Insurance companies, in business to make money, normally have no problems settling claims with Thai hospitals. Provided their client has coverage for a particular medical procedure, the lower the claim the better. One insurance agent did tell us, however, that the companies were now asking for more than one quote for elective surgery since there had been wide deviations in prices from Thai hospitals.
No figures are available about how much income the Thai hospitals derive from insurance over individuals paying directly but sources estimate it to be less than 50%.
Many visitors say that the amount they save on their bills with doctors and hospitals more than covers their airfare and hotel stay. There are those contemplating surgery who first visit for a medical check-up just to get an insight of the hospital's operations before committing to something more extensive.