On this trip to Thailand, I decided to buy insurance at a higher price - ERV (Euro-Centr), since according to reviews it should have been better and, in particular, on Koh Samui, I sent it to Bangkok Hospital. And I was not wrong. As a result of insurance, we ended up in 3 hospitals - pneumonia, getting into intensive care, transportation by sanitary aviation to Bangkok, huge bills for treatment.
The content of the article
ERV and pneumonia insurance in Thailand
Life hack. If you buy using the link, it will be 12% cheaper and you will be given the option "Telemedicine" as a gift. This is an online consultation with Russian doctors, you can always find out whether to go to the hospital, clarify the prescription of a Thai doctor, ask about medications, etc.. detailed instructions.
ERV insurance with a 12% discount>
The story is long, with sanitary aviation, resuscitation, tears and so on. In total, we spent almost a month in the hospital, and not in one, but in three at once. In order not to overload the post, otherwise it will turn into a long sheet, I will try briefly and to the point: about the prices, about the speed of the assistance, in general, some review about the work of the insurance ERV.
And the details will be on the links leading to the description of the hospitals. Looking ahead, I want to say that I am really very pleased with ERV and very glad that I did not make Liberty, which most likely would have sent us, because the amount was huge. Spent about 1.5 million baht (3 million rubles).
Phuket Provincial Hospital
On December 31st, in Phuket, my son Yegor had a sharp fever and a cough. The next morning I called the phone number listed in the policy and told me what had happened. They asked only the number of the policy, the date of arrival and departure, they did not ask for a scan of the passport / visa / stamp. Asistens reacted quickly, after 20 minutes they called back and sent an SMS with the address of the hospital, it turned out to be a hospital - Phuket Provincial Hospital. Honestly, I was embarrassed that we were sent to such a hospital, I thought there would be something cooler.
Upon arrival, the letter of guarantee was not found immediately, I had to call the assistance. But after 10 minutes all the paperwork was settled. They did not take the passport as collateral, and neither did the cash deposit. The hospital is Thai, but it seems to be considered quite good among Thais, and they told me so on the phone. The doctor performed the examination together with an interpreter. Admission + medications = 3000 baht, the insurance paid without question, that is, we just left. More about Phuket Provincial Hospital.
Phuket Provincial Hospital
Phuket International Hospital
After 2 days, it did not get better, he called the Assistance again and said that he needed a second appointment. Only this time asked for another hospital. Not quite willingly, but sent to International, saying that they had a lot of clients served in Provincial and were happy. Upon arrival, they again waited a little while the Thais find a letter of guarantee.
After the doctor's examination (we refused an interpreter, since she spoke English more or less), we took an X-ray rather quickly, took a blood test, and put me on a drip (dehydration). And when the results were ready, Yegor was hospitalized with bronchitis. Just at this stage they took my passport as a deposit. They also offered to choose the type of ward and I asked for the one that is paid by the insurance, that is, without an upgrade.
Then for 6 days we were treated in a Phuket hospital, we had a gorgeous ward where the three of us were (there was a folding sofa). They went out into the street for a walk in a cool car, in which a child was sitting, and a dropper hung on top of a metal pin.
Everything was great, but something went wrong. An hour before discharge (we had already been discharged, we were waiting for documents!), Deterioration set in abruptly and Yegor thundered with pneumonia into intensive care unit with artificial lung ventilation. The bill for 6 days of hospital + 1 day in intensive care was 134 thousand baht. The passport was given without any problems upon discharge from the hospital, we did not talk about money. More about Phuket International Hospital.
Ward at Phuket International Hospital
We ride a typewriter with a dropper around the territory
Transportation Phuket - Bangkok
Let me remind you that if you are traveling to Thailand, then you definitely need to make travel insurance, since medicine in Thailand is very expensive. I got 3 million rubles, but the insurance paid for everything. I have very useful post on the topic of insurance, with a rating of insurance for Thailand and all the nuances: how to use, how to choose, etc. Be sure to read.
Since the intensive care unit in Phuket International is not particularly intended for children, and according to our doctor, there were no places at Bangkok Phuket Hospital, the insurance company decided to transport Egor to Bangkok by plane. After spending a day in the intensive care unit of Phuket, Yegor was transported by ambulance to the capital. To and from the airport by ambulance.
There was another option to transport it completely by car, but it was not we who decided, but the doctors and the insurance company, apparently decided not to risk it. Air transportation went well. It was clear from the actions of the doctors that this is a cool team that knows what it is doing. The flight cost about 420 thousand baht.
Sanaviation Phuket-Bangkok
Samitivej Bangkok Hospital
When I ended up in Bangkok at Samitivej Bangkok Hospital and talked to a pulmonologist, I finally got relief, as it was clearly evident that the doctor understood what he was doing. It's just that I have a habit of always checking all actions and appointments with other doctors (well, as far as possible), and in this case, our doctor did not forget anything, she knew the answer to all my questions, and she also told me that there was no treatment in Phuket quite correct.
