Vehicle insurance in Thailand is usually for the vehicle, not the driver. In the event of sale, existing coverage will continue for the vehicle with the new owner.

All vehicles are required to have the Compulsory Third-Party Liability Insurance which is basic insurance are required by the Road Protection Act. 

Other policies are available from private insurance companies for different levels of coverage. Expats should get Type 1 (First class) cover to include bail bond in the event the Police arrest the driver as being the party responsible (usually for an accident involving serious injury or death of another party). For foreigners the usual bond amount is 200,000 baht.

Click here for a Bangkok Post Article on the types of vehicle insurance available and what is usually covered. 

Exclusions: Standard exclusions that can be used by the insurance company to reject claims can differ, so read the fine print carefully or if in Thai, have a Thai person read them for you:

• Driver not having a driver’s license
• Drunk driving
• Using the vehicle for unauthorized purpose, e.g. as a taxi or moving vehicle
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Unauthorized Driver if policy only covers a specific person who can drive the car
  

Compulsory Third-Party Liability Insurance

Thai law requires all vehicles to have insurance that covers the medical expenses of road-accident victims. Operating a vehicle on a public road without having this insurance can result in a fine 10,000 to 50,000 baht.

You can get compulsory insurance at the Land Transport Office when you come to renew your annual vehicle registration, or you can take out your own policy with a private company. BUT you must have the minimum insurance coverage before your vehicle will be registered – or the registration renewed – at the Land Transport Office.

The period covered should correspond to the annual registration period of the vehicle.

The premium is set by law and is based on engine size. It should be less than 700 baht for motorcycles and less than 1,000 baht for automobiles, vans, and pickups.

Private Insurance Coverage

There are several types of vehicle policies that offer different levels of coverage. They are sold by many companies in Thailand. New car dealers will usually include a one year first class insurance policy from a Thai insurance company in the purchase price.