HELP! Where to get "basic" medical insurance for MM2H in Penang?

[papaya]

I have had a very good recommendation for Kurnia medical insurance in Penang which we intend to follow up when we have moved.

I know that, for MM2H visa purposes, you can just get a simple basic insurance with minimal health check and the required certified true copy of policy - and I have heard that it can be effected in one day.

Scott recommended Ringgit Net back in 2007 but that seems to have finished.  Stuurman mentioned another basic insurance MSIG, but that seems to have finished too - or at least I can get no reply from them.

So...  we are really at a loss at the moment.

The contact I have from Kurnia is a really nice guy but he doesn't seem to grasp the concept that we cannot wait several weeks for a policy to be produced when we will only be on a very short trip to Penang, then onwards to KL to pick up our visas.

Can anyone recommend someone in Penang, possibly an insurance agent, who is familiar with MM2H procedures who can help us?

[papaya]

I'm getting various messages, the gist of which is that the insurance companies don't (or can't) issue "full" policies if you are (a) not living in Malaysia and (b) don't have the MM2H visa stamped in your passport.  So it's a bit of a Catch 22 - need the insurance to get the visa / need the visa to get the insurance 

I can't believe we're the only ones who have had this problem.

On the other thread, Jonno suggested getting Travel Insurance.  Can anyone else confirm that they've done this and that it was accepted at MM2H?  But will it be possible for us to take out Travel Insurance in Malaysia if we're not yet living there?

[Jonno96]

I'm getting various messages, the gist of which is that the insurance companies don't (or can't) issue "full" policies if you are (a) not living in Malaysia and (b) don't have the MM2H visa stamped in your passport.  So it's a bit of a Catch 22 - need the insurance to get the visa / need the visa to get the insurance 

I can't believe we're the only ones who have had this problem.

On the other thread, Jonno suggested getting Travel Insurance.  Can anyone else confirm that they've done this and that it was accepted at MM2H?  But will it be possible for us to take out Travel Insurance in Malaysia if we're not yet living there?

Local insurance company such as Kurnia, ING and etc will know what policy quote for MM2H applicant. However, if you use travel insurance from UK, it only covered for max 3 mths in one country. So, check it properly. Try to call few insurance agent in Malaysia, you will get the benefit such as medical card. Of course, like us, we have to pay expensive insurance premium.

[papaya]

Thanks Jonno but I've already been in touch with Kurnia and they are asking me what insurance policy I am allowed to have.  They say that I must be resident in Malaysia.  Looking online at various insurance websites, it says the same thing.

I can't do a UK policy.  I don't live in the UK.

I'm really hoping that someone on here can come up with a recommendation in Penang.  I'll try contacting some insurance agents in Penang tomorrow but it's going to be needle in a haystack.  How to know which ones will bend the rules.

I'm honestly wondering about contacting MoTour direct and asking them who will issue us with an insurance policy.  I'm starting to wish that we'd not gone down the semi-DIY route with our MM2H agent now but everyone has said how easy it is to do 

[chngtg]

Please email to me at chngtg@gmail.com I will help you.

[scott]

hi,

The insurance policy you need is a medical coverage for hospital stay/treatment applicable to Malaysia. MoTour does not give any more details as, I assume, the quality and extent of coverage is up to each participant.

The only problem is where insurance agents aren't familiar with mm2h and they only deal with policies attached to employment. So they're not any help and you need to move to the next. I visited 4 agents before finding one prepared to make some telephone calls and to come up with a couple of policy options.

The agent that folks dealt with for Ringgit Net was richard_ohh@yahoo.com.sg and I know that there several applicable health insurance options from AIG. I suggest that you email Richard and see what is on offer.

As far as I remember the MSIG deal was a special low price policy for visa purposes and it seemed to apply to Japanese only. MSIG = Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group = that makes sense.

How about telling any agent that your permanent address is now in Malaysia - use the hotel - and you're on your way to get the visa at which point your Thai address becomes temporary, which seems to be the situation anyway.

Hang in there.   

I've also had 4 crap days with the boat not floatable but needing to be floated at the end of the year - yep, last week. I'm in deep water.

[georgeshooter]

I hope you are able to sort out your medical insurance Papaya, I expect I will be in this position when we go out to Penang at the  of February, but fortunately for us, we planned to be there for nearly 3 months, giving us time to look around

[papaya]

Have contacted Richard and also had a blitz of emails to I think 10 different insurance companies in Penang today - law of averages - someone's got to know what they're doing.  I shall post my findings on here.

