Well, worry no more because you can now easily sign up for a domestic travel insurance plan here in Malaysia that allows you to enjoy medical insurance coverage and travel inconveniences benefits. Click here to view the rates and schedule of benefits of a domestic travel insurance within Malaysia destinations.

However, if you are going to be traveling between West Malaysia and East Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak), please choose the Region 1 Travel Insurance Plans.

If you are a foreign traveler (non-Malaysian) where you will be flying off from Malaysia to any destinations worldwide, you are eligible to buy the travel insurance by choosing any of the Regions as listed here. Please note that you must ensure that you will be returning back to Malaysia. Otherwise, your coverage will only be considered a one-way single trip coverage.

As for expatriates who are living in Malaysia, you can always purchase travel insurance long as your departing destination is Malaysia. You don’t necessarily need to return to Malaysia to be eligible for the coverage, for instance, if you are going on a one-way trip out of Malaysia, and would only want to cover for the travel inconveniences during your departure from Malaysia.

2. Q: Who can purchase InsuranceOnline.my’s Travel Plan?
Locals or foreigners are eligible. In respect of overseas travel, the departure must be from Malaysia.

3. Q: What is the age limit for me to purchase InsuranceOnline.my’s Travel Plan?
a) ages of nine (9) days and above for short term local and overseas travel ;
b) ages of eighteen (18) to seventy (70), with policy renewal up to the age of eighty (80) for the annual overseas travel.
All ages referred to in this policy shall be the age as at the last birthday.

4. Q: When is the coverage for InsuranceOnline.my’s Travel policy effective?
a) Coverage for overseas travel shall commence 12 hours prior to your departure from Malaysia
b) Coverage for local travel shall commence upon the departure from your place of residence or stay in Malaysia (if different from the place of residence); whichever is later
For travel cancellation, unless due to an Accident, the insurance commences 24 hours from the date of purchase of the policy and terminates upon the commencement of travel.

5. Q: What is the maximum coverage period for each trip?
Domestic Trip Plan : shall refer to a policy for local travel up to maximum of sixty (60) consecutive days upon your departure from your residence or stay in Malaysia.

Per Trip Plan : shall refer to a policy for overseas travel up to a maximum of two hundred and ten days (210) consecutive days from the time of departure from Malaysia.

Annual Plan : shall refer to a policy for overseas travel up to a maximum of one hundred consecutive (100) days from the time of departure from Malaysia.

6. Q: I am holding a one-way ticket. Can I purchase InsuranceOnline.my’s Travel Plan?
Yes. For one way travel, cover terminates five (5) days upon your arrival overseas.

7. Q: Can I buy more than one InsuranceOnline.my’s Travel Plan policy for the same trip?
You can only purchase one (1) insurance cover for each trip.

8. Q: Will I be covered for an illness that I am already suffering from or have suffered in the past?
No. We do not cover any pre-existing conditions i.e. any illnesses or injury for which
(a) you have received or are receiving treatment; or
(b) medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment has been recommended to you; or
(c) clear and distinct symptoms are or were evident; or
(d) the existence would have been apparent to a reasonable person in the circumstances.
occurring within ninety (90) days period prior to the policy effective date.

9. Q: Can I continue my medical treatment in Malaysia for injuries sustained overseas?
Yes. You will be reimbursed for the Medically Necessary Expenses incurred up to the number of days specified in the Schedule of Benefit provided that you seek treatment within 7 days from the date of return to Malaysia.

10. Q: If I was ill overseas but did not seek medical treatment, can I do so upon returning to Malaysia?
Yes. You will be reimbursed for the Medically Necessary Expenses incurred up to the number of days specified in the Schedule of Benefit provided that you seek treatment within 7 days from the date of return to Malaysia.

11. Q: I am pregnant, am I covered for any pregnancy-related matters?
This policy only covers miscarriage due to an Accidental Injury during the trip, which is not attributed to any natural causes and/or sickness relating to pregnancy or childbirth.

12. Q: Are dental expenses covered?
Dental expenses are covered as long as they are direct consequences of an Accident.

13. Q: I am not able to travel because my employer has cancelled my leave. Am I covered for travel cancellation?
No.
The trip cancellation benefit is only applicable for reasons indicated in the policy wording which includes, but are not limited to, unforeseen emergencies such as illness, injury or death involving you, your travel companion and/or an immediate family member.

