My Personal Review of Viriyah Insurance: Should You Buy It?

Viriyah Insurance is Thailand’s number one car insurer, and almost every garage accepts it. I claimed with Viriyah several times for my truck and every claim went smoothly, but it costs more than most rivals and it chose not to renew my policy after those claims.

When you look for car insurance in Thailand, Viriyah Insurance is one of the first names that comes up. The name might not sound familiar to expats, but it’s the biggest non-life insurer in the country and best known for car insurance.

I review Viriyah here based on my own experience with them: what they sell, what it costs, how claims work and how good their English support is. The review focuses on car insurance, since that’s their main product.

By the end, you should know whether Viriyah is the right insurer for you, and which alternatives to look at if it isn’t.

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Viriyah Insurance at a Glance

Viriyah Insurance suits drivers who want easy claims and the widest garage network in Thailand, and don’t mind paying a little more for it.

What Is Viriyah Insurance?

Viriyah Insurance is a Thai non-life insurer founded in 1947, and it has been the biggest car insurer in Thailand since 1987 and the biggest non-life insurer overall since 1992. (Verified October 2026.)

It started out as Asiatic Distributing Company Limited, selling fire, marine and cargo insurance. It added car insurance in 1979 and took the name Viriyah Insurance in 1982.

Today Viriyah sells almost every type of insurance, but car insurance is still what it’s known for.

Key Benefits of Choosing Viriyah Insurance

Viriyah Insurance stands out for easy claims and a garage network that covers the whole country, since most Thai insurers offer very similar policies.

Easy Claiming

Viriyah is known for its easy claim procedure, and that’s what sets it apart from other insurers.

I made a claim with them several times for my truck. All of the claims went smoothly, and every time their customer support told me what I needed to do step by step.

I also went the extra mile and asked the garage that repaired my car about their experience with Viriyah. They said that, from a garage’s point of view, Viriyah is very easy to deal with when it comes to approving claims.

Customer Support

Viriyah has more than 6,000 staff and runs its accident reporting line 24 hours a day. (Verified October 2026.)

English-speaking support might not be as fast as Thai support. Based on my experience calling their hotline, it can take time to connect you with an English speaker, or they may call you back later with one.

Overall, I’m happy with it, since English support is a common weak point for Thai insurance companies.

Extensive Network

Viriyah Insurance has more than 160 branches and service centers covering 72 provinces, plus partner repair centers and hospitals. (Verified October 2026.)

Every garage I’ve talked to in Thailand accepts Viriyah. So if you buy car insurance from Viriyah, it’s easy to find a garage that can fix your car.

Reputation and Trust

Viriyah has been in the insurance business for more than 75 years and is well known among Thais as a trusted insurer.

Based on my experience with them, I understand why. Their support is good and all of my claims went smoothly. Their financial position is also strong, and I expect them to be around for many years to come.

How to Buy Viriyah Insurance as a Foreigner

You don’t need Thai nationality or a Thai driving license to buy a Viriyah policy. For car and motorcycle insurance, you’ll usually need:

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• A passport (plus a work permit or long-stay visa evidence if they ask)
• A valid Thai or international driving permit
• The vehicle’s registration book

You can buy a policy in three ways:

• At a Viriyah branch
• Through an insurance broker, who can compare Viriyah against other insurers on the same call
• Through Viriyah’s own online store, or by phone on 0 2129 7474 (Verified October 2026.)

Compulsory motor insurance (the por ror bor policy Thai law requires) and voluntary cover are bought separately.

Car Insurance

Viriyah Insurance sells compulsory cover and every type of voluntary car insurance, with Type 1 starting at THB15,000 a year for a private car. (Verified October 2026.) Car insurance is its main product: its annual report showed it making up more than 80% of the company’s revenue.

Thailand has one of the highest road accident rates in the world, which helps explain why car insurance is such a big business here.

Compulsory Insurance

Every vehicle in Thailand must carry compulsory third-party insurance, known as Por Ror Bor (ประกันภัย พรบ. or พ.ร.บ.), whether you buy a car or a motorbike.

Por Ror Bor covers injury and death of other people in an accident. Every insurer sells it with the same cover at the same price, and claims work the same way everywhere.

Like other insurers, Viriyah lets you add Por Ror Bor to your main car insurance plan when you buy.

Community Input: In a December 2025 r/Thailand thread, a driver with only compulsory insurance described lightly bumping an Audi insured by Viriyah while reversing. Viriyah later sent them a demand letter for about THB80,000 for a new dealer headlight, warning it might take legal action. Most replies agreed that voluntary cover with third-party property damage (Type 3 or higher) would have paid the bill.

