By Javier Sánchez · Updated 2026-10-19

Vehicle insurance in Thailand and your licence

Every vehicle needs a cheap compulsory policy and a voluntary one that actually protects you. Both depend on holding the right licence for that vehicle.

This is a detail of the main guide: how to get a Thai driving licence as a foreigner.

Every vehicle needs two layers: a compulsory policy that is cheap and small, and a voluntary one that actually protects you and your vehicle. Both depend on one thing you control: holding the right licence. The most common reason a claim is refused is not a technicality in the policy, it is a rider or driver without a valid licence for that vehicle.

Own or planning to buy a vehicle? See buying a car or motorbike as a foreigner and road tax, inspection and LPG checks.

Compulsory and voluntary cover

Compulsory

Por Ror Bor (CTPL)

Required by law for every registered car and motorcycle. Without it you can't renew the annual tax, and driving uninsured can be fined up to 10,000 THB.
Covers injuries and death only (driver, passengers, pedestrians), not the vehicle and not the other party's property.
Cost: about 160–645 THB a year for a motorcycle depending on engine size (around 323 THB for a typical 110–125 cc scooter), and roughly 650 THB for a car.

What it pays

Quick payment without proving fault: medical costs up to 30,000 THB per person, plus 35,000 THB for death, disability or loss of an organ.
When you are not at fault: medical costs up to 80,000 THB, and up to 500,000 THB for death or permanent disability. Loss of an organ is 200,000–500,000 THB, and hospital stays add 200 THB per day for up to 20 days.
Published amounts differ slightly between sources, so check the current table at the Office of the Insurance Commission before relying on a number.

Treat it as the legal minimum. A serious injury hospital bill can pass 80,000 THB quickly.

Voluntary

Classes 1, 2+, 3+, 2 and 3

ClassOther partyYour vehicleFire / theft

1YesYes, even if you caused it or no one else was involvedYes

2+YesOnly in a collision with another vehicleYes

3+YesOnly in a collision with another vehicleNo

2YesNoYes

3YesNoNo

Only Class 1 covers the accident a visitor is most likely to have: sliding on gravel or a wet bend with nobody else involved. The "+" classes don't.
Typical yearly cost, widely quoted and only directional: 8,000–12,000 THB for a car on 2+, about 4,400–11,000 THB across the "+" classes, and 2,000–30,000 THB for a motorcycle depending on its value.
Class 1 is usually limited to newer vehicles (one source says up to about 10 years old), and insurers differ on what they offer for foreign-registered vehicles.

What sources report: What the compulsory insurance (Por Ror Bor) pays

Quick payment, fault not needed: medical up to 30,000 THB, plus 35,000 THB for death, disability or loss of an organ (65,000 THB combined). After fault is proven: medical up to 80,000 THB, death or total disability 500,000 THB, loss of an organ 200,000–500,000 THB, 200 THB a day in hospital for up to 20 days. Motorist, Jan 2026
About 30,000 THB if you are at fault; about 80,000 THB medical and 500,000 THB for death or dismemberment if you are not. The Thaiger, Sep 2026
500,000 THB for death, with medical limits "up to 80,000 THB" per person. other 2026 guides

What sources report: How old can a car be for Class 1?

Generally under 7 years. ExpatDen
Typically 1 to 10 years. CheckDi
Up to 15 years (it was 12). Roojai
Up to 20 years, with a sum insured up to 500,000 THB. TTIB
"Not cost-effective" for older vehicles with low market value. Motorist

The licence trap: when the insurer won't pay

Insurers can refuse a claim, and a travel-insurance policy often fails on the same accident, when the person driving did not hold the licence the law requires. The things that most often void a claim:

No valid licence for that vehicle. A foreign licence is not enough on its own, and a car licence does not cover a motorcycle, whatever the engine size.
An IDP without the right category. If you ride on an International Driving Permit, it must carry the motorcycle category, together with your home licence.
Drink driving. It is a standard exclusion, and hospitals test blood after accidents. The limit is 50 mg%, and 20 mg% for under-20s and temporary-licence holders.
A driver who isn't named on the policy, or commercial use on a private policy (delivery, taxi).
Leaving the scene of the accident.

This is the practical reason to hold a Thai licence

If you live here and ride or drive every day, a Thai licence in the right class is what makes both your compulsory and voluntary insurance worth paying for. Check which route is yours and sit the theory test prepared.

Before you buy: what to ask

Which class is it, and does it cover a single-vehicle accident and flooding?
Who can drive? Named drivers only, or any licensed driver.
Excess (deductible). How much you pay on each claim.
Where it is repaired: dealer garage or a network garage, which changes the price.
Whose name the vehicle is registered in. Claim conditions can change if it isn't yours.
The policy in English, and the claim hotline written down before you need it.

Renting a car or motorbike

Rental cover depends on the rental agreement, not on the law. The usual pattern is a damage waiver with an excess of roughly 8,000–15,000 THB per accident on cars , which many companies will reduce to zero with a "super" waiver at about 200–400 THB a day. Ask in writing what the excess and the exclusions are, whether theft and personal accident are included, and carry your licence and IDP with the right category. Travel insurance often excludes scooters, so read its terms before you ride.

Frequently asked questions

Is vehicle insurance compulsory in Thailand?

Yes. The compulsory Por Ror Bor policy is required for every registered car and motorcycle, and without it you cannot renew the annual tax. It covers injuries and death only.

What is the difference between Class 1 and Class 3 insurance?

Class 1 covers your own vehicle even if you caused the accident or nobody else was involved. Class 3 covers the other party and your vehicle only in a collision with another vehicle, and it adds no fire or theft cover in its basic form.

Will my insurance pay if I ride a scooter on a car licence?

Often not. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and insurers can refuse a claim when the rider did not hold the right licence.

How much does Por Ror Bor cost?

About 160 to 645 THB a year for a motorcycle depending on engine size, and roughly 650 THB for a car. Prices vary by source.

Practise before the real test

470+ questions in English with the official Thai signs and road markings, and a mock exam for car or motorcycle. Free, no sign-up.

Start practising

Sources

Requirements, fees and procedures change and differ by office. Confirm with the Department of Land Transport or your local office before you act.