This is the question our members in Phuket ask more than almost any other, usually about three weeks after they arrive and realise travel insurance isn't going to cut it for a two year stay.
Here are the 2026 numbers, plainly.
An international policy for someone aged 35 to 45 runs roughly 25,000 to 65,000 THB a year. Push into the 40 to 50 bracket on a hospital package and you are looking at 45,000 to 120,000 THB, depending on how wide the coverage goes. A mid tier global plan from one of the big names sits around USD 2,500 to 3,500 annually. Out of pocket, a specialist consultation at a private hospital costs 1,200 to 2,500 THB. Public consultations are 100 to 500 THB, but public care is not a realistic primary plan for most long term foreign residents.
The commonly accepted global insurers here include Cigna Global, Allianz Care, AXA, Bupa Global, Aetna International and IMG. What matters more than the brand is direct billing. Bangkok Hospital Phuket and Siriroj both bill directly for a number of international plans, which is the difference between walking out and fronting six figures in baht then chasing reimbursement for two months.
Two things worth knowing before you buy. Local Thai policies are often dramatically cheaper but frequently cap payouts at a level that a serious accident blows through in a week. And motorbike accidents, the single most common way people in Phuket end up in hospital, are excluded from a lot of policies unless you hold a valid licence for the bike you were riding. Read that clause specifically.
Get a broker to compare three quotes. It costs you nothing and the spread is wider than you would expect.