Insurers yet to decide on coverage of vaccine side effects

 

Insurance companies in Singapore have extended their medical coverage to include treatment for Covid-19 vaccination complications. (AP pic)

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian insurers have yet to decide whether to extend medical coverage to treatment of complications arising from Covid-19 vaccinations.

In a statement to FMT, the General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) notes that most medical and health insurance policies do not cover pandemics like Covid-19.

“As to whether the industry will extend coverage to complications arising from Covid-19 vaccinations, we are awaiting more data and information before an update or general comments can be made,” it said.

PIAM, which has 26 member companies, said such decisions could be made only by individual companies and would be based on consumer demand, business strategies, risk exposure profiles and underwriting considerations, all of which would be unique to each company.

Media reports this week said Singapore’s seven major insurance companies had extended their medical coverage to include the cost of hospital stays to treat complications arising from Covid-19 vaccinations.

Among the common side effects of Covid-19 vaccines are pain, redness and swelling at the injection site and fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pains, tiredness and swollen lymph nodes.

Singapore started its vaccination programme on Dec 30.

Malaysia will receive its first batch of vaccines from Pfizer next month. More than 80% of the country’s population are expected to be vaccinated by the first quarter of next year. - FMT