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Learn more about accident/critical illness insurance

15 Jan 2021

Life is full of surprises, and accidents can happen when we least expect them. If you’re the breadwinner of your family, an untimely death, suffering bodily harm or being stricken with a disease can put your family under unprecedented financial pressure. That’s where accident or critical illness insurance comes in.

1. Coverage of accident insurance 

Accidental death, dismemberment, permanent disablement, weekly allowance during the period of temporary disablement and medical expenses arising from the treatment of the injury are usually covered by accident insurance.

Many policies have a benefit schedule which spells out the corresponding benefits against each type of accidental bodily injury.  The benefit amount is determined by the extent of the disability, whilst some policies determine the benefits by the type of injury or loss, e.g., loss of limbs or sight. 

However, there are also exclusions, which generally include traffic accidents, heavy equipment accidents, drowning, death by illness, suicide, etc. You should therefore check carefully before buying the policy. 

• Longer processing period

The claim processing period of accident insurance may be longer than with other types of insurance policies, as the accident may have to be officially investigated.  Some policies offer a no-claim bonus if no claims are paid for a specific period. A no-claim bonus may be in various forms, such as an increase in the amount of benefits, refund of a certain percentage of premiums, or discounts on renewal premiums, etc. 

2. Coverage of critical illness insurance

Critical illness insurance pays out a lump-sum upon confirmed medical diagnosis of a critical disease. This helps covering all or part of the costs associated with critical illness or the deadly disease.  Cancer, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, major organ transplant and multiple sclerosis are some commonly covered illnesses.

Apart from the traditional single-claim policies, critical illness insurance policies with multiple claims have also emerged in the market in recent years. Single-claim policies offer only a lump-sum benefit when the insured person is diagnosed for a critical illness, then the policy will be terminated, while multi-claim policies may allow two or more claims for certain critical illnesses, e.g., cancer or stroke. These types of multi-claim policies are usually more expensive as they offer a higher level of protection. Both single-claim and multi-claim products have their own advantages and consumers should decide which products are more suitable for their personal circumstances. 

• Pre-existing medical conditions not covered

It should be noted that pre-existing medical conditions are not covered. If you take out insurance after suffering from a critical illness, or if you had tests done for the condition, or if you have consulted your doctor about a health problem that later turns out to be critical, you may be refused coverage. The policy term of critical illness insurance is usually longer, generally 10 years or more. The insurers may offer level premium rates throughout the payment term, however, they may have the right to review and adjust the premium rate from time to time.  You should also look out for the survival period, which stipulates how long you must survive from the date of first diagnosis for the entitlement of benefits. 

Some insurers set a benefit limit per episode of treatment, while not every single incident where cancer or heart disease is detected will automatically trigger a payment. In order to fully understand a policy, it is crucial that you read the policy terms thoroughly or enquire with the insurer.

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