Articles
Insurance, tax and financial planning explained in plain language.
Most of our articles are currently available in Thai only. This page lists the ones that have been translated.
Credit card campaigns for paying insurance premiums, July 2026 (6 banks)
A summary of credit card benefits for paying Thai Life Insurance premiums — cashback and 0% instalment offers from six partner banks, with promotion periods and links to each bank's terms.
2 July 2026 · 4 min read
Hospital room rates in Chiang Mai (latest update)
Inpatient room rates at 10 hospitals in Chiang Mai, listed hospital by hospital — every room type from shared wards to suites and ICU, with a source link for each.
11 June 2026 · 5 min read
What is keyman insurance? A plain guide for business owners
Keyman insurance, where the company holds a policy on a person essential to the business. How it works, its advantages and limits, and the tax points to understand before deciding.
11 June 2026 · 6 min read
Hospital room rates in Lamphun (latest update)
Inpatient room rates at private hospitals in Lamphun, listed hospital by hospital — from standard rooms to suites and ICU, with a source link for each.
11 June 2026 · 3 min read
Using life and health insurance for Thai tax deductions: where to start
The basics of claiming life and health insurance premiums against Thai personal income tax, and a starting checklist for anyone new to it.
1 June 2026 · 2 min read
How to choose health insurance that suits you
The factors that matter when choosing health insurance — the treatment limit, the cover conditions, and a premium budget you can sustain for the long run.
18 May 2026 · 2 min read
Retirement planning with an annuity policy: what beginners should know
An introduction to annuity insurance — how it works, who it suits, how far the tax deduction goes, and what to consider before deciding.
5 May 2026 · 2 min read
What is surrendering a policy, and what should you consider?
Understanding the surrender of a life insurance policy — where the money comes from, and what to weigh up before cancelling your cover.
25 April 2026 · 2 min read
What is paid-up value?
The option to stop paying premiums while keeping cover through paid-up value — which situations it suits, and what changes.
18 April 2026 · 2 min read
What is extended term insurance?
Understanding the option to stop paying premiums while keeping the same sum insured for a shorter period of cover, and what to consider before using it.
10 April 2026 · 2 min read
Borrowing against your policy: the advantages and the cautions
A life policy with a cash value can be borrowed against. How the mechanism works, which situations it suits, and what to watch out for.
2 April 2026 · 2 min read
What is a waiting period, and why does it exist?
Understanding waiting periods in health insurance — why you can't claim immediately, what kinds of period there are, and how to plan so your cover isn't interrupted.
24 March 2026 · 2 min read
Exclusions: what insurance doesn't cover, and what to know before you buy
Insurance does not cover everything. The exclusions commonly found in life and health policies, so you understand the boundaries of your cover before deciding.
16 March 2026 · 2 min read
Withholding information when applying: what can follow
Why declaring your health truthfully matters, and what concealment or a false statement does to the contract and to future claims.
8 March 2026 · 2 min read
Why claims get denied: the common reasons
The most common reasons an insurance claim is refused, and how to prevent each one — from before you buy to the day you submit.
26 February 2026 · 2 min read
How does underwriting work?
Behind the scenes of the underwriting process, from submitting the application to the day the policy is approved — what the company looks at, and what the outcomes can be.
17 February 2026 · 2 min read
Your first policy: where should you start?
New to insurance and unsure where to begin? A step-by-step way to think it through — from the risks closest to you, to a premium you can sustain, to reading the conditions before you decide.
9 February 2026 · 2 min read
Who is the beneficiary, and how do you name one correctly?
Understanding the beneficiary's role in a life insurance policy — naming them, splitting the proceeds, and updating the designation as life changes.
2 February 2026 · 2 min read
Forgot to pay your premium? Grace periods and policy reinstatement
Does a late or missed premium end the policy immediately? Understanding the grace period, lapse, and applying to reinstate the policy.
26 January 2026 · 2 min read
The free look period: your right to cancel after receiving the policy
Understanding your right to examine the policy and cancel it within a set period after receiving it — the conditions, and what you should do with that window.
19 January 2026 · 2 min read
How many types of life insurance are there, and how do they differ?
A summary of the main types of life insurance — term, whole life, endowment, annuity and unit-linked — and what each is designed to answer.
12 January 2026 · 2 min read
What are riders, and which ones should you attach?
Understanding the riders attached to a main policy — the types, how they work, and how to choose the ones worth the premium.
