Protecting your children and dependents with life insurance
Your children depend on you for everything — income, stability, and their future education. Life insurance is how you protect all of that, no matter what happens.
What are you really protecting?
When you have children, life insurance shifts from being about you to being about them. The question isn't "what happens to me?" — it's "what happens to them if I'm not here?"
For expat children in Thailand, the stakes are particularly high. International school fees, potential relocation costs, a non-Thai parent navigating a foreign legal system — all of this requires financial resources that disappear the moment your income stops.
The true cost of raising an expat child in Thailand
International school fees (per year)
Substantial
Daily living costs (per child, per year)
Significant
Extracurricular / activities (per year)
Moderate
University fund (total, abroad)
Very substantial
Emergency relocation to home country
Significant
Childcare / au pair (if single parent)
Ongoing annual cost
* Estimates based on Bangkok expat living standards. Your costs will vary.
How to calculate cover for your children
A simple way to estimate the coverage your children need:
Example: Two children at international school in Bangkok
School fees over many years + university funding + living costs + income replacement = a substantial recommended coverage amount
Naming your children as beneficiaries — what you need to know
In Thailand, minors cannot legally receive a life insurance payout directly. If you name a child under 20 as beneficiary, the payout will be held by a court-appointed guardian until they reach adulthood.
Best practice for parents:
- Name your spouse or partner as primary beneficiary
- Name your children as secondary (contingent) beneficiaries
- If you're a single parent, name a trusted adult guardian as beneficiary with clear instructions
- Consider a trust arrangement for very large policies (speak to a legal advisor)
- Review beneficiary designations after any major change in family circumstances
What about aging parents?
Many expats are also supporting elderly parents back in their home country. If your parents rely on regular transfers from you, they are dependants too — and your life insurance should reflect that.
Consider naming them as secondary or even joint primary beneficiaries if they have no other financial support. An advisor can help you structure this appropriately.
Related topics
Life Insurance for Families Abroad
The full picture for expat families — including mixed international arrangements.
How Much Cover Do You Need?
Use the LIFE framework to include children's costs in your coverage calculation.
Thailand Tax-Efficient Life Insurance
Save on your Thai taxes with a qualifying policy.
FAQ
Common questions about beneficiaries, claims, and cover for families.
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