Whether you're a seasoned driver or just drove a brand-new car off the lot a few months ago, this is the sound nobody wants to hear. But in reality, road accidents can always happen, and the first thing people usually think of is "insurance".
But wait… what about the "Por Ror Bor" that we're forced to renew every year — where does it fit into this equation?
This is where a great deal of confusion starts for many motorists. Many people pay for their Por Ror Bor (full name: the "Road Accident Victims Protection Act") together with their annual vehicle tax renewal, while still mistakenly believing that:
- "Por Ror Bor is just a weak version of Class 3 insurance"
- "If I crash, Por Ror Bor will pay a little towards repairing my car"
- "Once I have Por Ror Bor, I don't need any other insurance"
Spoiler alert: all of these are wrong.
If you're one of those still "confused" about what exactly these few hundred baht are paying for, this guide is your answer. We'll "scan" Por Ror Bor inside out in language that the new generation can understand most easily — forget the thick law textbooks. This is a "Real Talk" guide that will show you that Por Ror Bor is not just a piece of paper for renewing your vehicle tax, but the very first "shield against injury" that you and everyone on the road has.
What is Por Ror Bor? (compulsory motor insurance)
Put as simply as possible, Por Ror Bor is not "car insurance" but "people insurance".
Its core is a guarantee that anyone who is a "victim" of a motor vehicle — whether injured, killed or disabled — will receive basic relief "immediately", regardless of who is right or wrong.
It is a "compulsory emergency fund" to which every vehicle contributes, to ensure that if something unexpected happens, nobody is left behind without medical treatment.
So the main purposes of Por Ror Bor are just two:
- Paying medical expenses (when you are injured)
- Paying compensation (when you are disabled or die)
Remember this well: Por Ror Bor does not cover the "property" or the "car" of you or the other party — not a single baht.
Who does Por Ror Bor cover, and how much?
Now that we understand Por Ror Bor focuses only on "people", let's look at how it pays. A Por Ror Bor policy pays out in 2 steps, which is very important because the limits are different.
Step 1: Preliminary compensation (paid immediately, no need to prove who is at fault)
This is the heart of Por Ror Bor and what makes it different from ordinary insurance. As soon as an incident occurs and someone is injured, the "Road Accident Victims Protection Company" or the insurer you bought your Por Ror Bor from will pay this amount first, within 7 days, as long as there is evidence that the incident really happened. This limit exists so that you can get into the emergency room straight away.
- Medical expenses (actual) up to THB 30,000 per person
- Loss of organs/limbs, permanent disability or death THB 35,000 per person
Once again, this step "doesn't care who is at fault". Crash, get hurt, and you can claim right away (even a drunk driver who crashed on their own can still claim this part, so that they receive treatment!)
Step 2: Compensation (for the "innocent party" only)
After the first step has paid for emergency treatment, it is time to determine "who is at fault" (usually based on the police daily report).
If you are the "innocent party" or a "passenger" (not the driver), you are entitled to even higher coverage, with the Por Ror Bor of the "at-fault" vehicle paying the difference above the first step.
- Medical expenses (actual) the limit rises to a maximum of THB 80,000 per person (for example, if actual treatment costs THB 50,000 and THB 30,000 has already been claimed as "preliminary compensation", you can claim another THB 20,000 from this "excess")
- Death or total permanent disability THB 500,000 per person (if THB 35,000 has already been claimed as "preliminary compensation" (item 1), you will receive a further THB 465,000 from this part)
- Loss of organs/limbs
- Loss of one or more finger joints THB 200,000
- Loss of 1 organ/limb (e.g. 1 arm, 1 leg, 1 eye) THB 250,000
- Loss of 2 or more organs/limbs (e.g. 2 arms, 2 eyes) THB 500,000
- Daily compensation (hospitalisation – up to 20 days) THB 200 per day
The most confusing point: what about the "at-fault driver"? A driver who is at fault can claim only "Step 1" (preliminary compensation), i.e. medical expenses up to THB 30,000, and will not receive the Step 2 compensation.
Case studies: how does Por Ror Bor work in real situations?
Theory can be boring, so let's look at real situations to see when Por Ror Bor helps you and when it doesn't.
Case 1: "We're at fault" (we rear-ended them)
- Our car: dented bumper, broken headlight
- People in our car: us (the driver) — knee injury / our friend (passenger) — broken arm
- The other party's car: dented rear bumper
- People in the other party's car: driver — neck pain / passenger — back pain
How Por Ror Bor works (compulsory motor insurance)
- Por Ror Bor (ours)
- Pays medical expenses for "our friend" (the passenger), because they are a victim (limit up to THB 80,000)
- Pays medical expenses for "the other driver" and "the other party's passenger" (because they are the innocent party, limit up to THB 80,000 each)
- Pays medical expenses for "us" (the at-fault driver) only as preliminary compensation (up to THB 30,000)
- What Por Ror Bor does not pay
- Does not pay for repairing the bumper of "our car"
- Does not pay for repairing the bumper of "the other party's car"
Case 1 summary: If you are at fault, Por Ror Bor will take care of all the "people", but takes care of "you" (the driver) the least, and does not take care of a single "car". You have to pay for repairing the other party's car entirely out of your own pocket.