5 January 2026 · 2 min read
How much life cover should you have? A method you can follow
Work out the sum insured that fits you, from your debts, your family's expenses and the goals you want to provide for — with a note on the premium budget.
22 December 2025 · 2 min read
How to claim on health insurance: fax claim vs paying first
The health insurance claim process explained simply — claiming directly through the hospital and claiming back afterwards — with the documents to prepare.
15 December 2025 · 2 min read
Your annual policy review: what to look at
Set an appointment with yourself once a year to review every policy you hold — a checklist of what to check, and the signs that it is time to adjust the plan.
8 December 2025 · 2 min read
Critical illness cover vs health insurance: how do they differ?
Two terms that sound alike but work very differently. Health insurance pays the treatment bill; critical illness cover pays a lump sum. Here is what each is for.
1 December 2025 · 2 min read
Buying through an agent, a broker or online: what's the difference?
A neutral comparison of the ways to buy insurance — agents, brokers, banks and online — who each suits, and what to check before you buy.
24 November 2025 · 2 min read
Freelancers and the self-employed: planning insurance with no company benefits
Independent workers have no group scheme behind them. How to order the cover you need, and how to budget premiums when income is irregular.
17 November 2025 · 2 min read
Financial planning for new graduates
First job, first salary — how do you manage money so it doesn't run out before the month does? Five foundations to lay in your first year of work.
10 November 2025 · 2 min read
The 6 Jars method: dividing your money into six pots
An introduction to the six jars system — dividing income into proportions by purpose, and how to adapt it to your own life.
3 November 2025 · 2 min read
The financial pyramid: what to do first, and what can wait
An introduction to the financial pyramid — a way to order your priorities, from a foundation of security through saving and investing to passing wealth on.
27 October 2025 · 2 min read
Estate planning: when should you start?
Estate planning is not only for the wealthy or the elderly. Why you should start earlier than you think, and the basic tools available.
20 October 2025 · 2 min read
Paying off your mortgage early: the advantages and what to consider
Is rushing to clear the mortgage really best? Weighing the interest you save against liquidity and other financial opportunities.
13 October 2025 · 2 min read
Career progression for an insurance agent: which way can you grow?
Being an agent is not only about selling. The paths available — the specialist route, the team management route, and professional qualifications.
6 October 2025 · 2 min read
Is being an insurance agent worth it? A Gen Y perspective
For Gen Y, building a family and wanting freedom over their own time — how well does this profession answer that? The advantages and what to think hard about.
29 September 2025 · 2 min read
Is being an insurance agent worth it? A Gen Z perspective
For Gen Z, raised online and wanting to be their own boss — what does this profession look like today, and who does it suit?
22 September 2025 · 2 min read
Starting out as a new insurance agent: what to do first
A checklist for new agents — the licence exam, learning the products, building a prospect list, and the working habits that get you through.
15 September 2025 · 2 min read
What licences and qualifications does an insurance agent hold?
Life insurance agent licences and renewal, the investment consultant licence, and the professional financial planning qualifications that raise an agent's standard.
8 September 2025 · 2 min read
What is co-payment in health insurance?
Understanding co-payment — the mechanism that comes with modern health insurance, how it works, and how much it actually affects policyholders.
1 September 2025 · 2 min read
What is the New Health Standard?
The new standard for health insurance that the regulator requires every company to use — what changed, and what holders of old and new policies should know.
25 August 2025 · 2 min read
Co-payment vs deductible: what is the difference?
Two terms that get used interchangeably in health insurance. One is a share of every bill, the other a fixed first amount. Here is how each works, and who each suits.
18 August 2025 · 2 min read
When does copayment apply?
What conditions lead to a copayment being applied to a health policy at renewal, and how to use your entitlement so you don't meet them unnecessarily.
11 August 2025 · 2 min read
Choosing health insurance that fits: a five-step checklist
A step-by-step checklist for choosing health insurance — reviewing what you already have, setting the limit, choosing the plan structure, checking the conditions, and testing the premium long term.
4 August 2025 · 2 min read
Fax claim vs paying first and claiming back: what's the difference?
A clear comparison of the two ways to claim on health insurance — the steps, the paperwork, the timing, and which one to use in which situation.
28 July 2025 · 3 min read
Universal coverage (the gold card): what you should know
The national universal health coverage scheme — who is eligible, where it can be used, what it covers, and the points to understand correctly.
21 July 2025 · 2 min read
Healthcare entitlements under social security: what you should know
What medical treatment social security insured persons are entitled to, where to use it, how far it goes, and the points people commonly misunderstand.