Voluntary Insurance

Viriyah’s voluntary car insurance comes in Type 1, 2, 2+, 3, 3+ and 4, plus a Type 1 plan for electric cars, all adding cover on top of Por Ror Bor. (Verified October 2026.)

Plan	What it covers	Starting price
Type 1, garage repair	Everything: your car in any accident, theft, fire and flood, plus third parties	THB15,000 a year
Type 1, dealer repair	The same, repaired at the car dealer	THB17,000 a year
Type 1 EV	Full cover for electric cars 2 to 5 years old, dealer repair	THB19,500 a year
Type 2+	Third parties, theft, fire, and your car in a crash with another vehicle	THB7,000 a year
Short-term 2+	2+ cover for 30, 90 or 180 days, for cars you rarely use	THB617 for 30 days
Type 4	Damage to other people’s property only, up to THB100,000 per accident	Slightly more than Por Ror Bor

Viriyah’s Type 1 policy pays up to THB1,000,000 per person for injury to other people, depending on the plan, and THB200,000 per person in personal accident and medical cover for the driver and up to six passengers. (Verified October 2026.)

Compared with other insurers, Viriyah’s Type 1 limits were higher in my comparison:

• Injury to other people: up to THB1,000,000 per person with Viriyah, against THB500,000 at most other insurers.
• Medical expenses and personal accident: THB200,000 per person with Viriyah, against THB100,000 at most other insurers.
• Price: Viriyah is among the most expensive car insurers on the market, at around 10% to 20% more than others.

For the exact cover, benefits and exclusions of each policy, ask a Viriyah representative or an insurance broker.

Deductibles

A deductible is the amount you pay yourself on each claim, and in Thailand it’s optional. You can choose a policy with or without one.

A policy with a deductible costs less each year, but you pay that amount out of pocket for every claim. Viriyah’s standard Type 1 plans online come with no deductible.

If you want one, Viriyah offers deductibles from THB1,000 to THB5,000. (Verified September 2026.)

Claiming Procedure

Viriyah Insurance’s claims hotline is 1557, open 24 hours a day for accidents. (Verified October 2026.)

If you don’t speak Thai, Viriyah’s English-speaking support is good. It isn’t available all the time, but in my experience they got back to me within an hour and explained the steps for making my claim.

Their staff are quick too, and can reach the scene within 15 minutes.

Price

Viriyah car insurance costs more than most rivals, and the price depends on your vehicle’s age, mileage, engine size and type, such as a compact car, a mid-size car or a pickup truck.

During my research, Viriyah openly admitted that their rates are usually higher than their competitors’. They said the higher cost pays for better service.

To get a reference price, I posed as a new customer and asked for a quote for my 2019 Mitsubishi Triton truck. For a Type 1 policy, they quoted THB16,500 a year.

That confirmed their prices are higher than other insurers, which charged around THB14,000.

From my earlier experience with them, long-standing customers with a safe driving record and few claims tend to get discount offers as a reward for their loyalty.

For a quote tailored to you, contact Viriyah directly; their staff can price a policy for your vehicle. Comparing quotes from several insurers is always worth it, though, and the next section shows how Viriyah compares.

Read more: the cost of owning a car in Thailand.

How Much Does Viriyah Car Insurance Cost?

Viriyah’s Type 1 cost THB18,000 a year in our CheckDi comparison, about THB3,500 more than Muang Thai and THB750 less than Dhipaya. Its own website lists Type 1 from THB15,000 with garage repair and THB17,000 with dealer repair. (Verified October 2026.)

We ran live quotes on CheckDi for a 2023 Toyota Yaris Ativ 1.2 sedan registered in Bangkok and insured for THB350,000, with garage repair and no deductible. This is how the Type 1 plans compared:

Swipe sideways to see every plan →

Type 1 quote	Chubb	Muang Thai	Viriyah	Dhipaya
Your car (crash)	THB350,000	THB350,000	THB350,000	THB350,000
Fire and theft	THB350,000	THB350,000	THB350,000	THB350,000
Injury or death of other people	THB500,000 per person	THB500,000 per person	THB1,000,000 per person	THB1,000,000 per person
Damage to other people’s property	THB5,000,000	THB5,000,000	THB5,000,000	THB5,000,000
Personal accident	THB200,000	THB100,000	THB200,000	THB300,000
Medical expenses	THB200,000	THB100,000	THB200,000	THB300,000
Bail bond	THB300,000	THB300,000	THB200,000	THB300,000
Deductible	THB0	THB0	THB0	THB0
Price per year	THB13,600	THB14,501	THB18,000	THB18,750

Chubb was the cheapest of the four with the same THB5,000,000 cover for other people’s property. Viriyah and Dhipaya cost THB3,500 to THB4,250 more than Muang Thai, but pay twice as much for injuries to other people and more for personal accident and medical bills.