14. Q: I need to cut-short my trip because my father is hospitalized in Malaysia. What am I covered for?
If you need to disrupt your trip and return to Malaysia due to covered reasons due to illness, injury or death involving you, your travel companion and/or an immediate family member;
We shall reimburse the :
• cost of travel and/or accommodation expenses incurred; and
• unused and non refundable part of the trip paid in advance.

15. Q: If my belongings are stolen as I left outside on a bench while I am in a queue to check in, can I claim?
No, because the property was left unattended.
The policy coverage requires you to take all reasonable care and precaution to safeguard your property.

16. Q: What if my trip is cancelled due to a strike/riot happening at my planned destination?
If the unexpected outbreak of Strike, Civil Unrest, Riot, Commotion occurring within fourteen (14) days prior to commencement of Trip, the company shall reimburse you the cost of travel and/or accommodation expenses. However, the policy needs to be purchased before the occurrence of such strike/riot.
Strike, Civil Unrest, Riot or Commotion in connection with a demand by any faction or group to have sovereign rights or control over an area of governance or people are not covered.

17. Q: What should I do if I lose money whilst aboard?
You must report to local police within 24 hours after the incident.

18. Q: Will I be covered if my belongings are pick-pocketed while traveling overseas?
Yes.

19. Q: Are activities such as winter sports & scuba diving covered?
All leisure sports are covered at no extra premium as long as it does not involve engaging, practicing or participating in any sport in a professional capacity or where income or remuneration can be earned from engaging in such a sport.

20. Q: How do I cancel my policy and get a refund of the premium?
No refund of premiums will be allowed once the policy is issued.

However, some travellers often ask if it is necessary to buy travel insurance when purchasing the air tickets. Well, if any airline can guarantee, among others, that your plane will be on time, your luggage will arrive safely on the same flight or you will not meet with an accident, then it is not necessary to purchase travel insurance.

For many though, travel insurance has eased the pain of cancelled flights, delayed travel and interrupted trips as witnessed recently with the Icelandic volcano eruption that caused havoc on international flights around the world and threw hundreds of thousands of travellers into a state of stranded chaos.

On the local front, both Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia Bhd currently offer travel insurance purchase for customers buying air tickets via their web portals.

In 2008, MAS was the first full-service carrier in Asia to offer its travel insurance online. The MHinsure policy provides travellers comprehensive insurance coverage for unexpected losses during their journey with access to Mondial Assistance’s 24-hour worldwide assistance.

According to MAS general manager business development Visva Sabaratnam, the scheme has been well received with 25% of the carrier’s passengers purchasing it.

He said the comprehensive policy included overseas medical expenses, travel delays, trip cancellation, loss of baggage and personal effects, and home protection in case of damage to the home during the travel period.

“We promote MHinsure on our website, call centre and ticketing offices, From the response thus far, there is certainly good awareness of this service.

“We also see an estimated 30% of international policy holders who have purchased MHinsure more than once in 2009, indicating satisfaction with the product offerings and services provided, including claims experience,” he told StarBiz.

Apart from MAS passengers, those departing from Malaysia, Singapore and Australia on any other airline can purchase MHinsure from these countries on the MAS website.

MHinsure is currently available in Malaysia, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore and Sweden, and was recently introduced in the UK, United Arab Emirates and New Zealand.

With this, a total of 11 countries in the MAS network now offer online travel insurance. According to the MAS website, travellers need only to complete the online travel insurance application to be eligible for cover. There is no need for medical examination. MHinsure also offers travellers the same premium regardless of age. The premiums are based on travel duration and destination.

Commenting on its competitiveness, Sabaratnam said MHinsure was developed with the primary objective of ensuring high quality cover at affordable prices.

MHinsure Basic Plan starts from RM15 for domestic travel for a 30-day cover and RM23 for international cover for a five-day trip.

Sabaratnam said whichever international cover customers chose, MHinsure offered customers unlimited financial coverage in the case of an overseas emergency evacuation or repatriation. “This sets us apart from the rest.”