14 July 2025 · 2 min read
Your group insurance entitlements: what you should know
What your workplace group scheme covers, how it differs from a personal policy, and why relying on it alone is a risk.
7 July 2025 · 3 min read
Universal coverage vs social security: what's the difference?
The gold card and social security are Thailand's two main healthcare entitlements. Who uses which, can you choose, and what is each one strong at?
30 June 2025 · 2 min read
Claiming a daily hospital cash benefit
What the daily benefit for a hospital stay is, how it differs from treatment cover, how to claim it, and what documents to prepare.
23 June 2025 · 2 min read
Making a death claim: the process and the documents
A guide for families making a life insurance death claim — notifying the insurer, the documents required, and how long the assessment takes.
16 June 2025 · 2 min read
Can you get life insurance with an existing condition?
Diabetes, high blood pressure, or a history of treatment — can you still take out life insurance? How companies assess it, and what options exist.
9 June 2025 · 2 min read
When is a medical examination required before taking out insurance?
Does everyone have to be examined? What makes a company request one, what is tested, and how the results affect the application.
2 June 2025 · 2 min read
Hereditary conditions: what are they, and can you still get insured?
The groups of conditions linked to genetics, how much family history affects an insurance application, and how to prepare.
26 May 2025 · 2 min read
Setting up automatic premium payments
How to set up automatic premium deduction from a bank account or credit card, what the advantages are, and what to watch so your policy never lapses.
19 May 2025 · 2 min read
The premium payment certificate: what it's for and where to get it
What the premium payment certificate is, how necessary it is for filing tax, the channels for requesting it, and how data now reaches the Revenue Department.
12 May 2025 · 2 min read
What not to do if you want to keep your policy in force
The habits that put a policy at risk of lapsing or being voided without you realising — from how you answer the health questions to letting premiums fall behind.
5 May 2025 · 2 min read
Where does an unclaimed sum insured go?
If the beneficiary doesn't know a policy exists, or nobody comes forward to claim, where does that money go — and how can a family trace a policy belonging to someone who has died?
28 April 2025 · 3 min read
Critical illness and the cost of treatment: an overview
Why critical illness hits your finances harder than expected, how many layers of cost there are, and how to plan for both the treatment and the life you live while ill.
21 April 2025 · 2 min read
Money planning the Japanese way: ideas worth learning from
Financial principles often discussed in Japanese society — disciplined saving, the kakeibo household ledger, and a culture of insuring for the family's sake.
14 April 2025 · 2 min read
American-style financial planning: ideas worth borrowing
Lessons from the American approach to money — making money work through investment, a culture of planning your own retirement, and seeing insurance as the guardian of the plan.
7 April 2025 · 2 min read
Money planning the Jewish way: ideas worth learning from
Financial wisdom passed down in Jewish culture — investing in knowledge, spreading risk, teaching children about money, and giving as part of the plan.
31 March 2025 · 2 min read
Chinese-family financial planning: ideas worth learning
Lessons from the way Chinese families handle money — saving before spending, building from nothing, the family business, and preparing for the next generation.
24 March 2025 · 2 min read
Financial planning through Confucian philosophy
Money seen through Confucian ideas — moderation, lifelong learning, responsibility to family, and thinking far ahead — applied to a modern financial plan.
17 March 2025 · 2 min read
Preparing for a first child: what will it cost?
An overview of the expense categories from pregnancy to school age, so expectant parents can see the picture and plan their finances with confidence.
10 March 2025 · 3 min read
Building a long-term fund for raising your children
How to build a fund for your children systematically — separating goals by stage, choosing the right tool for each horizon, and protecting the whole plan.
3 March 2025 · 3 min read
Annual health checks by age: a general guide
What to look at in an annual health check in your 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s and beyond — an overview to help you plan your own care and use the benefits you already have.
24 February 2025 · 3 min read
Is being an insurance agent worth it? A Gen X perspective
For Gen X, decades into a career and looking at the second half of life — can being an insurance agent be the answer? A full look at both sides.
17 February 2025 · 2 min read
When a friend starts selling insurance: how to handle it
A close friend has just become an agent and messaged you. Turning them down risks the friendship; buying risks your money. How to handle it while keeping both.
10 February 2025 · 2 min read
What people quietly expect from a friend who is an insurance agent
The other side of the friend-who-sells-insurance story: what the people around us expect from an agent who is also a friend, and how an agent can meet those expectations professionally.
