Insurance Companies in Thailand: Local vs. International (2026)

There are many insurance companies in Thailand.

According to data from the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), in Thailand, there are around 22 insurance companies that offer life insurance products and around 51 insurance companies that provide non-life insurance, including health insurance and motor insurance.

Many of these are local insurance companies that only conduct business in Thailand, while some are well-known international companies with operations in Thailand.

In this article, we will guide you through some of the most popular insurance companies in Thailand for expats.

 

Insurance Companies in Thailand at a Glance

Here’s how the companies covered in this guide compare before you read the full breakdown of each.

Company	Type	Best Known For	Life	Health	Motor
Cigna	International	Expat health plans	No	Yes	No
AXA	International	Motor & property, plus life via KrungThai-AXA	Via bank partner	Yes	Yes
AIA	International	Largest life insurer in Thailand	Yes	Yes (standalone)	No
Allianz (Allianz Ayudhya)	International, via Bank of Ayudhya	Full product range	Yes	Yes	Yes
Viriyah	Local	Motor insurance	No	Yes (via BDMS partnership)	Yes
Dhipaya	Local	Affordable motor & health	No	Yes (sublimits apply)	Yes
Bangkok Insurance	Local	Motor insurance	No	Yes	Yes
Muang Thai Insurance	Local	Life insurance	Yes	Yes (add-on)	Yes
Navakij	Local	Underwrites Luma plans	No	Yes	Yes

Good to know: “Yes” in the Health column doesn’t mean equal coverage. Local plans usually carry lower limits and per-illness sublimits than international ones — see the Dhipaya example further down this page.

International Insurance Companies

There are many well-known international insurance companies that conduct business and have offices in Thailand. A majority of expats in Thailand purchase life insurance and health insurance from international insurance companies for many reasons:

• Their products are more suitable for expats overall.
• Local insurance rarely provides life insurance to expats.
• They are more familiar with these companies and may already know them even before moving to Thailand. Remember that insurance is a business of trust. You want to choose an insurance provider that is reputable and credible.

On the other hand, local insurance companies are more focused on motor insurance, which takes up over 50% of the market share, while health insurance takes up about 14%.

International insurance companies usually offer two types of health insurance plans:

• Local plans: provided by companies with offices in Thailand such as AXA
• International plans: provided by companies without offices in Thailand

Local plans mainly cover your health condition in Thailand and have benefit limits, while an international plan comes with international coverage and overall limit. If you don’t know what that means, read our guide to health insurance in Thailand for expats for more information. 

Good to know: Many international insurance companies in Thailand provide health insurance only. To offer other types of insurance, they will partner up with financial institutions in Thailand, such as AXA and Krungthai Bank, and Allianz and Bank of Ayudhya. 

Cigna

Cigna is an insurance company based in Connecticut, United States. They are one of the biggest insurance companies in the world and have been providing health insurance worldwide for decades. 

Cigna offers a wide range of health insurance products for expats in Thailand, including chronic disease insurance, personal accident insurance, and travel insurance, as well as comprehensive healthcare plans.

One of the most popular plans for Thailand expats is the Thailand Specialized health plan, a comprehensive international health insurance plan provided by Cigna Global that caters specifically to expats in Thailand.

AXA 

Another popular international insurance company in Thailand is AXA. 

This French insurance company has been providing insurance services in Thailand since 1998. They are one of the few international insurance companies that provide insurance products other than health and travel insurance.

With AXA, you can get motor insurance and property insurance. They also partnered with Krungthai Bank to provide life insurance products called KrungThai-AXA.

AXA has also been actively providing new insurance products to comply with the Thai government.

AIA

AIA is the biggest life insurance company in the Asia Pacific region.

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They are also the biggest life insurance company in Thailand with a market share of over 21% in the life insurance market. Many Thais also get health coverage from AIA, usually as a medical coverage add-on to their life insurance plan.

Although life insurance is their main product, you can still get a standalone health insurance from them. 

However, buying insurance from AIA works quite differently from other insurance companies. Instead of buying directly from the company or brokerage companies, a majority of people get it from licensed freelance brokers.

So make sure to pick your broker well before purchasing a plan.

Allianz 

Allianz, a leading insurance company from Germany, also conducts business in Thailand.

They partnered with Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri Bank) under the name of Allianz Ayudhya to provide various types of local insurance in Thailand, including life insurance, health insurance, motor insurance, travel insurance, and personal accident insurance. 

In addition to these, Allianz also underwrites certain international insurance, which is largely considered an affordable plan for expats in Southeast Asia.

Local Insurance Companies 

Local insurance companies used to be known mainly for car insurance, but now they offer all types of insurance products.