Meanwhile, AirAsia head of financial services and loyalty Johan Aris Ibrahim said AirAsia started selling travel insurance online in 2005 and the recent rebranding of its insurance product as AirAsia Insure from Go Insure had boosted public awareness on the offering.

“The rebranding exercise was prompted by AirAsia’s plans to expand the insurance services regionally and to reinforce its position as the only Asean low-cost carrier to offer travelling insurance coverage,” he told StarBiz.

He said the response had been “positive regionally” and guests were starting to be insurance-conscious when travelling, whether for business or leisure.

“We have gone from strength to strength in offering AirAsia Insure and the number of policies sold has been growing at 30% annually,” Johan said.

AirAsia’s plan starts from RM7.50 for the AirAsia Insure one-way cover for domestic travel to RM49 for AirAsia Insure return cover for international travel (11-30 days).

“Besides Malaysia, AirAsia Insure is available for travel from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Macau, Hong Kong, China and Australia,” Johan said.

“By the end of 2010, AirAsia Insure will be available for most of our destinations and at our affiliated companies for purchase at AirAsia Megastore.com, AirAsiaredtix.com and AirAsiaGo.com.

“There is an option to purchase insurance online as a notification or prompter will alert customers on AirAsia Insure when they buy their tickets online. We have invested in strategic and targeted advertising and promotion activities,” he said.

Airlines aside, travel insurance is also offered by travel agencies, banks and insurers. In addition, credit card issuers often issue complimentary travel insurance policies to cardholders that charge ticket purchases to their cards

In general, most Insurers would require you to furnish the following critical documents before any claims can be processed:

1) Fully completed Travel Claim form (incomplete form may cause delay in processing)
2) Original Insurance Certificate & Proposal Form
3) Original used air ticket & boarding pass

So, it’s always to your advantage to keep all your insurance documents filed and organized.

For each type of claims, preparing the following supporting documents will help a lot in the claim process. However, each Insurer will have a different set of requirements, so it’s best that you adhere strictly to their request to avoid any delays.

Medical Expenses
a) Original Medical Bills/Invoices
b) Original Payment Receipt issued by the clinic/hospital
c) Original Medical Report/Diagnosis note duly certified by the attending Physician

Flight Delay
a) Letter from airline confirming the delay duration (in number of hours), actual departure time and reason for the delay.

Flight Misconnection
a) Letter from airline confirming the actual time of arrival at the airport of the transit point and actual departure time of the connecting flight.
b) Original receipts for hotel accommodation, restaurant meals or refreshment.

Baggage Delay
a) Property Irregularity Report
b) Letter from airline confirming the delay duration (in number of hours), the reason for the delay and their offer of compensation.
c) Original receipts for emergency purchases of essential clothing & toiletries during the delay duration.

Baggage Loss
a) Property Irregularity Report
b) Letter from airline confirming the loss and their offer of compensation
c) Original receipts for items claimed

Baggage Damage
a) Property Irregularity Report
b) Letter from airline confirming the damage and their offer of compensation
c) Photographs depicting the damage
d) Original quotation or receipt for repair
e) Original purchase receipt of the damaged luggage

Trip Cancellation & Trip Curtailment
a) Original invoice and payment receipts confirming the full amount paid
b) Tour Fare breakdown charges & travel itinerary
c) Letter from Travel agent confirming the refund amount. If nil refund, to state reason
d) If the cause of cancellation/curtailment is due to medical condition of an immediate family member, to provide Proof of relationship, e.g. birth certificate or marriage certificates. If due to death, also enclose the Death Certificate.
e) Medical Report and to provide details of all normal attending physicians.

Loss of Travel Document
a) Original receipts for additional hotel accommodation, land transportation cost & communication expenses
b) Original police report & official translated copy of the report, if report is not in English
c) Insured’s account on the exact description of the incident
d) Loss of Money
e) Original Police report obtained at the place of loss
f) Official translated police report, if report is not in English.
g) Insured’s account on the exact description of the incident

Allianz Shield is devised to cover among others, medical expenses that include dengue, malaria or Japanese Encephalitis, bungee jumping, amateur sports (except martial arts and boxing), natural disasters, scuba diving (up to 50 metres deep), kidnap coverage, evacuation programme, snatch theft and more.