3 February 2025 · 3 min read
Common misconceptions about working as an insurance agent
Is it direct selling? Do you have to be pushy? Is the money really good? A straight look at the most common myths about the insurance agent profession.
27 January 2025 · 3 min read
The grace period: how late can you pay the premium?
A close look at the premium grace period — how many days late you can be, whether cover continues during it, and how to use it to your advantage.
20 January 2025 · 2 min read
What is an automatic premium loan (APL)? Can a policy really pay its own premium?
How the automatic premium loan works — the policy borrowing against its own cash value to pay the premium when you cannot. Is there interest, and what should you watch out for?
13 January 2025 · 3 min read
Temporarily unable to pay the premium: how to keep the policy
A decision guide for when cash flow falters — comparing every option from the grace period and APL to reducing the sum insured, paid-up value and extended term, so the policy doesn't lapse.
6 January 2025 · 3 min read
Main hospitals in Chiang Mai: phone numbers and addresses to keep on your phone
Contact details for the main public and private hospitals in Chiang Mai, with notes on using your insurance entitlements and preparing before you travel to hospital.
30 December 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Chiang Rai: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospitals in Chiang Rai, with notes on using your insurance, preparing before you go, and what to do in an emergency.
23 December 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Lamphun: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Lamphun, notes on using your insurance, and the advantage of living close to the north's medical hub.
16 December 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Lampang: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Lampang, how to choose your family's regular hospital, what documents to carry, and notes on using your insurance.
9 December 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Phrae: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Phrae, why calling ahead matters more than you'd think, and notes on using both state entitlements and private insurance.
2 December 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Nan: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Nan, with advice for visitors and residents alike on medication, healthcare entitlements and claiming on insurance.
25 November 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Phayao: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Phayao, how to plan health matters for a family with older members, and notes on using your insurance.
18 November 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Mae Hong Son: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Mae Hong Son, with advice on preparing for health matters in mountainous country where travel takes time.
11 November 2024 · 2 min read
Main hospitals in Uttaradit: the numbers and addresses to know
Contact details for the main hospital in Uttaradit, plus an annual health and insurance review to keep the family prepared.
4 November 2024 · 2 min read
Thai Life Insurance forms and what each one is for
A guide to Thai Life Insurance's forms for policyholders — what each is used for, what to attach, grouped for easy reference with the official download link.
28 October 2024 · 4 min read
3 questions everyone asks before buying insurance
Which plan, how much cover, and how much premium is right? The three questions everyone asks, with a way to find your own answers step by step.
21 October 2024 · 3 min read
Health insurance premiums and Thai tax deductions: how much can you claim?
How much of your own and your parents' health insurance premiums you can deduct from Thai personal income tax, the conditions that apply, and the mistakes that leave people short.
14 October 2024 · 3 min read
When the premium becomes unaffordable, what should you do?
Income down, obligations up, and the premium starts to hurt. Do not abandon the policy yet — a step-by-step way to think it through, and the options that keep your cover alive.
7 October 2024 · 3 min read
How much life cover is enough?
The three methods financial planners actually use to size life cover — by income, by obligations and goals, and by economic life value — with worked examples you can follow.
30 September 2024 · 3 min read
Understanding non-life insurance: what it covers beyond your life
Motor, home and travel insurance are all non-life insurance. A look at the main types, how they work, and how to choose cover for the assets that matter.
23 September 2024 · 3 min read
Is health insurance necessary if you already have state entitlements?
You have universal coverage or social security — do you still need to buy health insurance? A look at real treatment costs, the gaps in state cover, and how to decide for your own situation.
16 September 2024 · 3 min read
Stepped vs level health premiums: what's the difference?
Cheap now but expensive in old age, or more expensive now but level for the long run? The two health premium structures to understand before choosing, and how to decide for your age and budget.
9 September 2024 · 3 min read
What is unit-linked insurance? What to understand before deciding
Understanding unit-linked life insurance — how it works, where your money goes, what the charges are, and the risk the buyer carries themselves.
2 September 2024 · 3 min read
The limitations of unit-linked insurance, in detail
Building on the basics: a close look at the limitations — first-year charges, the risk of the policy lapsing, the tax conditions, and the questions to ask the seller.
26 August 2024 · 3 min read
Choosing insurance for your children: where to start, and what to cover first
You want insurance for your child but don't know where to begin. A step-by-step order — health, accident, education funding — and the mistakes parents most often make.