Local insurance companies started to provide specific health insurance plans a few years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before, their health coverage was only offered as an add-on to their life insurance plans.

Tip: Health insurance plans provided by local insurance companies are still not as popular as that of international insurance companies. It is generally best to buy only motor insurance from them. For health insurance for expats, an international insurance company is the better choice.

Viriyah

Viriyah is the biggest local insurance company in Thailand. They have been in the insurance market for more than 70 years and their motor insurance plans are known to be one of the best and also the most expensive.

One of the most popular health insurance plans provided by Viriyah is their Viriyah healthcare plan by BDMS. It’s a partnership between Viriyah and BDMS, the biggest hospital network in Thailand. 

Many leading Thailand private hospitals, including Bangkok Hospital and Samitivej Hospital, also belong to this network. 

With this plan, you can visit any hospital under the BDMS network and have your insurance cover it without having to pay out of your pocket, as long as the treatment is included under your plan coverage. 

Dhipaya 

Dhipaya is the second biggest local insurance company in Thailand. Unless you have a car, you are unlikely to be familiar with this company.

Dhipaya is actually well-known for their motor insurance products, which are widely recognized as affordable. They also have inexpensive health insurance plans priced at only THB15,000 per year, which even those who are over 60 years old and less than 70 years old can get.

However, you should always carefully read the fine print. Although the plan comes with a maximum yearly limit of THB600,000, there’s a sublimit of THB120,000 per sickness.

This means that if you get sick, the maximum amount they will pay for its treatment is THB120,000.

Bangkok Insurance 

Bangkok Insurance is another leading insurance company in Thailand that’s especially popular for motor insurance. Their motor insurance is widely recognized as excellent but also one of the most expensive plans out there.

In addition to motor insurance, you can get literally all types of insurance from them, except life insurance, which is usually not offered to expats in Thailand anyway.

Bangkok Insurance has been in the insurance business for over 70 years and has the same founder as Bangkok Bank.  

Muang Thai Insurance

Unlike other local insurance companies that focus on motor insurance, Muang Thai Insurance is known for their life insurance product. 

It is the third biggest local insurance company in Thailand. 

Their health insurance has been previously available as an add-on to their life insurance. 

You can buy health insurance plans from them, which works similar to international health plans. Their health insurance comes with much lower coverage, but it is also cheaper compared to other plans.

With Muang Thai Insurance, you can also buy motor insurance, personal accident insurance, travel insurance, and so on. 

Muang Thai Insurance CEO Mrs. Nualphan Lamsam is a highly recognizable figure who’s currently the President of the Football Association of Thailand. She is also referred to as Madame Pang. 

Navakij Insurance

You may not have heard about Navakij Insurance before. But actually, many plans from Luma are being underwritten by Navakij. 

You can also get local health insurance plans directly from Navakij. Like in other local insurance companies, the limit on their plans can be lower than in plans provided by international insurance companies.

Navakij is also known for their affordable motor insurance plans.

Others

Note that these are not the only insurance companies in Thailand. There are more than 70 insurance companies registered with the Thailand Office of Insurance Commission.

In addition to local insurance companies or international insurance companies that are registered in Thailand, you can also get insurance from international insurance or brokerage companies, such as William Russell, ACS, and April International.

How to Confirm an Insurance Company Is Licensed

Every insurer legally selling life or non-life insurance in Thailand must hold a license from the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), the industry’s government regulator. Before you commit to a plan, a few quick checks are worth doing.

• Check the OIC’s public register. The OIC lists licensed life and non-life insurers on oic.or.th. If a company or plan isn’t on it, treat that as a red flag.
• Ask for the license or registration number. A licensed company or agent should hand this over without hesitation.
• Use the OIC’s own contact channels for anything you can’t verify yourself. Their consumer contact page is at oic.or.th/en/consumer/contact.
• Be cautious of sellers offering foreign policies outside the Thai system. Selling on behalf of an insurer that isn’t OIC-licensed to operate in Thailand is restricted under Thai insurance law, and buying from one means you’re outside the OIC’s complaint and mediation process if a claim goes wrong.

What is the Best Insurance Company?  

The short answer is that there is none because each insurance company has different products and plans with different coverage and pricing. 

There isn’t one best insurer for everyone; the right plan depends on your age, budget, and where you want to be treated. International Citizens Insurance returns quotes from several global insurers in one search, which makes it easier to see which fits your situation.

All insurance companies are legit and won’t scam you. 

There’s one important point to remember, though: before you purchase any plan, you need to make sure that you understand the terms well, especially regarding what is and isn’t covered. 

We have an expat health insurance comparison page to give you a good overview of popular plans for expats.