Via Business Times.

“With the opening of MHinsure to travellers in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, we are confident we will see more than 70 per cent growth in premium sales by end of next year,” said Muzzaffar Othman, MAS Senior General Manager in the Managing Director’s Office.

He said the national carrier’s plan is to expand MHinsure to other markets in the near future.

Since the launch of MHinsure in Malaysia last year, about 25 per cent of Malaysia Airlines’ passengers have bought the travel insurance online.

Now travellers, whether flying with Malaysia Airlines or other airlines, can buy MHinsure at www.malaysiaairlines.com, it said in a statement.

Passengers travelling with the national carrier will have an option to buy the insurance with the air ticket, while other customers can just proceed straight to the MHinsure section, it said.

“In Malaysia, the basic plan rate starts from RM15 for domestic travel, RM23 to Asean and RM40 for other international destinations for a five-day trip. Besides the normal coverage, our customers can get access to 24-hour Emergency Medical and Travel Assistance,” said Muzzaffar.

The airline said the growth of MHinsure will be expedited by the completion of various website initiatives such as speed and payment getaway enhancements.

The number of monthly website visitors has since increased to 40 per cent while internet sales have grown from some 30,000 to about 150,000 bookings compared to last year, it said.

MHinsure is designed to offer quality and extensive coverage at an affordable price with a comprehensive 24-hour worldwide assistance.

The insurance covers medical expenses, cancellations, baggage losses, delays and other travel disruptions.

MHinsure is available online at www.malaysiaairlines.com. In Malaysia, the insurance can also be purchased by calling the MHinsure Sales at 1-800-806-376, MAS Call Centre at 1-300-88-3000 or MAS ticketing offices at KLIA, KL Sentral and Subang Skypark.

Provisions indemnifying directors or officers.
140. (1) Any provision, whether contained in the articles or inany contract with a company or otherwise, for exempting anyofficer or auditor of the company from, or indemnifying him against,any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him in respectof any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, ofwhich he may be guilty in relation to the company, shall be void.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this section a company may pursuant to its articles or otherwise indemnify any officer or audit or against any liability incurred by him in defending any proceedings,whether civil or criminal, in which judgment is given in his favour or in which he is acquitted or in connection with any application in relation thereto in which relief is under this Act granted to him by the Court.

Power to grant relief
354. (1) If in any proceeding for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust against a person to whom this section applies it appears to the Court before which the proceedings are taken that he is or may be liable in respect thereof but that he has acted honestly and reasonably and that, having regard to all the circumstances of the case including those connected with his appointment, he ought fairly to be excused for the negligence,default or breach the court may relieve him either wholly or partly from his liability on such terms as the Court thinks fit.

(2) Where any person to whom this section applies has reason to apprehend that any claim will or might be made against him in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust he may apply to the Court for relief, and the Court shall have the same power to relieve him as under this section it would have had if it had been a Court before which proceedings against him for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust had been brought.

(3) The persons to whom this section applies are�
(a) officers of a corporation;
(b) persons employed by a corporation as auditors, whetherthey are or are not officers of the corporation;
(c) experts within the meaning of this Act; and
(d) any persons who are receivers, receivers and managersor liquidators appointed or directed by the Court to carryout any duty under this Act in relation to a corporationand all other persons so appointed or so directed.

Here are some ‘risky facts’ to ponder about when you are accessing the risk faced everyday by business entities.

Shareholders
- Prospectus contains an untrue statement of material fact or misstated a material fact
- Prospectus fials to state a material fact required to be disclosed.
- Failure to maximize shareholder’s value
- Failure to act in the best interest of the company/shareholders
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty

Example: Following a restatement of past earnings, the share price of a local company listed on Bursa Malaysia fell and this was investigated by the Securities Commission. As a result several shareholders filed a derivative class-action lawsuit.

Employees
- Wrongful termination
- Sexual harassment
- Employment-related defamation

Example: After repeated warnings regarding absenteeism and poor performance, an employee takes a director and a department manager to court – alleging unfair treatment.