19 August 2024 · 3 min read
What insurance suits each stage of life, from childhood to retirement
Insurance needs change with age. A map of protection across a lifetime — childhood, early career, family years, and retirement — and what to emphasise at each stage.
12 August 2024 · 3 min read
What home fire insurance actually does for you
A home is the largest asset most families own. What fire insurance covers, whether the premium is expensive, and how to set the sum insured correctly.
5 August 2024 · 3 min read
4 reasons salaried workers should have their own insurance
You have social security and a group scheme — do you still need your own cover? Four reasons salaried workers should have protection of their own, plus how to start without straining the budget.
29 July 2024 · 3 min read
Planning insurance for your 30s, 40s and 50s
A close look at the three decades that matter most: building the foundation at 30, carrying peak obligations at 40, and preparing to land at 50 — and what to adjust at each.
22 July 2024 · 3 min read
What an endowment policy can do for you in a crisis
When the economy turns or income stops, what can the endowment policy you already hold actually do? Enforced savings, a source of emergency liquidity, and peace of mind.
15 July 2024 · 3 min read
Building security with insurance: where do you start?
Financial security does not come from a high income alone, but from closing risks systematically. How the different types of insurance combine into a structure.
8 July 2024 · 3 min read
Choosing insurance that holds up in an epidemic
Lessons from the last pandemic that still apply. What kind of health insurance genuinely handles an emerging disease, which conditions to check, and how to prepare before the next crisis.
1 July 2024 · 3 min read
Is your life cover enough? How to assess it yourself
You have several policies but aren't sure whether they're enough. A four-step self-audit of your life cover, to find the gap between what you have and what you actually carry.
24 June 2024 · 3 min read
A checklist for reviewing your insurance in a crisis
When income falters or the economy turns, here is a systematic way to review every policy — what to keep, what can be adjusted, and the rights you can use when you need them.
17 June 2024 · 3 min read
How much of your money should go to insurance premiums?
What the right premium budget is: a close look at the one-tenth-of-income rule, how to divide the budget by priority, and how the proportion shifts with life stage and income.
10 June 2024 · 3 min read
A salaried worker's first life insurance policy: choosing without regret
For a salaried worker about to take out their first life policy — which type, how much cover, how it works alongside group insurance, and the traps beginners fall into most.
3 June 2024 · 4 min read
What insurance should a single person have?
No family to provide for — does that really mean no need for insurance? A look at the risks specific to single people, from medical costs and disability to caring for parents and for themselves in retirement.
27 May 2024 · 3 min read
You can start life insurance on a small budget
Modest salary, savings barely started — can you really take out insurance? How to begin cover on a few hundred to a few thousand baht a month, without squeezing your life.
20 May 2024 · 3 min read
When your parents can no longer get health insurance: how to plan
Parents past the entry age, or with conditions that mean an application fails — there are still several ways to plan for treatment costs: state entitlements, a family health fund, and other options.
13 May 2024 · 3 min read
Going into business with a friend? Plan the insurance too
Partners are a strength — and a risk if something happens to one of them. An introduction to keyman cover and buy-sell agreements, so both the business and the friendship survive.
6 May 2024 · 3 min read
Which type of life insurance suits whom? Matching the plan to the person
Term, whole life, endowment, annuity, unit-linked — the five main types, and who should use each. Matching them to real-life profiles with examples.
29 April 2024 · 3 min read
Estate planning with life insurance: the tool that makes the handover smooth
A closer look at the role life insurance plays in an estate plan — money paid directly to named people, liquidity for the estate, and a fair way to divide assets that cannot be split.
22 April 2024 · 3 min read
Personal financial planning basics for beginners
Want to start managing your money but don't know where to begin? A beginner's guide in five steps — know your position, set goals, build the protective base, save and invest, and review.
15 April 2024 · 3 min read
Six things to understand before you buy health insurance in Thailand
Before signing your first health insurance application: health declarations, waiting periods, exclusions, pre-existing conditions, renewal terms and how premiums rise with age.
8 April 2024 · 3 min read
Planning insurance like a football manager: filling every position
Think of your protection as a football team — goalkeeper, defenders, midfield, forwards. Each position is a different job. Let's get the line-up balanced.
1 April 2024 · 3 min read
How to choose health insurance: assembling the cover that fits you
Health insurance is more than a room rate and a treatment bill. Get to know all the components — IPD, OPD, daily cash, critical illness — and assemble a set that matches your own risks.