A deductible, the amount you pay yourself on each claim, brings the price down. AXA quoted THB10,700 for the same THB350,000 cover with a THB3,000 deductible. The cheapest Type 1 overall was THB9,100 from Indara, but that plan only covers your own car up to THB100,000.

For cheaper types of cover on the same car, these were the yearly prices across all insurers on CheckDi:

Swipe sideways to see every plan →

Type of cover	Cheapest	Typical	Most expensive	Cheapest three insurers
Type 2+	THB5,101	THB6,699	THB9,501	Aioi, KPI, Thaivivat
Type 3+	THB4,600	THB6,000	THB11,800	Aioi, Muang Thai, Dhipaya
Type 3	THB1,800	THB2,301	THB4,297	Chubb, Indara, MSIG

The value of your car changes the Type 1 price the most. For a 2018 Honda City insured for THB210,000, the cheapest Type 1 garage-repair quote was THB5,900, from Dhipaya.

You pay more for higher limits: Viriyah’s Type 1 pays up to THB1,000,000 per person for injury to other people and THB200,000 each for personal accident and medical bills, where Muang Thai’s cheapest Type 1 stops at half that.

Your own price depends on your car’s model, age, value and province, so the quickest way to check is to run a quote. CheckDi is a licensed Thai insurance broker that shows plans from many insurers on one page, and its English-speaking team can help you buy and claim. Our CheckDi review explains how it works.

Motorcycle Insurance

Viriyah Insurance sells voluntary motorcycle insurance on top of the compulsory Por Ror Bor, including a Bigbike 2+ plan with dealer repair for bikes over 250cc. (Verified October 2026.)

When I asked about premium cover for a bike over 150cc, Viriyah told me the motorcycle had to be brand new. Unlike car insurance, the motorcycle policies came only with a deductible, from THB7,000 to THB20,000.

For example, I asked Viriyah for a quote for a 2024 Honda CB 500. They quoted THB17,694 a year with a THB10,000 deductible, which was more than my truck’s insurance.

When I asked why it was so expensive, they explained that motorcycles carry a higher risk of theft and injury.

To put it in perspective, for a 2024 Honda CB 500 worth THB220,000, Viriyah’s policy would pay up to THB180,000 if the bike was stolen or written off.

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On CheckDi in October 2026, Viriyah quoted a 2024 Honda CB500F at THB2,190 a year for Type 3, THB8,900 for 2+ with dealer repair, and THB1,450 for cover against total loss and theft only. For a 2024 Honda Click 125i, its Type 3 cost THB1,990 and total-loss-and-theft cover THB550. Roojai was cheaper for both bikes, with Type 3 from about THB1,000. (Quoted on CheckDi, October 2026.)

To compare motorbike insurance for your own bike, get quotes on CheckDi.

Accident Insurance

Viriyah’s personal accident plans pay up to THB1,000,000 if you die in an accident and between THB30,000 and THB100,000 in medical bills per accident, depending on the plan. (Verified October 2026.)

• PA All Gen: up to THB1,000,000 for accidental death and THB30,000 in medical bills per accident.
• PA Senior: up to THB1,000,000 for accidental death and THB100,000 in medical bills per accident, plus extra cover for broken bones.

Accident plans also pay out for dismemberment and permanent disability, and you don’t need a medical check-up to get one.

Health Insurance

Viriyah’s V Prestige Care health plan pays up to THB4,500,000 per hospital stay, with a room limit of THB12,000 a night, and can be renewed up to age 100. (Verified October 2026.)

Accident insurance only pays for injuries from accidents. Health insurance also covers illness, which is what most people need it for.

• V Prestige Care: up to THB4,500,000 per hospital stay, with no limit on the number of stays a year, and you can add outpatient cover. (Verified October 2026.)
• V Gold by BDMS: up to THB5,000,000 per hospital stay at hospitals in the Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS) group, also with optional outpatient cover. (Verified October 2026.)

Viriyah’s health plans are aimed mainly at Thais. In my opinion they aren’t that interesting for expats, who usually get better value from international insurance.

Read our in-depth guide to health insurance in Thailand to find out more, or compare expat health insurance plans side by side.