Regulatory Bodies
- Failure to comply with listing requirements and regulations, especially with regards to corporate governance initiatives
- Failure to operate facilities in a responsible manner – e.g. employees’ health and safety or pollution
- Allegations of not acting in the best interests of shareholders but for personal profit or advantage (i.e. insider trading)

Example: The Securities Commission launches an investigation into 2 bank directors after allegations of insider trading. In order to counter these allegation, a comprehensive defense case must be conducted, incurring considerable cost.

Customers
- Breach of contract
- Unfair trade practices

Example: A customer sues the director of marketing and sales after advertising materials approved by the director provide incorrect pricing details of the product range.

More examples…

Directors: Tom, a former chief financial officer is made redundant following the merger of two companies. Tom sues the current chief executive officer alleging bad faith and wrongful termination.

Suppliers: A supplier initiates litigation proceedings against a director who has allegedly made the company breach the contract by failing to procure the company’s payment for goods received or services provided within a specified period of time and this leads to the supplier incurring financial loss.

With the rise in popularity of experience-based holidays showing no signs of abating, the insurer is reminding holidaymakers that it is essential to have the right level of cover in place before undertaking adrenaline-rush activities.

For the uninitiated, Zorbing involves rolling down a hill inside a giant inflatable ball; the activity can be upgraded to Hydrozorbing by adding a couple of buckets of water.

Octopush is a form of underwater hockey, while Wind Tunnel Flying is a form of indoor sky-diving.

Tree canopy walking is self explanatory once the concept of the suspension bridge is understood and participants in Ringos are likely to be found sliding down slopes in giant rubber rings.

AXA�s lifestyle claims manager, John Dacey, comments: �Swimming with dolphins is so last year.�

Mistake 1: Did not contact the Insurer during an emergency

Let’s face it, we all panic during an emergency. That’s why it’s called an emergency, a state for us to justify our panic-driven behavior. And it is during such a time that a calm and collected mind would provide the best solution to get us out of the emergency, with the most minimal damage or loss.

And so it is when you are traveling out there in a foreign land. Mistake number one is of course, not having any proper travel insurance coverage. I’m not saying you should pay through your nose for travel insurance, but unlike traveling domestically, getting stranded in an emergency while traveling overseas can really complicate things. So getting some basic coverage can at least minimize the psychological burden, while it buys you some time to analyze the situation.

However, one of the most common mistake for people who are covered with travel insurance is that they often did not notify their insurer immediately. They do not realize that the travel insurance also comes with advice on how to get the most effective treatment or solution for their emergency. Also, by contacting the Travel Insurer immediately, you can also get the necessary information on what paperwork you must obtain from the relevant authorities to ensure a speedy claim when you are back to your home country. Most people just assume that by filling up a claim form provided by the Travel Insurer, they will get their reimbursement. This is definitely not the case- all claims must be backed by authentic and relevant documents.

Yes, it’s also true that the travel insurance do not cover every emergencies, but one should utilize the facility provided by the Travel Insurer where you can ask for the best course of action.

Mistake 2: Did not submit original documents when making a claim

Most if not all Travel Insurer only accepts original receipts for claim submission. Yes, if you have lost your original receipts, you will have some problem verifying the authenticity of your claim. The alternative is to probably request for a copy of receipt from the relevant party and have them verified by either the party involved. Some Travel Insurer might also allow you to use your original credit card statement, verified by the card issuing bank.

However, by not providing the original bills or receipts for the payments you have made, you are just putting yourself in between a rock and a hard place. Don’t take it as an insult on your character when the Travel Insurer says that they will not reimburse you until you show up with the original documents. No one is saying your dishonest, it’s just that, to proceed with the claim, photocopy of your payment documents are not going to make it through the Claims Department, period.

There is a reason why Travel Insurers insist on original documents, in fact, it is the practice of all Insurer that all monetary claims that is to be reimbursed to the policyholder must be furnished with original and authentic payment receipts. This is to ensure that policyholders do not claim the bills from other Insurers and try to profit from the claim.

So, no matter what policy is being practiced by the country you have traveled to, you must insist on the original copy of all the payments you have made. Do not settle for photocopy or carbon-copy. You have the right to receive original receipts as proof of your payments.