[papaya]

The law of averages worked.  Here’s my findings.  I’ll start with the positives.

Allianz in Penang
was the first positive reply.  They seemed familiar with MM2H and confirmed that they could provide insurance for MM2H applicants (subject to underwriter’s approval) and could provide the required policy at short notice.  They asked us to complete proposal forms, which we did, scanned in and sent by email.  We asked if they would prefer our... ahem... Penang address or our current address.  Penang address preferred.  Approval received within a week by email.  All we have to do now is go visit them in Georgetown with passports and pay the cash – no medical required.  I have contact info if anyone wants.  (Should I post on here, Scott?)  I think maximum entry age is 69 years old.

Hong Leong Assurance
said we were allowed to apply for Hospital & Surgical Assistance – all subject to underwriter’s approval.  I have an email address from their Customer Services department but no direct contact with Penang office.

Great Eastern
responded with a brochure and wanted our contact info in Penang.  Not clear from their email if this was positive or not.

Well known Penang visa agent  (am I allowed to name, Scott?)
put a posting on here and offered to help us get medical insurance through their connections.  I thought it was very nice of them especially since we are with another agent  .  Credit where credit is due.  I should say that we are very happy with our agent but we chose the semi-DIY option.  I guess we could have saved some hassle by doing the full package.  Only us to blame really.

The negatives:

Kurnia in Penang – wanted to help but couldn’t.  See my first postings on this thread.
AmAssurance – said they only insure Malaysian citizens.
LonPac – said they do not cover MM2H applicants.
AIA – did not respond.
AXA Affin – did not respond.
MSIG Mitsui Sumitomo – did not respond.
Prudential – did not respond.
UniAsia – did not respond.

[BB]

Allianz in Penang
was the first positive reply.  They seemed familiar with MM2H and confirmed that they could provide insurance for MM2H applicants (subject to underwriter’s approval) and could provide the required policy at short notice.  They asked us to complete proposal forms, which we did, scanned in and sent by email.  We asked if they would prefer our... ahem... Penang address or our current address.  Penang address preferred.  Approval received within a week by email.  All we have to do now is go visit them in Georgetown with passports and pay the cash – no medical required.  I have contact info if anyone wants.  (Should I post on here, Scott?)  I think maximum entry age is 69 years old.

Looks like they have improved from 5 yrs ago! Papaya, it'd be great if we can have the contact. Just wanted to see what they'll charge us if without medical and approval within a week! 
If it's better than AIA, we can consider switching 

BB

[papaya]

Ya, things change, and maybe in another couple of years, my info above will be out of date too 

Try this link https://www.allianz.com.my/cls/content.aspx?t=831&m=0  The branch manager's direct email is on there (Collin Pereira).  We emailed a copy of our MM2H approval letter too.  On the proposal form, you need to put any conditions/past hospital treatment and, needless to say, these have gone in as exclusions.

[georgeshooter]

I checked out a year's travel medical insurance for Malaysia from UK with "Staysure" for over 50s and got a quote online for under £600 for a couple. As it is a medical insurance valid for claims in Malaysia , I expect it will be accepted for mm2h visa. What is the price range for medical insurance from Malaysian based company ?

[papaya]

I'm just looking at the Allianz Care plan.  Sorry George, don't know how young you are  , but the cheapest plan (Plan 4 Non Cashless) is RM 699 for 50 to 54, RM 819 for 55 to 59, RM 1059 for 60 to 64, and RM 1239 for 65 to 69.  Of course, all these insurance policies, you get what you pay for.  The more you pay, the more you can claim back.  As I recall, and I've filed it away somewhere now, the Kurnia policy was similar - swings and roundabouts really.

From what Davita said on the forum, travel insurance from somewhere else (Canada in his case) worked just fine for getting the visa.  For me, cannot do lah, as it would all be in Thai 

But George how does that work if you move to Malaysia?  What if you have to make a claim?  Can you do that from Malaysia?

[Rspec]

Papaya, can you please post (if permitted) the contact details for Alianz Penang.

Many thanks.

[georgeshooter]

Hi Papaya, I like the quote for Allianze Care Plan.
Must look into it in more details