Vehicle Insurance in Thailand

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Vehicle Insurance in Thailand

It is a legal requirement in Thailand for cars to have Compulsory Motor Insurance (CMI). This insurance is required by law with a set premium and cover rates. It only covers third parties and passengers.

CMI can be bought from the local Department of Land Transport Office (DLT) or from car insurance companies and also from some car dealerships. The only document required is the car registration document (Blue Book or Lem Tabian).

The CMI documents must be kept in the car.

Additional Car Insurance

There is a choice of private insurance companies that offer additional coverage to the CMI. Most will offer some variation of the three levels of insurance listed below. Cover will vary from company to company so check all the details of the policy before signing.

• 1^st Class Insurance: Also known as fully comprehensive insurance, covers vehicle, life and injury of driver, passengers and third party property damage and liability
• 2^nd Class Insurance: Also known as collision coverage will cover the repairs to vehicles when involved in an accident
• 3^rd Class Insurance: Covering life and injury of driver, passengers and third party property damage and liability

Thai insurance companies have a no claims bonus structure on certain policies that will provide significant discounts after a year of no claims on the insurance. Some companies even allow small claims to be made that do not affect the no claims bonus.

Note: It is very important to check and understand an insurance company's procedures in the case of an accident such as who to call and how to proceed. Find this out when taking out the insurance. 

• For a list of insurance companies in Thailand: Click here
• See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Road Traffic Accidents in Thailand

Insuring a Foreign Car

Owners of foreign vehicles travelling into Thailand should check their that their car insurance policy provides coverage before arriving.

Thai insurance companies will not cover foreign vehicles comprehensively, however, 3^rd Class Insurance is available and highly recommended. This can usually be purchased around the border crossings into the country.

Further Information

• AngloINFO INFOrmation page on Driving in Thailand
• AngloINFO INFOrmation page on Registering a Foreign Vehicle in Thailand