Rant: My $89 'global health insurance' only covers doctor visits in 12 countries

I signed up for what I thought was a solid nomad policy last month, paying $89/month. Then I got dengue symptoms in Chiang Mai and called the hotline. They told me it only covers emergency care in Thailand, not follow-up visits, and the full list is just 12 countries worldwide. Most Europe and South America spots are out entirely. Anyone else find their policy fine print useless when you actually need it? What do you all use for real coverage?

2 comments

2 Comments

simonp761mo ago

Funny you mention Chiang Mai, that place messed me up a few years ago. I got a crazy stomach bug from some street food and spent a week in a clinic that had a sign in the lobby saying “no ice, no refunds” for some reason. The nurse handed me a bag of ORS powder and a paper fan and told me to sweat it out. Anyway, that experience taught me to read every single line in those policy PDFs, even the tiny footnote numbers that go to page 47. Took me two days with a highlighter to figure out my plan only did actual hospital stays, not clinic visits, and by then the fever was gone. Your dengue thing sounds way worse, hope you got some decent care at least.

emmaclark1mo ago

Damn, that highlight and footnote thing is too real. So did the clinic in Chiang Mai actually push back on your insurance or did you just eat the cost and call it a lesson? Because I feel like half these companies bank on people being too sick or too tired to fight the language in the policy. And that 'no ice, no refunds' sign sounds like a horror movie, what even was that place?