Thailand Office of Insurance Commission orders free towing and accelerated payouts for southern Thailand flood claims

The Thailand Office of Insurance Commission convened insurers and relevant agencies to set emergency measures to support people affected by severe flooding in southern Thailand, focusing on immediate vehicle assistance and faster claims settlement across motor and non-motor lines. Insurers were asked to deploy tow trucks to move all flood-damaged vehicles free of charge, without limiting assistance to vehicles insured with the towing company. For motor insurance, total-loss claims should be paid within seven days of receiving complete documentation at the full sum insured; where a policyholder instead chooses to repair, insurers should reimburse repair costs up to 70% of the sum insured and refund the remaining premium pro rata upon policy cancellation. Partial-loss cases should be fast-tracked through expedited inspection, loss assessment and coordination with repair shops in affected and nearby provinces. For non-motor policies in officially reported disaster areas, residential fire policies should be considered for THB 20,000 compensation and fire or property policies that include flood cover for THB 30,000, capped by remaining policy limits; for losses above those amounts, insurers should pay claims within three days after receiving complete supporting documents. The Office will also use the Insurance Bureau System (IBS) to verify coverage for confirmed flood-related fatalities and coordinate faster payment to beneficiaries or heirs, supported by a 24-hour enquiry channel.