You can buy directly from a broker or through an insurance company. But you need to make sure that the person you deal with is knowledgeable.

Also, not all brokers are the same. Many brokers may have a license, but they may not know all kinds of plans well enough. And watch out for brokers who will recommend to you only the plans for which they get the most commissions.

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Read our insurance brokers in Thailand guide to find out more information. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many insurance companies operate in Thailand?

According to the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), Thailand has around 22 licensed life insurance companies and around 51 licensed non-life insurance companies, for more than 70 registered insurers in total. Non-life insurers cover health, motor, and other property lines.

What’s the difference between local and international insurance companies in Thailand?

Local insurance companies such as Viriyah, Dhipaya, and Bangkok Insurance focus mainly on motor insurance, which makes up over 50% of the market, while health insurance is only about 14%. International companies like Cigna, AXA, AIA, and Allianz are the main source of health and life coverage for expats, since local insurers rarely offer life insurance to foreigners and their health plans tend to carry lower limits.

Which international insurance companies serve expats in Thailand?

The most common international companies for expats are Cigna, AXA, AIA, and Allianz. Several partner with Thai banks to sell local products; AXA works with Krungthai Bank, and Allianz works with Bank of Ayudhya under the Allianz Ayudhya brand.

What are the biggest local insurance companies in Thailand?

Viriyah is the largest local insurance company, followed by Dhipaya and Muang Thai Insurance. Bangkok Insurance and Navakij Insurance are also major names, with Bangkok Insurance known for motor coverage and Navakij underwriting several Luma health plans.

Is local health insurance in Thailand a good option for expats?

Local plans are usually cheaper but carry lower coverage limits than international plans. Dhipaya’s THB15,000-a-year plan, for example, has a THB600,000 annual limit but only a THB120,000 sublimit per illness, which may not cover a serious hospital stay. Most expats are better served by an international insurer for health coverage; local companies are a stronger fit for motor insurance.

How do I check if an insurance company in Thailand is legitimate?

Any company registered with the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) is legally licensed to operate in Thailand, so legitimacy generally isn’t the risk. The bigger issue is understanding a plan’s fine print, especially what is and isn’t covered, before you buy.

Is AIA insurance sold directly or through brokers in Thailand?

AIA sells mostly through independent, licensed freelance brokers rather than direct company channels. Because advice quality varies by broker, it’s worth picking one carefully and checking they know AIA’s full range of plans before you buy.

How should I choose an insurance broker in Thailand?

Confirm the broker is licensed and check they’re familiar with a wide range of plans, not just a handful of products. Watch for brokers who steer you toward whichever plan pays them the highest commission rather than the coverage that actually fits your needs.

Can foreigners buy life insurance policies in Thailand?

Some can, though it’s harder than buying health insurance. AIA is the main direct option, since most local insurers reserve life insurance for Thai nationals, and joint-venture companies like KrungThai-AXA and Allianz Ayudhya also sell life products through their bank partners. For a fuller rundown of how life insurance works in Thailand and who typically qualifies, see our life insurance in Thailand primer.

Is health insurance mandatory for my Thai visa?

For some visa categories, yes. Retirees on certain long-stay visas must show proof of health insurance that meets specific coverage minimums set by Thai immigration, separate from whatever general plan you’d otherwise choose. See our guide to Thailand’s mandatory health insurance rules for retirees for the exact requirements and accepted providers.

What’s the difference between an insurance company and an insurance broker in Thailand?

An insurance company underwrites the policy and pays out claims. A broker is a licensed intermediary who compares plans from multiple companies and sells you one on commission. Some companies, like Cigna and AXA, sell certain products directly, but many expats end up buying through a broker instead, particularly for AIA plans. Our insurance brokers in Thailand guide lists vetted brokers if you’d rather compare plans through one.

Is travel insurance the same as the health insurance covered in this guide?

No. Travel insurance covers a short trip with a fixed expiry date, usually for unexpected medical emergencies. The health insurance plans covered in this article are annual policies meant for residents. If you’re visiting Thailand rather than living there, our Thailand travel insurance guide is the more relevant resource.

Do these companies also insure motorcycles, not just cars?

Yes. Most local insurers, including Viriyah, Dhipaya, and Bangkok Insurance, sell dedicated motorcycle insurance alongside their car insurance, though the coverage classes and pricing differ from car policies. See our motorcycle insurance in Thailand guide for how the classes work and what’s worth paying for.

Where can I get a broader overview of what insurance I actually need in Thailand?

This article focuses on which companies to consider. For a wider view of what types of insurance are worth buying in Thailand, and what you can safely skip, read our insurance in Thailand guide.