Phuket included in Thailand’s B15.5bn disaster insurance plan
A nationwide insurance scheme approved by the Cabinet will cover about 30 million homes against floods, windstorms and earthquakes from 1 October 2026.
Phuket households will be included in Thailand’s B15.5 billion nationwide disaster insurance scheme, which will cover about 30 million homes from 1 October 2026 to 1 October 2027.
The Cabinet approved the plan to shift disaster assistance from post-event relief towards advance risk management. The scheme covers floods, windstorms and earthquakes across the country.
The budget includes B15 billion for group residential insurance policies and B500 million for group accident insurance covering disaster-related deaths. Residential cover will provide up to B100,000 per home per incident.
For flood damage, the benefit consists of an initial B10,000 payment and additional compensation of up to B90,000. Windstorm and earthquake claims will receive an initial B5,000 payment and additional compensation of up to B95,000.
The death benefit is B2 million per person for deaths caused by the three covered hazards.
The Ministry of Interior’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) will implement the programme with the Office of Insurance Commission and the Thai General Insurance Association. Government agencies or bodies designated by the government will hold and administer the policies with participating insurers.
Cover will apply to legal owners of homes recognised under civil registration law. It will also cover occupants of structures not recognised as homes under that law if an authorised official certifies that the structure is regularly inhabited. Death cover is available to Thai nationals with a 13-digit national identification number.
DDPM director-general Theerapat Kachamat said the insurance approach would help the government plan its disaster risks in advance and allow compensation to be delivered more quickly and systematically.
