Insurance + retirement funds

[sunsnow]

(repost)

I know this would best and most comprehensively answered at thaivisa.com but just because I am familiar with this website I would like to make this question here first before I venture out to asianexpats and thaivisa forums...

I hope people could answer these two questions on their own parts and as third thing maybe share something extra information.

1) What is the insurance that you have, to cover your health. If any. From what company, what it covers and how much it costs per year.

a) In case that you are on a command post job in Thailand (or elsewhere in Asia)

OR

In case that you have found your way by your own means and as such probably have to find some type of insurance by yourself.

I make this question as I understand that very expensive, ESSENTIAL and big part of the benefits expats get (those who have gone to Asia as sent by their companies).

Of the cuff I understood a friend of mine told that his insurance costs hundreds of euros per month in China. (He is working there under contract from Europe)

2) In some countries in Europe, part of your salary goes every month to governmental retirement fund, so that when you eventually retire, you "automatically" are entitled to some sort of retirement compensation. This involuntary system is in use in Finland for example, and can be "boosted" by personal plans. And as it goes to USA for example, there ppl have used to have, as I have understood, personal retirement funds (but I have no concept of how much these "cost" you either").

So, the question is: how do you take care of these issues in Asia? Do you just stock up in stock market or pay every month to some sort of fund in home country? What kind of monetary sums we are speaking here per month?

The "sum of money per month" is tricky one - as it in involuntary system here is always certain percent of your salary, but especially if you are in Thailand or Asia by your own means, the salary being local salary, my guess would be that any percentage of your salary that you would pay home would need to be much higher in Asian countries (probably except for Japan and S-Korea).

Oh and please, give also answer "don't have any insurance or retirement plans" if those apply in your case.

Thanks in advance for any informative replies.(Yes, most probably best place to get more answer is to go to thaivisa, but I want to ask around here first if you don't mind. )

[sunsnow]

You crazy one. Besides i had only two questions, not nine. Brrrrrrrr

but yes, i would like to touch those.

[beej]

I get full health cover through my bank and its pretty cheap, then invest my small amount of money in stupid things like art for when I need to retire.

[sunsnow]

Ok, thanks for your contribution. All I managed to understand from your answer is that you dont have health insurance. About retirement funds I couldn't find out your answer...

[luckyphil247]

You're not in bed yet are you piant.

Come on!

He's obviously sound asleep .

But the picture has kept me up well