25 March 2024 · 3 min read
Lump-sum or itemised health cover: which should you choose?
The two main structures of health insurance — one flexible total limit versus separate caps per category. How they differ, who each suits, and a worked comparison.
18 March 2024 · 3 min read
Today's diseases and how to plan health insurance for them
The illnesses that threaten us now look different from our parents' generation — NCDs, office syndrome, mental health. How health insurance planning should adapt.
11 March 2024 · 3 min read
Planning for medical costs in a volatile economy with a high cost of living
Everything is getting more expensive, medical care included. How do you plan for health when the household budget tightens every year? Strategies for budgeting protection when every baht counts.
4 March 2024 · 3 min read
Health premiums rise every year — how do you prepare?
Why health insurance premiums keep climbing, and how to plan ahead so you can afford them into the years when you need the cover most.
26 February 2024 · 3 min read
Planning insurance around the events that change your life
Instead of counting by age, plan around six life-changing events — the first job, marriage, a first child, buying a home, starting a business, and retirement — and what to adjust at each.
19 February 2024 · 3 min read
Choosing health cover you can rely on in an era of new diseases
Emerging diseases and economic uncertainty are the new context for choosing health insurance. Techniques for finding a plan flexible enough to meet a future that is hard to predict.
12 February 2024 · 3 min read
Unit-linked charges explained, from the customer's point of view
Unpacking every layer of charges in a unit-linked policy — administration charges, the cost of insurance, and fund management fees. Where does the money go before it reaches the investment?
5 February 2024 · 3 min read
5 tips for building your immunity when choosing health insurance
A buyer's best immunity is knowing what's going on. Five tips to avoid buying the wrong plan, buying too much, or buying because everyone else is — and to end up with a plan that genuinely suits you.
29 January 2024 · 3 min read
The rights every policyholder can use
Policyholders have more rights than they realise — the free look period, the grace period, policy loans, changing the beneficiary, and making a complaint. All in one place.
22 January 2024 · 3 min read
Is a level health premium in a unit-linked policy really better?
A popular selling point of unit-linked policies is paying the same premium forever even as the cost of health cover rises with age. How the mechanism works, and what you need to know.
15 January 2024 · 3 min read
Health insurance for anyone planning early retirement
An early retirement dream only works if health is fully accounted for, because the day you leave work is the day group insurance disappears. How FIRE planners and early retirees can close the health gap.
8 January 2024 · 3 min read
Planning a life sum insured that is both right and sustainable
A good sum insured is not just the right number today; it has to be sustainable the whole way. How to set it correctly, afford it long term, and adjust it with the rhythm of life.
1 January 2024 · 3 min read
Can't afford the premium? Matching your situation to the solution
Problems matched to solutions: forgot to pay, a short liquidity gap, a long drop in income, or permanently unable to pay. Each has its own tool for keeping the policy.
25 December 2023 · 3 min read
How a policyholder's discipline builds security
A good policy needs a disciplined holder. Five disciplines of an excellent policyholder — paying on time, keeping the documents, reviewing annually, and talking to the family.
18 December 2023 · 3 min read
Why do two people with the same 10-million sum insured pay different premiums?
Two friends with the same sum insured pay premiums several times apart. Unpacking everything that determines the price — age, sex, health, occupation, and the plan chosen.
11 December 2023 · 3 min read
3 approaches to building life cover for your family
You know the sum you need — now how do you build it within a real budget? Three strategies: clearing debt, replacing income, and passing on a legacy, with the right tool for each.
4 December 2023 · 3 min read
Struggling with life insurance premiums: questions and answers
The questions people with overdue life insurance premiums ask most. How many days before a policy lapses, do you get money back if you stop, and can you restart? Answered in one place.
27 November 2023 · 3 min read
What to know before you surrender a policy
Five questions to work through before signing a surrender form — is the money worth what you give up, what are the hidden costs, and what alternatives should you try first?
20 November 2023 · 3 min read
The financial planning structure people most often overlook
A beautiful portfolio on a hollow structure is the common ailment of today's planners. Four structural blind spots most people miss, and how to close each one.
13 November 2023 · 3 min read
Fire insurance covers far more than you think
The name says fire, but the cover reaches much further — lightning, a vehicle hitting the house, burst pipes, natural perils, and in some policies temporary accommodation. A look at what many people already hold without knowing it.