Case 2: "They're at fault" (they crashed into us)
- Our car: dented door
- People in our car: us (the driver) — sprained neck / our child (passenger) — bump on the head
- The other party's car: broken front bumper
- People in the other party's car: driver — unhurt
How Por Ror Bor works
- Por Ror Bor (the other party's – at fault)
- Pays medical expenses for "us" (the innocent driver) (limit up to THB 80,000)
- Pays medical expenses for "our child" (the passenger) (limit up to THB 80,000)
- Por Ror Bor (ours – innocent party)
- Pays medical expenses for "the other driver" (at fault) only as preliminary compensation (up to THB 30,000)
- What Por Ror Bor does not pay
- Does not pay for repairing the door of "our car"
- Does not pay for repairing the bumper of "the other party's car"
Case 2 summary: Even though we are the innocent party, Por Ror Bor still only takes care of the "people" in our car. For the "repair of our car" with the dented door, we have to pursue compensation from the other party (or their voluntary insurance) ourselves.
Case 3: "Hit and run" (double bad luck)
Suppose you're stopped at a red light when a motorcycle comes out of nowhere, clips you so that you fall, and then speeds off. You can't even remember the registration number.
- Situation: you are injured (e.g. a grazed leg, a sprained ankle)
- Problem: there is no Por Ror Bor from the other party to claim from
How Por Ror Bor works
Don't despair! This law has a "Road Accident Victims Compensation Fund" set up for situations like this (including cases where a vehicle has no Por Ror Bor). As a "victim" of a hit and run, you can claim from this "Fund", but… only for "preliminary compensation" (i.e. medical expenses up to THB 30,000 and death/disability compensation of THB 35,000).
Case 4: "Falling on your own" (no other party)
You're riding your motorcycle normally and hit a pothole, trip over a dog, or the road is slippery in the rain — you fall on your own and get hurt on your own.
How Por Ror Bor works
You (the rider) are also considered a "victim", but because there is no other party (or you are considered to have been careless yourself), you can claim from the Por Ror Bor of "your own vehicle", but only for "preliminary compensation" (medical expenses up to THB 30,000).
FAQ: how do you claim? Is it complicated?
1. What do you need to claim?
- Most important: a copy of the ID card (of the injured person)
- If available: a copy of the vehicle registration (of the vehicle involved) and the Por Ror Bor schedule page
- Medical documents: medical certificate, receipts for treatment (originals)
- In case of death: death certificate, proof of being an heir
- If available: the police daily report (essential if you are going to claim the amount above "preliminary compensation")
2. Where do you claim?
- Easiest: submit the claim at the hospital where you are treated (many have a direct billing system with the insurer/central fund)
- Claim yourself: submit the claim to the insurer you bought your Por Ror Bor from, or the other party's insurer (if you are the innocent party)
- Claim through another company: in fact, you can submit the claim to "any" insurer that sells Por Ror Bor; they will accept it and settle it among themselves internally
3. Within how many days must you claim?
But for "preliminary compensation" (Step 1), the law requires the insurer to pay "within 7 days" of receiving complete documents, so submit as quickly as possible.
You must exercise your right to claim within 180 days of the date of the incident.
Penalties: what happens if you "don't have" Por Ror Bor?
For a new generation that values getting their money's worth, the question may be: "If I drive really well and have never crashed, can I skip renewing my Por Ror Bor to save money?"
The answer is "No" and "it's seriously not worth it".
Por Ror Bor is "compulsory". Not having it is not just a matter of coverage, but a matter of "law".
1. Fines (many times more expensive than Por Ror Bor itself)
- The law clearly states that a "vehicle owner" who does not arrange Por Ror Bor faces a fine of up to THB 10,000
- And a "vehicle user" (the driver) who knows the vehicle has no Por Ror Bor but still drives it also faces a fine of up to THB 10,000
- (One fine would pay for Por Ror Bor for decades)
2. You can't "renew your vehicle tax"!
- This is the most decisive blow. The Department of Land Transport requires that to renew your annual vehicle tax (that square sticker on your windscreen), you must submit a valid "Por Ror Bor stub" as well.