Mistake 3: Did not submit the claim within the stipulated time period

Most people would think that as long as they have the proper documentations in place, they can submit their claim anytime. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to check the details of your travel insurance policy before making any assumptions on the time given for you to submit your claims. A ‘Notice of Claim‘ clause in a standard Travel Insurance policy might look like this:

NOTICE OF CLAIM: Notice of claim must be given to the Company within thirty (30) days after the Date of Loss/Accident. The Policyholder and/or Insured Person hereunder shall produce for the Company�s examination pertinent documents at such reasonable times and shall co-operate with the Company in all matters pertaining to any loss and/or claims. Failure to comply with this condition may prejudice the claim. Notice of claim given by or on behalf of the Policyholder and/or Insured Person to the Company, or to any authorized official of the Company providing information sufficient to identify the Policyholder and/or Insured Person shall be deemed notice to the Company.

In some cases, it might not be feasible to send in or fax a written notification to the Travel Insurer. Hence, it’s a good idea to always keep the Travel Insurer’s 24 hours emergency assistance hotline number and your travel insurance policy number when you are traveling. Check out this link for a list of Malaysia Travel Insurance Provider’s emergency hotline numbers.

For example, let’s say that you’ve lost your passport the moment you’ve arrived in your destination. Under most travel insurance, the loss of travel documents entitles you for a claim. And it would be another 2 months before you are heading back to Malaysia. Under this circumstance, it would be wise for you to call up the Travel Insurer and inform them about the loss and then have them advise you on the steps you need to take to ensure a speedy claim. If you wait till you come back to Malaysia, which is more than 30 days after your loss, you might need to furnish all the reasons of you not being able to notify the company and all the unnecessary ping-pongs with the Travel Insurer’s Claim Department.

So, to make your life easy, always contact your Travel Insurer whenever you have an emergency, regardless of whether you are entitled for a claim or not.

The Nakuru Cat Burglar is remarkable for its resemblance to the baboon. (Nakuru, Kenya)

Though I�ve had more tropical diseases than the average petri dish and once had to survive in Iceland for 24 hours without so much as a toothbrush and clean socks, I have been fortunate that I�ve only once had to make a claim on my travel insurance.

Travel insurance is one of those things that I faithfully buy but hope never to get my money�s worth from. Over the years I have probably spent enough money to pay for a pretty decent vacation, but so far apart from one visit to a doctor in London (see �How To Get A Head in Africa� 10 July 2008), I�ve never got back a penny � but I have scored a ton of peace-of-mind.

The silence at the end of the telephone line when I called the insurance company about my tick suggests it might well still be discussed around the water cooler. But I am glad to know that I am not the only one who has entertained or bemused travel insurance companies. Here are a few others that are likely pinned to a bulletin board beside Terry the Tick:

- A pensioner, whose false teeth fell out while he vomited over the side of a cruise ship, put in a claim to his travel insurers for new dentures under �lost baggage�.

- A young traveller, distracted by the appearance of a group of women in bikinis, broke his nose when he walked into a bus shelter in Athens.

- A traveller lost his wallet in a drain in Israel. Instead of filing a police report and making a claim through his insurance, he instead stuck his hand down the drain � only to be stung by a poisonous scorpion. He ended up claiming for both a lost wallet and a hospital visit.

- A man who claimed for holiday cancellation when refused boarding was turned down by his insurance company when it emerged his ticket was for a flight from Manchester, New Hampshire�not from Manchester in the North West of England.

- Returning from India, a traveller filed a claim with his insurance company for $1100 worth of �Bombay Mix� snack food that he had lost from his luggage enroute. The insurance company performed a few quick calculations and determined that at less than $2 per 250g bag, the man would have had to have misplaced more than 137 kilograms of munchies�and refused to pay.

- A couple on vacation in Malaysia returned to their lodge to find that monkeys had climbed in through an open window, stolen their clothes and scattered them throughout the neighbouring jungle.

- A family�s camping holiday was ruined when a parachutist from a nearby airbase missed his target and landed squarely on their tent, destroying their equipment. Their insurer rejected their claims as they weren�t insured against accidental damage.

And in the category of needing a vacation to recover from a vacation:

- A holidaymaker in Sri Lanka needed hospital treatment after a coconut fell on her head while she was reading in the shade below.