6 November 2023 · 3 min read
Cancer and critical illness: planning your cover
Cancer is the critical illness Thai people face most. How to plan cover systematically — understanding the stages and the payment conditions, and setting a sum insured that is genuinely enough.
30 October 2023 · 4 min read
Building cover that fits a modern lifestyle
Freelancing, living alone, marrying later, working from anywhere — modern life brings new kinds of risk. How to design cover that keeps up with the life you actually live.
23 October 2023 · 3 min read
5 things to know about the New Health Standard — simple and immediately usable
The OIC's new health insurance standard is not just an insurer's concern; it directly changes how we buy, compare and use our cover. Five points you can put to use right away.
16 October 2023 · 3 min read
Health insurance for salaried workers: how much to buy when you already have benefits
A practical guide for employees — how to read your own benefits, buy only the shortfall, and plan for the day group insurance leaves along with your resignation letter.
9 October 2023 · 3 min read
Lump-sum or itemised health cover: which suits your style?
We've already explained how both structures work. Now find the answer from your own style — four types of health insurance user. Which are you, and which structure fits?
2 October 2023 · 3 min read
Unit-linked: the plan many people overlook — why, and who shouldn't
Why unit-linked policies are both oversold and unfairly dismissed. The reasons people overlook them, what they genuinely do well, and the limitations that make them unsuitable for everyone.
25 September 2023 · 3 min read
3 ways of thinking about critical illness cover
Before deciding whether critical illness cover is necessary, look through three lenses: lifetime probability, the financial damage beyond the treatment bill, and a window of opportunity that closes sooner than you think.
18 September 2023 · 3 min read
5 techniques for choosing home fire insurance
You know what fire insurance is — now comes buying it. Five techniques, from setting the sum insured from rebuild cost, to counting what's inside the house, to choosing a policy term that stretches the premium further.
11 September 2023 · 3 min read
3 things about critical illness cover you shouldn't overlook
The sequel on critical illness, going deeper into the contract mechanics: the definitions and disease stages that pay, the hidden timing conditions, and whether it pays once or several times.
4 September 2023 · 3 min read
Disability: the risk most worth planning for, and the one most overlooked
People plan for dying, but few plan for the day they are still here and can no longer work. Understanding disability risk, its financial impact, and the tools that actually exist.
28 August 2023 · 3 min read
When you can't afford the premium: every option on one page
A six-step ladder of options when the premium is unaffordable, from lightest to heaviest, with the most common mistakes and links to the detail on each tool. Save it for when you need it.
21 August 2023 · 3 min read
Global Index (Par) policies: understand them before you decide
What a participating policy linked to a global index actually is, how non-guaranteed dividends work, how it differs from investing directly, and what to ask before signing.
14 August 2023 · 4 min read
A critical illness may be curable — but your savings may not survive it
Modern medicine means more people survive serious illness, yet the survivor's financial path is often forgotten. How to plan so both your life and your savings come through.
7 August 2023 · 3 min read
Should you have life and health insurance at all?
The most basic question, rarely answered directly. Answered here through risk management principles: who should have it, who may not need it yet, and how to tell which you are.
31 July 2023 · 3 min read
Risk management for single people
More than insurance: single people have to manage risk across the whole system — reserves, career, legal documents, and a plan for old age that stands on its own.
24 July 2023 · 3 min read
Living securely on a four-legged financial table
A stable table needs all four legs, and so do your finances: income, liquidity, protection, and long-term investment. Miss one and the table tilts. Let's check yours.
17 July 2023 · 3 min read
Applying asset allocation to your insurance planning
The allocation principles investors use work powerfully on an insurance portfolio too — spreading cover, budgeting the premium, and rebalancing as life changes.
10 July 2023 · 3 min read
Save for your own treatment, or buy health insurance — which is better value?
The classic argument: wouldn't it be better to invest the premium yourself? Working it through with real numbers — the time it takes to accumulate, illness that waits for nobody, and the middle path that takes the best of both.
3 July 2023 · 3 min read
5 things single people should know before buying insurance
A pre-signing checklist made specifically for single people — from choosing a beneficiary where there is no automatic answer, to allowing for a future that may change, to making sure someone knows the policy exists.
26 June 2023 · 3 min read
Loss of use compensation: the right most people who are hit never claim
Your car is in the garage for days after a collision — who pays for getting around? How loss of use compensation works, who can claim, from whom, and what to prepare.
19 June 2023 · 3 min read
Why a daily hospital cash benefit matters
The small cover people overlook but planners love. Why a daily benefit is indispensable for certain occupations, how much to take per day, and what to pair it with.