- No Por Ror Bor = no tax renewal
- No tax renewal (lapsed tax) = expired tax sticker
- Driving with an expired tax sticker = getting stopped by the police and fined on top (up to THB 2,000)
3. The hard-hitting end: "financial disaster" when something happens
- This is the scariest part
- Suppose you drive (a car without Por Ror Bor) and hit someone else
- What you have to pay
- The other party's medical expenses (Por Ror Bor cannot be claimed)
- Compensation if they die or are disabled (up to THB 500,000, or they may sue for more)
- Repairs to the other party's car (this goes without saying)
- Repairs to your own car
- The fine for driving without Por Ror Bor
- Just because you tried to "save" a few hundred baht on Por Ror Bor (for a motorcycle) or high hundreds to just over a thousand baht (for a car), you may end up paying hundreds of thousands or even millions of baht in damages instead.
So Por Ror Bor is not an "option" but the most basic "duty" of every vehicle owner.
The final question: is Por Ror Bor "alone" enough?
By now we all agree that Por Ror Bor is an essential and excellent "shield against injury". It takes good care of "people" at a basic level.
But imagine this situation.
You're driving home on a Friday evening. Suddenly the car in front brakes hard and you can't stop in time… "Crash!" You rear-end a luxury Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The tail light is broken and the bumper dented. Luckily nobody is hurt…
What does your Por Ror Bor pay? The answer is THB 0.
Because Por Ror Bor does not cover "property". What you are responsible for is the "repair cost" of that Benz, which could start at THB 200,000 or more, and you also have to pay to repair "your own" car on top of that.
This is where Por Ror Bor "can't cope".
Por Ror Bor is designed for "people" only, but accidents always involve "cars" and "property" too.
So Por Ror Bor on its own is "not enough" for driving in the real world.
That's why there has to be what is called "voluntary insurance" (Voluntary Insurance) to reinforce it — the "Class 1", "Class 2+", "Class 3+" or "Class 3" insurance we all know so well.
The clearest summary of the differences
- Por Ror Bor (compulsory)
- Purpose: protects "people" (everyone injured/killed)
- Does not protect "cars" (neither ours nor the other party's)
- Voluntary insurance (e.g. Class 1, 2+, 3+)
- Purpose: protects "cars" and "property" (repairs theirs + repairs ours)
- And covers the "difference for people" that Por Ror Bor doesn't fully pay (e.g. Por Ror Bor pays THB 80,000 for medical expenses but actual treatment costs THB 150,000 — voluntary insurance pays the remaining THB 70,000)
Having Por Ror Bor is "complying with the law", but having "voluntary insurance" is "protecting your own financial future".
How to manage "insurance" and "Por Ror Bor" to make life easier?
For people like us, time is the most valuable thing. Having to remember when the Por Ror Bor expires, whether the tax has lapsed, whether the voluntary insurance we bought covers enough, or whether to buy Class 1 or 2+ — these are rather complicated, headache-inducing matters.
Many people choose to "just buy something and be done with it" without comparing, or choose coverage that doesn't suit how they actually use their car, so they end up paying more than necessary — or, conversely, when something really happens, the coverage doesn't extend far enough.
This is where an "insurance broker" such as OMC Broker comes in.
OMC Broker is not an insurance company; we are a car insurance "advisor".
Our job is not just to "sell" policies, but to help you manage your motoring risks as wisely as possible.
How can OMC Broker help you?
- An advisor who understands you: we understand that people who drive in the city and people who drive upcountry, people who use their car every day and people who use it only at weekends, need different coverage. We help you analyse your usage to find the "voluntary insurance" (Class 1, 2+, 3+) that "fits" you best, without paying more than necessary.
- Clear comparisons: we partner with many leading insurers, so you can see offers and coverage from many companies in one place and save time searching yourself.
- A complete renewal reminder service: no more worrying about "forgetting". We have a system that reminds you and handles renewals for you — both "Por Ror Bor" and "voluntary insurance" — and also helps coordinate tax renewal, so your car is always ready to use and legally compliant.
- Support when something happens: we are ready to advise you through the claims process, helping you get through a difficult time smoothly.
As OMC Broker has worked in car insurance for a long time, we understand that many customers do not want to face a "coverage denied" situation, because it costs time, money and peace of mind. So we give sincere advice, check that the conditions match how you use your car, and look after you from the start right through to the claim. We bring together car insurance from all of Thailand's leading insurers in one place, including Viriyah, Bangkok Insurance, Roojai, Thanachart and many other leading companies. We select the most comprehensive and best-value insurance plans for you to compare transparently.
Summary
Por Ror Bor is the "shield against injury" that the law requires you to have. Voluntary insurance is the "shield against going broke" that you choose to have to protect the money in your pocket.
Driving on the road always carries risk. Don't let "not knowing" or "hassle" put you and your car at risk.
Drive safely, and let OMC Broker take care of complicated insurance matters for you. Let us be your advisor, so you can spend your time focusing on what matters more in life.
