Insurance firms now provide coverage for Zika

PETALING JAYA: With the spread of the Zika locally, at least three major insurance firms have started offering coverage in their plans for those afflicted with the virus.

Great Eastern Life Assurance Bhd, Prudential Assurance Malaysia Bhd and AIA Bhd assured policyholders that they would be covered for Zika based on the conditions in their contracts.

Great Eastern said its Zika insurance policy covers hospitalisation expenses for all medical plans subject to the claim limits of each plan.

"If death occurs due to Zika virus, death benefit will be payable as long as it fulfils the definition in the policy contract," it said.

The hospitalisation expenses of pregnant women who test positive for the Zika virus are also covered under their medical plans.

"We do not exclude Zika virus claims for pregnant women in our medical plans," it said.

However, all three insurance companies do not cover microcephaly in babies as it is a congenital condition.

Prudential said policyholders who hold medical plans such as PRUvalue med or life insurance plans, which comes with death and Total Permanent Disability (TPD) benefits (such as PRUlink one and PRUmy child), would be covered.

"We cover hospitalisation and surgical expenses arising from the Zika virus.

"The amount which customers can claim will depend on the limits or benefits specified in their policy contract.

“For example, for hospitalisation, your medical plan will reimburse you for the actual cost of medical care or hospitalisation incurred, up to the amount allowed in the plan," said Prudential’s chief marketing officer Khoo Ai Lin.

Despite communicable diseases being normally excluded, Prudential said it would continue to cover policyholders should Zika be declared a communicable disease that requires quarantine.

For pregnant women diagnosed with Zika, their hospitalisation and surgical expenses will be covered so long as the requirements and conditions in the policy contract are met.

Nonetheless, Prudential policyholders who have purchased a policy for their child prior to birth (under the PRUmy child plan which allows the parent to insure their child before birth) will be covered based on what is provided under the policy.

Prudential also said babies born with minimal cases of microcephaly may still be able to take up an insurance plan with their applications being assessed on a case-by-case basis.

For, AIA Bhd and AIA Public Takaful, customers under the A-Plus MedBooster & A-Plus MedBooster-i plans will be covered if they are infected with Zika but receive treatment on an outpatient basis.

The amount covered will depend on the benefit limit they have signed up for.

Those under the AIA medical plan will be covered for any treatment received when they are hospitalised for Zika, as long as it is within the plan’s annual limit.

"We also have certain personal accident plans that provide financial coverage if our customer incurs medical costs or passes away due to the Zika virus," said AIA chief marketing officer Thomas Wong.

Family members of policyholders are also entitled to receive a lump sum payment under the life insurance policy or takaful certificate.

"All AIA medical plans cover any customer, including pregnant women, who is hospitalised due to the Zika virus," said Wong, adding that AIA does not have a plan that covers pregnancy risks and complications that may arise as a result of Zika.

All three insurance companies have confirmed they have not received any claims arising from the Zika virus.