Home and Property Insurance

Viriyah’s home insurance plan, Pieamsuk Home Insurance, covers a home and its contents against fire, natural disasters, theft and malicious damage. If you own a home or a condo in Thailand, it’s one way to protect it. (Verified October 2026.)

The policy also covers your liability to other people and pays compensation if damage makes the home unlivable.

For details, see Viriyah’s Pieamsuk Home Insurance page.

Am I Still Insured with Viriyah Insurance?

Unfortunately, I’m no longer a Viriyah customer, and it wasn’t because I was unhappy. When my policy term ended, Viriyah decided not to renew it.

The number of claims I’d made probably played a part. It’s an unfortunate side of the industry, but not an unusual one.

I believe most insurers try to handle claims efficiently and fairly while balancing their own risk. Declining to renew after several claims is common practice across car insurance in Thailand, not something only Viriyah does.

Disadvantages

Viriyah Insurance’s weak points for foreigners:

• It costs around 10% to 20% more than most other car insurers.
• English support can be slow, and sometimes means waiting for a call back.
• It may decline to renew your policy after several claims, as it did with mine.
• Motorcycle cover came with a deductible of THB7,000 to THB20,000 when I asked.
• Its health plans are built for Thais and are weaker than international expat plans.

Should You Buy Insurance from Viriyah Insurance?

Viriyah Insurance is worth buying if you want easy claims and a garage that accepts your insurance anywhere in Thailand, and you’re happy to pay a bit more for it. Its reputation, network and customer service are hard to beat.

Despite their decision not to renew my policy, my experience as a customer was mostly good, and I still consider Viriyah one of the strongest car insurers in Thailand. I’d still recommend them.

Thailand has plenty of other reputable insurers, though, so compare before you decide.

A comparison site like CheckDi is an easy place to start. Once you find a plan you like, you can contact their brokers for more details.

Read more: comparing Thai insurance companies.

Alternatives

Other Thai insurers we’ve reviewed for car insurance:

• Muang Thai Insurance: fast claims and cheaper than Viriyah in our 2024 quotes, but fewer garages accept it. See our Muang Thai Insurance review.
• Bangkok Insurance: a large, long-running insurer with car and health plans. See our Bangkok Insurance review.
• Dhipaya Insurance: one of the cheapest insurers in our CheckDi quotes. See our Dhipaya Insurance review.

Our guide to car insurance in Thailand explains every policy type. For health insurance, these plans suit expats better than Viriyah’s:

• Cigna Healthcare: international cover with high limits and full cancer care. See our Cigna Healthcare Thailand review.
• Luma Health: a Thai health plan built for expats and priced in baht. See our Luma Health review.
• AXA EasyCare Visa: a cheap Thai plan that comes with the O-A and O-X visa certificate. See our AXA EasyCare Visa review.
• April International: worldwide cover with no room caps on its middle and top plans. See our April International review.
• ACS Expat: low-cost worldwide hospital cover that renews for life. See our ACS Expat review.

To compare health plans side by side, use our expat health insurance comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Viriyah Insurance answers claims questions 24 hours a day on 1557.

Does Viriyah cover foreign nationals driving in Thailand?

Yes, and it doesn’t restrict by nationality. You need a valid Thai or international driving permit and the standard vehicle documents.

Can I buy Viriyah Insurance online?

Yes. Viriyah runs its own online store, and also sells through branches, brokers and by phone on 0 2129 7474.

What documents do I need to buy Viriyah car insurance?

Usually a passport (plus a work permit or long-term visa if requested), a valid driving permit, and the vehicle registration book.

What’s the difference between compulsory and voluntary car insurance?

Compulsory insurance (por ror bor) is required by law and covers injury to other people only. Voluntary insurance is optional and adds cover for your own vehicle and higher limits for other people.

How do I renew a Viriyah policy?

Renew through the same channel you bought it (branch, broker, or online), before it expires, so you don’t end up with a gap in cover.

Is Viriyah regulated in Thailand?

Yes. Like every Thai insurer, it’s licensed by the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), which is also where you can file a complaint if a dispute can’t be settled with Viriyah directly.

Does Viriyah offer health insurance?

Yes. Its health and accident plans are sold through its vcare line, with health plans paying up to THB4,500,000 or THB5,000,000 per hospital stay.

What’s the claims hotline?

1557, open 24 hours nationwide.

Disclaimer

*While we try our best to provide you with up-to-date and accurate information, the volatile nature of the insurance business means some of the information above may be subject to change. Please use it only as a guideline, and if you have any doubts, it’s best to check directly with Viriyah Insurance or an insurance broker.

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