Thai Vehicle Insurance Explained: Compulsory Cover and the Five Classes
Thai vehicle insurance comes in two layers: a cheap compulsory policy that covers people, and voluntary cover that decides who pays for the cars. Knowing the difference saves arguments at the roadside.
The short version
- Por Ror Bor is compulsory for every car and motorbike and covers injury and death, not vehicles.
- Voluntary cover comes in Type 1, 2+, 2, 3+ and 3, from comprehensive to third-party only.
- From 2026, Types 1–3 must include third-party injury cover of at least 500,000 baht per person.
- Type 1 is generally limited to cars under 7 years old.
- After an accident, call your insurer and wait for the surveyor before moving the vehicles if safe.
Por Ror Bor: the compulsory policy
Every registered car and motorbike must have Por Ror Bor, and you need it to pay road tax. It pays an initial 30,000 baht for injury and 35,000 baht for death regardless of fault, and more if you were not at fault. In 2026 the combined cap per accident rose to 20 million baht. It does not pay for any vehicle.
The five voluntary classes
- Type 1: the fullest cover, including accidents you cause alone, theft, fire and flood
- Type 2+: collisions with another vehicle, theft and fire, but not single-vehicle accidents
- Type 2: theft, fire and third parties, no collision cover; now rare
- Type 3+: collisions with another vehicle and third parties, no theft or fire
- Type 3: third parties only; it will not repair your car
After an accident
Make sure everyone is safe, call 1669 if anyone is hurt, then call your insurer. Thai insurers send a surveyor to the scene, who records the accident and agrees fault with the other side’s surveyor. Take photos, and do not agree to pay anyone before the surveyor arrives.
A valid Thai licence matters: driving without one can complicate or void a claim.
What car cover costs a year
Thailand Starter Kit quotes, Oct 2026, for a 2023 Toyota Yaris Ativ in Bangkok. Your price depends on the vehicle, its age and where it is repaired.
Insurance mistakes to avoid
It never pays for your car.
You cannot renew road tax without it.
Wait for the surveyor.
Your claim can fail.
Everything on vehicle insurance
Guides from the JLIT library on cover, rentals and claims.
Insurance hubs
Compare and buy cover.
Keep going
Questions newcomers ask
What is Por Ror Bor?
Thailand’s compulsory motor insurance. Every car and motorbike must have it; it covers injury and death, not vehicle damage.
Which insurance class should I buy?
Type 1 for newer cars, usually under seven years old; Type 2+ or 3+ for older cars; Type 3 if you only want third-party cover.
What should I do after a car accident in Thailand?
Make sure everyone is safe, call 1669 if anyone is injured, call your insurer and wait for their surveyor before agreeing anything.