12 June 2023 · 3 min read
Someone to worry about? Which insurance suits you
What we worry about differs from person to person — children, parents, a partner, or debt. Matching each kind of worry to the insurance tool that answers it most directly.
5 June 2023 · 4 min read
Life settlement: a liquidity option (and why it isn't available in Thailand)
The overseas mechanism of selling a policy to a third party — how it works, why it exists, why it cannot be done in Thailand, and the real options Thai policyholders do have.
29 May 2023 · 3 min read
An emergency loan against your policy: is the interest really cheap?
They say a policy loan is cheap — how true is that? Compared head to head with credit cards, personal loans and other options, plus how to judge when to use it and when not to.
22 May 2023 · 3 min read
3 essential types of insurance for parents of young children
The starter set for a family with young children: three types of cover in order — the parents' life cover, health cover for the household, and an education plan with waiver of premium.
15 May 2023 · 4 min read
Insurance planning for couples of every kind
Planning cover when you have a partner — married couples, unregistered partners, and LGBTQ+ couples. Beneficiaries and entitlements that need more careful planning than most.
8 May 2023 · 3 min read
Already have health insurance — should you add critical illness cover?
The most common question from people who have just arranged their health cover, answered with a three-part gap test: who should add it, who is fine already, and what sum to start with.
1 May 2023 · 3 min read
3 things to know before buying health insurance
Every lesson about choosing health insurance reduced to three words: know yourself, know the plan, know the long run. A compact framework that works for any plan at any company.
24 April 2023 · 3 min read
Understanding electric vehicles (EVs) and EV motor insurance
How insuring an EV differs from insuring a petrol car — from a battery worth half the vehicle, to the home charger, to specialist workshops — plus what to check before choosing an EV policy.
17 April 2023 · 4 min read
3 things to know before taking out a unit-linked policy
The whole unit-linked series reduced to three things to pass before signing: the risk is yours, the charges at every layer, and the ongoing attention the policy demands.
10 April 2023 · 3 min read
Do not let a critical illness surprise your savings
Why so many financially capable people are caught out by critical illness. Three psychological mechanisms that make us underestimate it, and practical ways to stop the surprise.
3 April 2023 · 3 min read
Motor insurance: a cheap premium, an expensive repair
A low premium is not the same as paying less. Work out the total annual cost of motor cover — the class of cover, dealer or garage repair, and the excess — and choose without regret at claim time.
27 March 2023 · 4 min read
What to know before planning your life insurance
An orientation for anyone starting from zero — the parts of a policy, the vocabulary you need, the right planning sequence, and where to read further on each topic.
20 March 2023 · 4 min read
Is it time to update your health insurance?
A plan bought five years ago may no longer keep up with today's treatment costs. Six signals that it's time to update, and how to upgrade safely without a gap in cover.
13 March 2023 · 3 min read
4 things to know about income protection insurance
When your body stops working, who pays your salary? Four things to know about income protection — covering daily cash benefits and disability, who needs it, how much is enough, and the conditions to read.
6 March 2023 · 3 min read
Preparing for an uncertain life with personal accident insurance
The first policy most people can afford — a light premium, immediate cover and no waiting period. What personal accident (PA) insurance covers, who it suits and how to choose one.
27 February 2023 · 3 min read
Health insurance for a newborn: a precious gift from parents
From what age can a baby be insured, why premiums for infants are high, are congenital conditions covered, and what parents should prepare before the birth.
20 February 2023 · 4 min read
5 tips for planning accident insurance for older people
At the age when health insurance starts closing its doors, accident insurance is still wide open. Five tips for choosing PA cover for ageing parents — from the risk of falls to the fracture conditions you must read.
13 February 2023 · 3 min read
Co-payment in health insurance: who gains and who loses?
A rounded look at co-payment — which policyholders benefit, which are disadvantaged, and how the system as a whole changes. A balanced analysis of every side.
6 February 2023 · 3 min read
Funeral benefit funds: preparing for the costs at the end
An introduction to Thailand's funeral benefit societies — long a part of community life. How they work, how they differ from life insurance, and how to use both together.
30 January 2023 · 3 min read
Life insurance for LGBTQ+ couples: building security for the one you love
A practical guide for LGBTQ+ couples who want to provide for each other through life insurance — naming a partner as beneficiary, the evidence that helps, and the documents to prepare alongside.
23 January 2023 · 4 min read