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.”

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release

Kuala Lumpur, 19 August 2009 – Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad’s Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr Koh Yaw Hui informed that as a good corporate citizen with a hundred and one years’ presence in Malaysia, Great Eastern will cover hospitalization claims made by its policyholders, who have been hospitalized due to influenza A (H1N1).

“This pandemic disease is distressing for our community. We would like to dispel all uncertainties on hospitalization claims by affirming that Great Eastern will compensate our policyholders who have been hospitalized for treatment of influenza A (H1N1),” assured Mr Koh.

Similarly, Mr. Koh in his capacity as a Director of Overseas Assurance Corporation (Malaysia) Berhad (“OACM”), would also like to take the opportunity to assure the policyholders of OACM who have been hospitalized due to influenza A (H1N1), that they will be accorded similar treatment.

Mr Koh urged the public to adhere to the authorities’ request to take precautionary measures to prevent further spread of this disease by practising isolation should one feel ill or show symptoms of influenza A (H1N1), to curb further spread of this deadly disease.

Mr. Koh added, “Great Eastern and OACM have constantly briefed our employees on influenza A (H1N1) in relation to insurance claims. We have also taken the initiative to communicate regularly with our employees and our agency force on this pandemic so that we are able to serve our policyholders on a timely basis.”

About Great Eastern
Great Eastern began its operations in 1908 as a branch office of The Great Eastern Life Assurance Company Limited. The Malaysian operations were subsequently transferred to a locally incorporated public company, Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad under the Scheme of Transfer of Business. The Company was certified by The Malaysia Book of Records in 1998 as “The Oldest and Largest Life Insurer” in Malaysia. With more than a century of experience and solid financial foundation, Great Eastern has assets in excess of RM37 billion, over 2.8 million policies in force, 24 Branch offices and a network of 17,000 agents nationwide as at 31 December 2008. Its products include life insurance plans, investment-linked plans, mortgage protection, business protection, employee benefits, medical insurance and group health benefits schemes. Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad is a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Eastern Holdings Limited (GEH) and its ultimate holding company is Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC).