Reviewed 2026-10-31. General independent information; check current official immigration, financial and medical guidance before acting.
Expert take — Cost of Asia editorial team Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) asks for no health insurance, but the Long-Term Resident (LTR) remote-work route rejects travel insurance outright and wants at least US$50,000 of hospital cover in Thailand with 10 or more months left to run. If you might move from a DTV to an LTR later, a month-to-month travel-medical subscription will not count. Pick an annual health policy before you apply, or plan to show Thai social security or a US$100,000 deposit instead.
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Most nomads start with travel-medical insurance because it is cheap and you can cancel it anytime. That works while you are moving every few weeks. Once you settle into a base such as Chiang Mai, Da Nang, Canggu or Penang for six months or more, the gaps start to matter: routine care, chronic conditions, and visa paperwork.
This page compares the two routes, short-term travel-medical and full international health insurance, plus local plans for people who stay put. The trade-off is flexibility against depth of cover.
At a glance
| Best for | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nomads abroad 12+ months | Allianz Care (Care range) | Designed for people abroad a year or more, digital nomads included |
| Building your own plan | Cigna Global | Core inpatient cover plus optional outpatient and evacuation modules |
| Short trips and trial months | SafetyWing Nomad Insurance | Subscription you can start and stop |
| Staying in Thailand 180+ days a year | Luma or Pacific Cross | Local plans with direct billing, tied to Thai residence |
How we chose
- Published limits and whether evacuation is included
- Whether the policy counts as health insurance (not travel insurance) for visa purposes
- Residency rules and how the plan handles moving between countries
- Underwriting options for pre-existing conditions
We used insurer documents, Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) LTR checklist, and named broker summaries. We do not publish premiums. Checked on 31 October 2026. Visa rules change, so confirm on the official page before you apply.
1. Allianz Care — best for nomads abroad 12 months or more
Allianz Care's Care range, launched in November 2025, is aimed at people spending at least 12 months abroad, and Allianz names digital nomads among its target customers. The three tiers carry plan limits of about US$1.35 million (Base), US$2.7 million (Enhanced) and US$5 million (Signature), and Allianz says medical repatriation is included in all of them. Outpatient and dental cover are optional add-ons.
Allianz said the range launched mainly for the EU and UK, with Asia-Pacific plans to come later. If you are a resident in Southeast Asia, ask which plan family you would actually be quoted.
2. Cigna Global — best for building your own plan
Cigna Global lets you start with core inpatient cover and add modules for outpatient care, evacuation, wellbeing, and vision and dental. Cigna's February 2025 product summary lists annual maximums of US$1 million on Silver and US$2 million on Gold, with Platinum shown as paid in full. You choose worldwide cover with or without the US.
Evacuation is a separate module, so check it is on your quote. Cigna's summary also states that premiums can change at each renewal and rise with age. It sets no maximum age to buy or renew, which matters if you expect nomad life to turn into a long-term move.
3. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance — best for short trips and trial months
SafetyWing sells Nomad Insurance as a subscription you can start and stop. A third-party review updated in November 2025 lists US$250,000 of medical cover on its Essential plan. The catch is the category: it is travel-medical cover, built for emergencies, and Thailand's BOI checklist says travel insurance cannot be used for the LTR. We could not retrieve SafetyWing's policy wording this month, so check its site for the age limit, home-country days and pre-existing condition rules.
What would this move really cost you?
Use your own rent, insurance, transport and visa assumptions. Compare options before committing.
4. Luma or Pacific Cross — best if Thailand is your base
If you live in Thailand most of the year, a Thai local plan can cost less than an international one and bill hospitals directly. Broker Pacific Prime reports that Luma's Hi 5 and Prime plans require about 180 days a year of residence in Thailand, and that Pacific Cross requires at least six months in any 12. Both are described as offering long renewal: to age 99 for Luma, lifetime for Pacific Cross.
Those residency rules make local plans a poor fit if you split your year between countries.
What to check before you decide
- Is it health insurance or travel insurance? That decides whether it counts for long-stay visas.
- Evacuation: included, a module, or domestic-only?
- Home-country cover: how many days, and does it apply if you return for treatment?
- Residency: does the plan require you to live in one country?
- Underwriting: under moratorium terms, Allianz Care excludes recent pre-existing conditions until you go 24 continuous months without symptoms or treatment.
FAQ
Is travel insurance enough for a digital nomad in Southeast Asia?
For short stays, often yes. For a base of six months or more, or for Thailand's LTR visa, no: the BOI checklist requires a health insurance policy with at least US$50,000 of hospital cover, and travel insurance is not accepted.
Do I need insurance for Thailand's DTV?
Insurance is not on the DTV document list, according to Issa Compass and Allianz Ayudhya. It is still wise to have cover: a hospital stay in a private Bangkok hospital is paid out of pocket otherwise.
Can I keep one policy while moving between countries?
Yes, with an international plan. Local plans are tied to residence in one country.
Related guides
- Expat health insurance: the complete guide
- Best cities in Southeast Asia for digital nomads
- Thailand digital nomad visa
- Best international health insurance in Southeast Asia
- Destination finder
Sources
- BOI: LTR Work-From-Thailand Professional required documents (Jun 2025) — US$50,000 cover, 10 months remaining, travel insurance refused, alternatives
- Issa Compass: health insurance and Thai visas (Oct 2026) — DTV has no insurance requirement
- Allianz Ayudhya: health insurance for foreigners — DTV insurance not mandatory
- Allianz Care: new Care range announcement (19 Nov 2025) — target customers, repatriation, markets
- Allianz Care: Care plans — tier limits, add-ons
- Allianz Care: switching insurers — moratorium rule
- Cigna Global Health Options product summary (Feb 2025) — modules, limits, renewal and age terms
- Digital Nomads World: Cigna Global review (Nov 2025) — SafetyWing Essential medical maximum
- Pacific Prime Thailand: Luma plans — residency rule, renewal to 99
- Pacific Prime Thailand: Pacific Cross plans (Jul 2025) — six-month residency rule
- Pacific Prime: Pacific Cross Thailand (Aug 2026) — lifetime renewability
Choose the right services for your move.
Explore independent selection criteria and optionally request an introduction. No provider referral, delivery time or quotation is guaranteed.
