Safety
Thai Cabinet Approves Nationwide Disaster Insurance Scheme
The Thai government has approved a new disaster insurance program covering 30 million households against floods, storms, and earthquakes.
On September 1, 2026, during a mobile cabinet meeting held at Prince of Songkla University in Hat Yai, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the approval of a new disaster insurance scheme. According to Khaosod Online, this initiative aims to shift disaster relief from traditional compensation models to a structured insurance system covering approximately 30 million households nationwide.
The program provides coverage for three specific natural disasters: floods, windstorms, and earthquakes. Under the proposed framework, residential property coverage is capped at 100,000 baht per household per incident, with no annual limit on the number of claims, provided they meet the criteria set by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Additionally, the scheme includes life insurance coverage, offering 2 million baht in benefits per fatality. The government has allocated an annual budget of 15 billion baht to support this initiative, which promises initial assistance payments within 15 days, followed by additional support within the subsequent 15 days.
For residents and long-term visitors, this policy represents a significant shift in how the state manages disaster recovery. While the cabinet has approved the principle of the program, specific implementation details, such as the exact enrollment process for foreign residents or the full scope of eligibility criteria, remain to be confirmed by the relevant authorities.