The government is advancing disaster insurance for the public, providing protection for 30 million homes with a budget of 15.5 billion baht, starting coverage on 1 October 2026.
On 22 September 2026, Ms. Lalida Pertviwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the Ministry of Interior proposed to the Cabinet a budget allocation totaling 15.5 billion baht for a disaster insurance purchase project to benefit the public. This aims to enable at-risk and vulnerable groups to quickly access comprehensive protection for life and property. The policy coverage lasts a full year from 1 October 2026 to 1 October 2027. This approval continues the Cabinet resolutions from 1 and 15 September 2026 that endorsed the principle and approved the insurance premium budget framework for group insurance, using disaster risk transfer as the main mechanism to compensate the public for damages.
Ms. Lalida added that the 15.5 billion baht budget is divided into 15 billion baht for group home insurance premiums (covering about 30 million homes based on the Department of Provincial Administration data as of 10 September 2026) and 500 million baht for group accident insurance premiums (covering deaths from floods, storms, and earthquakes). Regarding funding, the Ministry of Interior requested 10 billion baht from the 2026 annual budget (central reserve funds for emergencies or necessities), with the remaining 5.5 billion baht committed from the following year’s budget to cover the full insurance period.
Ms. Lalida further stated that the Office of Insurance Commission and the Thai General Insurance Association will jointly select insurers with strong stability and high capability to ensure quick, transparent, and fair claims payments. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation will collaborate to verify claims to prevent duplicate compensation payments alongside other government relief measures.
However, for victims during the 2026 rainy season (from 15 May to 30 September 2026), the government will continue using the existing relief criteria per the Cabinet resolution on 25 August 2026. This includes 9,000 baht in assistance per household and 2,000,000 baht per death caused by floods or landslides, as this period precedes the effective date of the new insurance policy.
Additionally, the government emphasized that relevant agencies should promptly verify and support overlooked groups such as renters, people in remote areas, or those not registered in the civil registry to ensure fair access to benefits. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council will participate in evaluating the program’s cost-effectiveness after completion to guide sustainable long-term operations without imposing fiscal burdens on the state.
“The key goal is to provide the public with assurance when disasters occur, eliminating sole reliance on case-by-case relief decisions. Instead, an insurance system will help absorb risks and deliver assistance more rapidly, especially for people in vulnerable and high-risk areas. At the same time, the system must be designed to prevent duplicate payments and ensure efficient use of government funds,” the Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office concluded.