian traveller has on a Thai trip.
Does Medicare cover me in Thailand?
No. Medicare provides no cover of any kind in Thailand, because Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Thailand. If you need treatment there you’ll be billed as a private patient for everything — consultations, ambulance transport, hospital care and any medical evacuation home to Australia — which is why overseas medical cover matters so much for a Thai trip.
What region is Thailand in when I get a Go Insurance quote?
Thailand sits within the South East Asia region of travel — so select Thailand as your destination when you quote. If your trip also takes in neighbouring countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam or Malaysia, add each destination and your quote will reflect the whole trip.
Am I covered to ride a scooter or motorbike in Thailand?
Only if you meet the conditions in the PDS. You must wear a helmet at all times regardless of local law, wear enclosed footwear and clothing with reasonable skin coverage, hold the right current Australian licence (motorcycle licence for motorcycles up to 250cc, or driver’s licence for scooters and mopeds up to 200cc) and hold a valid licence for Thailand. Passengers must wear a helmet too, with a driver who meets all of these requirements. Ride outside these conditions — as many travellers in Thailand do — and you won’t be covered.
Is scuba diving and snorkelling covered in Thailand?
Yes — scuba diving is automatically covered on an amateur, recreational basis, subject to General Exclusion 32 in the PDS. There’s no cover if you dive when unqualified and not under licensed instruction, dive alone, dive in caves, or dive deeper than 30 metres. Snorkelling, surfing and stand up paddle boarding are automatically covered too — good news for trips to Ko Tao, the Similan Islands and Phi Phi. See our sports and leisure cover page for the full activity list.
Am I covered if I’ve been drinking — say, at a Full Moon Party?
Enjoying a drink on holiday doesn’t void your policy, but there is no cover for claims where you’re impaired by alcohol — under the PDS that’s evidenced by a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10% or higher, or established from medical reports, third-party witness accounts or your own description of events. There’s also no cover for claims arising from taking non-prescription drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy or cocaine, regardless of local availability or local law. Thailand’s party scene is world famous — enjoy it, but stay in control, because claims arising from intoxication are among the most commonly declined. See General Exclusions 16 and 17 in the PDS.
Does travel insurance cover medical or dental treatment I travel to Thailand to get?
No. Thailand is a global hub for medical and dental tourism, but Go Insurance leisure travel insurance provides no cover for any claim arising from, or related to, travel undertaken for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment. That includes the treatment itself and complications connected to it. Our overseas medical cover is there for unexpected illness or injury that happens during a leisure trip — not for planned procedures.
What should I do if I get sick or hospitalised in Thailand?
Contact our 24/7 emergency assistance team as soon as possible on +61 7 3481 9880 or sos@goinsurance.com.au. If you’re admitted to hospital, or your medical costs are likely to exceed $2,000, contacting us is a condition of your policy — our team can then deal directly with the hospital, manage costs and arrange evacuation home if it’s needed. Our 1300 number generally won’t dial from overseas, so save the +61 number before you fly. After your trip, you can start a claim any time through our claims support page or by emailing claims@goinsurance.com.au — keep every receipt, medical report and police report to make your claim faster.