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Medical Insurance Law
Useful legal information for your company due dilligence.
Find out about the law in regards to your business in purchasing offshore insurance. Are you allowed in your country? What are the stipulations that need to be met? Find a breakdown here so that you have your bases covered, and you can sign off on your due diligence.
Legal to Purchase Offshore:
Cambodia Ref
There are no obstacles at all in regards to purchasing your medical insurance from offshore in Cambodia.
> Legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities.
> Does not have stipulations about broker advisement of purchasing offshore.
> Reference: Article 110 of the Cambodian insurance regulatory code (IRC).
Indonesia Ref
It is legal to purchase offshore insurance in Indonesia. Purchasers are subject to a 10% withholding tax.
> Legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities, if taxes are paid.
> Appointed broker must be licensed to operate onshore, but may advise.
> Reference: Regulation number 69 of the Financial Services Authority of Indonesia (OJK).
Laos Ref
It is legal to purchase offshore insurance in Laos. Only offshore insurers may advise on offshore medical insurance products. Offshore premiums are not tax deductible while onshore products may be deductible.
> Legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities, no tax deductions available.
> Advising intermediary must be offshore.
> Reference: Law on Insurance No. 06/NA (2011), Instructions No. 539/MoF (2014), Instructions No. 770/MoF (2016), Amended Law on Insurance No. 78/NA (2019).
Myanmar Ref
It is legal to purchase offshore insurance in Myanmar. Offshore insurers must not solicit from within Myanmar. There is no legal framework for brokers inside Myanmar to advise on offshore insurance. Clients may use offshore intermediaries.
> Legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities.
> It is legal to use offshore intermediaries to advise on the offshore insurance.
> Reference: Section 7(f) of the Insurance Business Law (1996).
Thailand Ref
It is legal to purchase offshore insurance in Thailand. Offshore insurers must not solicit from within Thailand. Onshore intermediaries may not advise entities in Thailand to purchase offshore. Thailand entities looking for offshore options must engage offshore intermediaries.
> Legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore medical insurers.
> It is legal to use offshore intermediaries to advise on the offshore insurance.
> Reference: OIC Notification B.E. 2565 (2022), OIC Orders No. 14/2564 & 15/2564.
Vietnam Ref
It is legal to purchase offshore medical insurance in Vietnam to entities with some level of foreign investment. They cannot sell to Vietnamese citizens of fully locally owned companies. As of July 1, 2025, there is no longer any VAT tax of offshore insurance. Insurers must meet certain criteria around investment and solvency. Check references for full details.
> Legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities that are at least partially foreign owned, and meet the criteria laid out in the Vietnamese insurance law. Such criteria include but are not limited to having USD 2 billion in capital, having operated for 10+ years, etc., see references.
> Onshore intermediaries may advise on offshore medical insurance that is compliant with the above rules.
> Reference: Listed in Decree 46, and Articles 85 and 86 of the Vietnamese insurance law.
Not Legal or Legally Grey to Purchase Offshore:
China Ref
While many companies in China do purchase insurance from offshore, and the risk of fines is relatively low, it is technically not allowed in most cases.
> Not legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities, although there is some grey around subsidiaries of MNC's to purchase from offshore.
> Brokers cannot advise entities in China to purchase offshore medical insurance.
> Reference: Article 7 of China's Insurance Law.
South Korea Ref
While many international schools do purchase insurance from offshore, South Korean rules are not straight forward about offshore purchasing around medical insurance. Offshore insurers use a narrow interpretation of the law to continue to operate. Intermediaries must be offshore, and offshore purchases will negate the tax rebate.
> Not specifically legal to purchase medical insurance from offshore entities, although under the terms of the insurance being "long term casualty" this is permitted, and commonly occurring business.
> Intermediaries cannot advise entities in South Korea to purchase offshore medical insurance. Intermediary must be offshore.
> Reference: Insurance Business Law and the National Health Insurance Act.
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