Indeed, if you are really sick, it is better in Bangkok, and not in a resort. I talked to how many doctors and people on the topic, everyone said that medicine is much stronger in the capital of Thailand. Well, everything is just like we have in Russia, just like that, immediately to Moscow / St. Petersburg 🙂
Egor spent 15 days in intensive care, of which 12 days with mechanical ventilation. The intensive care unit was very cool, I had only seen such people in films before. The doctor came 1-2 times a day, the nurse was constantly on duty (one per ward) and when it was necessary to wash the child or to sanitize the bronchi, several more came to the rescue.
All the time the financial manager was in touch (if necessary) and sometimes I received a call from the assistance of the insurance company. The staff at the hospital spoke English, however, the nurses are so-so, but the doctor is generally bilingual, her English is her second native (not Thai).
Then Yegor was transferred to the pediatric ward, where he spent another 8 days. Everything looked like a ward in Phuket, the same sofa, refrigerator, TV and so on. Only a bed in the form of a mattress on the floor, for small children, a very good solution, in my opinion.
In the hospital, the total bill was more than 1 million baht. More about Samitivej Bangkok Hospital.
Resuscitation at Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, before recovery
Together with the attending physician after discharge
Impressed the grand piano in Samitive, somehow unexpectedly for the hospital
My review about the insurance company ERV
Everything ended well, we lived in Bangkok for a month near the hospital (were observed), then spent a month near the sea, where Egor was recovering, crawling along the beach and breathing the sea air, and then returned to Moscow. Let's move on to practical points.
How ERV worked
From personal experience I can safely recommend ERV.
- The best choice for a child, as there is no multiplying factor due to age.
- Dengue fever, baggage loss, exacerbations of chronic diseases, riding a motorcycle are included.
- Insurance for complications of pregnancy and childbirth up to 31 weeks (the best insurance for pregnant women)
We got the experience of staying in three hospitals in Thailand and the experience of communicating with the insurance company. The EPV insurance company and their assistance worked well. Yes, I called them almost every day, I was worried, asked questions, but it seems to me that my calls did not help much.
All issues were resolved promptly and without my calls. At the very beginning, I received the address of the hospital 20 minutes after calling the assistance. Then the decision to transport from Phuket to Bangkok was made and everything was organized in a day. And then in Bangkok, the Samitivej hospital received us and treated us under a letter of guarantee for a large amount without any collateral.
ERV insurance with a 12% discount>
Our regular readers know that Yegor has a genetic syndrome, due to which we are running from winter and in particular ended up in Thailand. This feature could affect such a course of the disease. However, this still needs to be proved, because, at least, there was a doctor's jamb in Phuket, and it was even possible to sue, but you understand that we had no time for that then..
But I'm talking about something else now, if the doctor in the hospital decides that this is somehow connected with a chronic disease and informs the insurance company about it, then she may well refuse you, if the policy initially does not categorically cover anything related to the chronic one. So, the insurance from ERV covers emergency situations related to the chronicle, it was according to this scheme that we were paid. I hope they will not remove this clause from their contract..
I myself am surprised, I did not believe until the last that they would pay in full.
My findings
You know, after this incident, I was once again convinced that it is necessary to make insurance and now I will not save on it. On the one hand, a regular visit to a doctor costs only 1-3 thousand baht, which is not critical. On the other hand, you can see for yourself how much a hospital stay can be. Even one day in the hospital will be enough to discourage the purchase of insurance for several years in advance..
Repeatedly acquaintances with the children ended up in the hospital for 1-2 days because of dehydration in the child (it was necessary to drip a drip) and received a bill for 20-30 thousand baht, it is good that there was insurance. Also in Tae they often fight on bikes or pedestrians are knocked down, I have heard enough of such stories in the hospital ... Better to be safe.
In our case, the bills for the first days in intensive care were about 100 thousand baht / day, which terrified me. It's good that there was insurance.
- Insurance must be done, do not hesitate! Let it be inexpensive, but workable. So read my post about insurance and assistance, and choose. Of course, read the forums too..
- It is better for a child to buy insurance at a higher price with an amount of $ 100 thousand. It is the child's body that can react to some kind of infection in the form of complications, which will require hospitalization or even medical aviation, because everyone is resting in resorts, and not in Bangkok. And it is the ambulance that can gobble up most of the insurance..
- Patriots may not believe me, but after talking with different people «in places», and also having got into such a situation later, I can say - do not count on the Ministry of Emergency Situations. They won't just fly. Such a flight is very expensive and costs about 100 thousand dollars; it is unprofitable to fly with one person. Think for yourself, it's logical. I’ll even say more, they didn’t even come for a few. Therefore, either your own money or insurance.
- If they asked me where it is better to get sick like this, I would firmly answer that in Tae, where the child is not allowed into the intensive care unit without any problems, but even they themselves are asked to be present so that the child is not afraid and so that the parent can on time calm the child down. We were on duty around the clock. Well, and equipment, space!
If I ever go to Tai with a child, I will buy good and expensive insurance anyway. And the insured amount will be $ 100 thousand.
P.S. Something didn’t work out briefly, but the story was long. Money for everyone and don't get sick!
