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August 14, 2026

Thailand Identifies Online Triggers of Insurance Licensing Requirements

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Thailand’s Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) has issued guidelines clarifying the boundaries between permissible and prohibited activities for unlicensed individuals—including influencers, bloggers, and content creators—when communicating about insurance products on social media. The Good Practice Guidelines for Persons Not Licensed as Insurance Agents or Brokers Regarding the Dissemination of Insurance Content Through Digital Media B.E. 2569 (2026) took effect on July 24, 2026.

Activities Requiring a License

The guidelines reserve the following activities for licensed agents and brokers:

  • Soliciting or facilitating insurance contracts.
  • Providing personalized advice on product suitability.
  • Recommending policy cancellation to purchase promoted products.
  • Creating links that facilitate contract formation.
  • Receiving performance-based compensation tied to policies or premiums generated.

Importantly, boilerplate disclaimers such as “this is not a recommendation to buy insurance” will not shield individuals from liability if the OIC views the content as personalized advice or solicitation.

Permitted Activities

Unlicensed persons may present general educational content about insurance—such as explaining terminology, sharing industry statistics, reporting news, or sharing personal experiences—provided the content does not target specific individuals to purchase from specific companies.

The guidelines also set out best practices for communication, including presenting information in a fair and balanced manner that covers both benefits and limitations, encouraging consumers to read policy terms and consult licensed professionals, verifying information from credible sources before dissemination, and exercising special care when the audience may include vulnerable groups such as persons aged 60 and older.

Prohibited Practices

Prohibited practices include fear-based marketing, creating artificial urgency, omitting material limitations, making exaggerated claims, falsely claiming professional credentials, using fake engagement mechanisms, and sharing false or misleading content.

The guidelines also reinforce the prohibitions under section 83 of the Life Insurance Act B.E. 2535 and section 78 of the Non-Life Insurance Act B.E. 2535 against soliciting insurance contracts with foreign operators not licensed in Thailand—including recommending such companies, sharing sign-up links, or providing application guidance. Failure to comply with these guidelines may lead to imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to THB 50,000, or both.

Sponsored Advertising Requirements

Sponsored content must be governed by a written agreement with insurance companies or brokers, covering scope, content approval processes, and compensation (which must not be performance-based). All content requires preapproval from insurance companies and/or brokers, and any personal comments or post approval edits must be approved by insurance companies and/or brokers.

Content disseminators must disclose both the sponsorship relationship and their license status, and must verify that the commissioning party is properly licensed with the OIC. The guidelines also set out format-specific disclosure requirements:

  • Still images and animations must display disclosure text rather than requiring viewers to click to read more.
  • Short-form videos must show on-screen text throughout or at the start.
  • Long-form videos must include disclosures at the beginning and in the video description.
  • Carousel posts must include disclosures on at least the first image, and preferably on every image.
  • Audio and podcasts require spoken announcements.
  • Livestreams require continuous on-screen disclosures with periodic verbal announcements.

Unlicensed persons must additionally state: “This advertiser is not licensed as an insurance agent or broker. This content is for informational purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making a decision.”

Ongoing Monitoring Obligations

Content disseminators must continuously monitor published content and comment sections, promptly correct inaccuracies, remove fraudulent links, direct viewer inquiries to licensed professionals or the OIC hotline (1186), and maintain records of corrective actions.

Key Implications for Stakeholders

The guidelines provide clarity for all stakeholders involved in online insurance content:

  • Insurance companies and licensed intermediaries engaging influencers or content creators will need to implement comprehensive written agreements, preapproval workflows, and compensation structures not linked to performance.
  • Influencers, bloggers, and content creators now have clearer boundaries defining permissible activity, along with disclosure obligations and monitoring duties.
  • Foreign insurance companies without a Thai license will find it harder to use local influencers as a marketing channel and will face greater challenges providing insurance products and services through online channels.

Next Steps

Affected stakeholders should review their existing practices, contracts, and compliance procedures against these clearer regulatory boundaries. Offshore insurance companies and brokers should revisit their internal guidelines when conducting activities related to customers in Thailand.

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