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September 24, 2026

Thailand Amends Rules on Insurance Policy Delivery, Sales, and Advertising

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On September 15, 2026, Thailand’s Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) issued two notifications—one for life insurance and one for non-life insurance—amending the 2020 regulatory framework governing policy issuance and offering, agent and broker conduct, premium collection, and advertising. The amendments take effect on January 1, 2027.

Electronic Policy Delivery and OIC Reporting

Insurers must now deliver policies electronically by default, with printed copies required only where the policyholder opts out of electronic delivery. For life insurance, this requirement extends to coverage summaries and exclusion documents. Insurers must also electronically submit issued policies to the OIC immediately upon issuance. This is a significant new data-reporting obligation that requires system integration with the OIC’s platform.

Risk Management, Sales Conduct, and License Misuse

The notifications introduce several amendments and additional requirements in the areas of risk management, sales conduct, and license misuse:

  • Internal risk management must now expressly cover advertising, policy offering, and sales agent information, including market conduct risk and reputational risk.
  • Sales conducted through employees, agents, or brokers are subject to enhanced requirements, including verification of the seller’s identity and authority, disclosure of the purpose of contacting the customer, provision of complete and accurate policy information, customer assistance with application forms, and notification of the expected timing for policy delivery or insurer follow-up. For life insurance, customers must also be informed of their right to cancel the policy.
  • For life insurance specifically, employees, agents, and brokers must submit insurance applications to the insurer at the earliest opportunity, and no later than the next business day.
  • Using another person’s name or license, or allowing another person to use one’s own name or license, for the purpose of offering insurance for sale, listing in sales-related documents, or recording in the insurance policy is now expressly prohibited for both life and non-life insurance.

Premium Collection and Refund Framework

Insurers must prepare written premium collection and refund guidelines covering collection policy, risk management, payment channels, customer notifications, receipts, and refund procedures. These guidelines must be submitted to the OIC within 90 days of the effective date, and within 15 days of any subsequent change.

For non-life insurance, there must be specific premium-collection periods, and premiums must be collected within 60 days of the coverage start date. The non-life insurance notification also sets out separate rules for insurance contracts with installment premium payments and specifies categories to which the 60-day requirement does not apply, including insurance contracts with government entities, state enterprises, or international organizations, as well as marine insurance and reinsurance. For motor vehicle insurance, the full premium must be collected before coverage begins.

Advertising Regulations and Enforcement

Key amendments to advertising rules include the following:

  • Enhanced advertising controls: In addition to existing requirements for advertising to be accurate, clear, and not misleading and to include consumer warnings, insurers must establish systems to review and approve advertising materials before publication, retain evidence of such approval, and continuously monitor and review their advertising. Noncompliant advertising is subject to corrective action or discontinuation, with relevant facts and corrective measures reported to the OIC within three days.
  • Third-party advertising: Outsourced advertising (including the use of influencers) arrangements require written agreements, nonvariable compensation, due diligence on advertisers, and disclosure of paid promotions. Insurers must also adopt digital media advertising policies.
  • OIC oversight: The OIC may require clarification, correction, additional disclosure, or suspension of noncompliant advertising.
  • Potential penalties: Noncompliance may also trigger enforcement under applicable insurance legislation and could lead to criminal or fine-based sanctions.

Next Steps

Insurance companies should prioritize the following ahead of the notifications’ January 1, 2027, effective date:

  • IT systems: Upgrade systems and processes to support electronic policy delivery and immediate electronic submission through the OIC’s electronic system.
  • Advertising compliance: Establish pre-publication approval and monitoring processes, and ensure compliant written agreements with influencers and third-party advertisers, along with appropriate due diligence, compensation, and disclosure controls for outsourced advertising.
  • Premium collection: Prepare written premium collection and refund guidelines for submission to the OIC within 90 days of the effective date.
  • Sales conduct: Update training for agents, brokers, and employees to reflect the revised sales requirements and the new license misuse prohibition.
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