Learn how travel insurance could help Canadians if you get sick or injured on your trip to Thailand.
As featured in:
Thailand welcomes thousands of Canadian travellers each year. Whether you’re checking out the Bangkok nightlife, the water buffalo races in Chonburi or have your sights set on more off the beaten path spots in Thailand like Mu Ko Chang National Park, as nomads ourselves, we’ve had our share of good times in Thailand.
We’ve danced the night away in Ko Pha-Ngan at Thailand’s epic Full Moon Parties, trekked through the jungle, and enjoyed the flavorful local dishes like Khao Soi and Pad Thai. And, we’ve learned a few things along the way and love to share our Thailand travel tips (check out our article: What to know before you go to Thailand).
When you’re planning your trip to Thailand, there are some things you just can’t foresee. We had a claim from one of our nomads who needed surgery after they broke their leg in Koh Samui. We had another claim from one of our nomads who had a camera stolen on the crowded streets of Khao San Road in Bangkok. These events definitely weren't planned, but a World Nomads travel insurance plan for Thailand could help if you run into trouble on your overseas adventure.
With any overseas travel, there’s always going to be some things you can’t plan for - like cancelled trips, natural disasters, medical emergencies, and delayed baggage. Because of these unforeseen situations, travel insurance should be something you consider. There are different plans to choose from, and when you get a quote you can compare the options to determine the best international travel insurance for your needs.
Your Thailand adventure may take you surfing in Phuket or kayaking the Run Tee River. You may also decide to hike to Tarn Lod Yai - a massive ancient sea cave. World Nomads travel insurance covers more than 250 activities for Canadians travelling to Thailand - including surfing, kayaking, and hiking.
We recommend that you think about the types of adventures and activities you’ll be doing while you’re there. When you get a quote for travel insurance for Thailand, you’ll need to list your planned activities. You won’t be able to add or remove activities after you make your purchase, so make sure you add them all at that time you purchase your policy. If you’re participating in an activity that isn’t listed in your policy wording, you can contact us to determine if you will be covered.
Motorbiking is common in Thailand, and in some instances, it could be covered by your travel insurance policy - but it’s not guaranteed. Just because it’s easy to rent a motorbike there doesn’t mean you should, and it doesn’t mean you’ll be covered.
We get a lot of accident claims from nomads who hop on a motorized bike for the first time in Thailand because it’s cheap and easy to rent. However, safety is not always top priority for other drivers – speed and convenience is. The rules of the road and the road quality itself can be very different from back home in Canada. Motorbike accidents are quite common (it’s one of our most common claims) and it’s very important to know that if you don’t have the proper license for motorbiking, your travel insurance for Thailand won’t cover you.
If motorbiking is something you insist on doing, you’ll need to look at getting the proper license for motorbiking in Thailand before you leave Canada. You can get specific license requirements for Thailand on the Canadian government’s website. You’ll also want to review your policy wording carefully when you get a quote for travel insurance for Thailand.
Before you leave Canada, consult with your doctor to see if you may need certain vaccinations or antimalarial medication for your trip to Thailand. We also recommend packing a strong mosquito repellent, as this can help protect you from things like dengue fever and malaria.
While these preparations can help, there’s still a chance you could get sick or injured during your travels in Thailand. If you get lunch from a street vendor and get travellers diarrhea or if you're stung by a poisonous jellyfish off Koh Lanta, emergency medical travel insurance could reimburse you for certain medical expenses. Your Government Health Insurance Plan may only pay a small portion, if any, of your medical expenses while you’re in Thailand.
If you get hurt while hiking in a remote jungle in Thailand, you may find limited medical services available. Our 24/7 emergency assistance team will be able to help refer you to a place that offers the level of care that you need. They can also help communicate with your medical team if they don’t speak English or French.
If your doctor determines that it’s best for you to go home to Canada to get medical care, the repatriation coverage that is included in your travel insurance for Thailand may cover the costs to get you there when approved in advance by our medical department.
If you’re headed to the beautiful Phi Phi Islands for a beach getaway, you’ve likely packed one (or five) new swimsuits. If you check your bags in Canada, and then realize that the airline lost your bag, the baggage coverage included in your travel insurance for Thailand may reimburse you for the cost to replace your belongings. When you get a quote, you can check the policy wording in your international travel insurance policy to get the specific details on depreciation and policy limits.
If you’re lucky, the bag just took a detour and will eventually make its way to you. Even a delayed bag can be stressful though. If this happens, you could still be reimbursed for a change of clothes and toiletries until you and your bag are reunited.
Sometimes you have the perfect getaway planned, but things happen that can cancel, interrupt, or delay your trip.
Thailand is located in an active seismic zone, and there’s the possibility of natural disasters that can affect your travels. If your trip to Krabi is cancelled because an earthquake has destroyed your destination residence or the Canadian Government issues an advisory against travel to the destination, country or region listed on your itinerary (and the advisory is issued after the date you paid for your prepaid travel arrangement and after the date you purchased your policy) , your travel insurance for Thailand could help you be reimbursed for non-refundable tours and hotel accommodations that you paid for in advance.
Travel insurance could also help if you’re already on your trip and something happens. For example, you may need to go back to Canada early if an immediate family member back home has an unexpected medical emergency.
Make sure to keep all documentation and receipts for the non-refundable travel arrangements you paid for in advance- you’ll need those if you make a claim.
Before you leave Canada, we encourage you to check out the Canadian government’s safety warnings for Thailand to review their up-to-date warnings on any advisories that may exist at that time.
If you purchase travel insurance for Thailand, it’s also a good idea to save the 24/7 Emergency Assistance phone number and your policy number in your phone so you don’t have to search for that if an emergency happens.
We also recommend saving all receipts and documentation for activities, transportation, and accommodations that you have booked. If you need to make a claim, you’ll need those things.
And finally, take the time to study up on the laws in Thailand before your trip. You won’t be smiling in the land of smiles if you end up in jail. We also suggest you educate yourself on ethical wildlife encounters; you may have opportunities to see exotic animals (elephants, tigers, gibbons, etc.) but you don’t want to contribute to the suffering of these majestic creatures. Never ride an elephant or take selfies with captive animals – doing so only harms their species.
This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. It is important you read and understand your policy as it contains benefits, conditions, exclusions and pre-existing condition exclusions. If you do not understand your coverage, or if you have questions, just ask us.
Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.
We’ve got your back.
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
We’ve got your back.
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
Help starts here.
Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
Help starts here.
Whether you need medical or dental assistance or advice, emergency evacuation or travel assistance, our team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
Telephone +1 866 878 0192 (toll-free from Canada and the Continental U.S.) or +1 416 646 3723 (collect from anywhere else in the world)
Contact the teamBefore your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.