Health Insurance Options in Malaysia for Foreigners and Expats

Foreigners in Malaysia must secure health insurance because they are not eligible for the country’s subsidized public healthcare system. Expats can either join the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme (FWHS) if their employer enrolls them or obtain private health insurance.

These two options help expats avoid paying the full cost of medical treatment out of pocket. Private health insurance is often preferred for its international coverage, shorter wait times, and access to English-speaking medical professionals.

Are you an expatriate moving to Malaysia and don’t know your health insurance options? In this blog post, we will be discussing the options for international health insurance available in Malaysia, along with the pros and cons of each option and the price of private insurance in the country.

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Health Insurance Options for Foreigners in Malaysia

Foreigners in Malaysia most likely will need to purchase international health insurance, designed for international travel and living. Often, these plans can cover you across countries and borders, and they include inpatient and outpatient care.

International health insurance plans partner with local medical providers in Malaysia and countries across the world, so you can find a plan that meets your needs and situation.

International health insurance for foreigners is different from what Malaysian citizens use, as we will discuss below.

How Malaysia’s Healthcare System Works

Malaysia’s health insurance system consists of subsidized healthcare funded by income taxes. These subsidized services are available to natives but not to expatriates. Foreigners and expats may qualify for the Foreign Worker Hospitalisation and Surgical Scheme or purchase a private insurance plan.

Subsidized Healthcare in Malaysia for Citizens

Malaysian citizens have access to low-priced, highly subsidized healthcare services in Malaysia. This is not a public health insurance scheme. The income tax of the country makes it possible to keep healthcare costs incredibly low.

So when a Malaysian citizen receives treatment, all they have to do is pay a very low fee for the care they receive. This is how it works for citizens who seek treatment in a public healthcare facility.

Can Expats Qualify for Subsidized Healthcare?

Expats will not be charged at the highly subsidized rate. Instead, expats must pay for their medical care in full, purchase a private health insurance plan, or apply for the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme.

Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme

Malaysian expats may qualify for the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme if they meet the criteria. The employer of foreign workers must enroll you to join the scheme. This plan has an annual limit of up to RM 20,000; it covers room and board up to RM 160, and ICU fees up to 15 days.

Criteria for Malaysia’s Worker Scheme:

• Your coverage period must be one year
• The foreign worker must be between the ages of 18 and 60
• The foreign worker must be a present and future full-time employee of the owner of the certificate

Private Health Insurance for Expats in Malaysia

Anyone in Malaysia can choose to purchase a private health insurance plan. Expats who do this can seek medical treatment in a private facility where higher quality equipment and more English-speaking professionals are located. You can use an insurance broker to find the right plan for your needs.

Here is how to apply for and utilize international health insurance for expats in Malaysia:

1. Compare Plans and Providers: Before you can pick a plan, you’ll want to compare health insurance plans, quotes, and providers. Using our quote generator tool makes that fast and simple without any pressure to commit.
2. Discuss Your Options With an Expert: It is crucial to get an expert’s advice since they know the Malaysian healthcare system and insurance market, and they can guide you toward the plan that you need. Talk to our experts today!
3. Sign a Contract: You can purchase your chosen plan through a broker like Pacific Prime. This will not cost you any extra money. Brokers receive a commission from providers, so instead, you gain a partner at no extra charge who can assist you with finding a plan, filing claims, renewing, and more.
4. Seek Care: After you’ve been insured, you can seek medical care in Malaysia in the private clinics and hospitals of your choice, from the provider of your choosing. Private facilities will cut down your wait time and increase your chances of being treated in your native language.
5. Submit Claims: Some insurance providers may require you to submit a claim after you’ve been treated and covered the bills yourself. Others have a direct billing option which means they’ll pay the bills for you directly and only contact you if you owe a portion left over.
6. Carry Proof of Insurance: Be sure to carry proof of health insurance with you wherever you go in Malaysia.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Public Healthcare

A benefit of subsidized healthcare in Malaysia is that it’s easily accessible, and a disadvantage is its long wait times. We’ll compare the pros and cons of subsidized healthcare in Malaysia in further detail below.

Pros

• Malaysians have access to free or low-cost healthcare in public facilities.
• Available in both urban and rural areas.
• There are multiple projects underway to build more hospitals, renovate old ones, provide training, and increase health information.

Cons

• Many public hospitals are seriously understaffed, both urban and rural.
• Because there is a high demand for care with few employees, there are long wait times.
• Many physicians are leaving the public sector because of the high stress and there is better income in the private sector.
• There’s a special fee for individuals without a Malaysia identity card or who are foreign workers.
• You have to pay steep income taxes.
• Only citizens qualify for subsidized costs.
• Public facilities may have less equipment, space, and outdated supplies.
• There are fewer bilingual workers.

Pros and Cons of Private Insurance in Malaysia

An advantage of private health insurance is quick appointment times, while a disadvantage is higher costs. Below, let’s compare the pros and cons of private health insurance in Malaysia for expats.

Pros

• Common and increasing in urban areas, which is often where the expats with private insurance live
• Has great investments due to high medical tourism coming to private hospitals
• Malaysia’s government is actively promoting Malaysia’s emerging role as a medical tourist destination
• Quick appointment times
• A wide variety of medical services and specialties are available
• If you need a lot of treatments or care, coverage can save you a lot of money
• You get access to higher-quality private facilities with up-to-date equipment
• There are more bilingual workers

Cons

• Less private hospitals in rural areas
• It is more expensive
• You’ll have to pay premium costs

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Malaysia?

The cheapest international medical insurance plan in Malaysia for expats costs a $48 monthly premium from AXA. Other plans under $75 are from Allianz, William Russell, and Cigna.

The following table shows medical insurance quotes for a 30-year-old female living in Malaysia for over a year. All plans include coverage for inpatient care, emergency evacuation, and emergency repatriation. All values are in USD.

Individual plans will differ in their specific coverage benefits, and some will be more comprehensive than others.

To learn exactly what each plan covers and what your personal quote would be, speak to a Pacific Prime representative or use our quote generator on your own.

Important Tips Before Buying Insurance in Malaysia

Before expats get their Malaysian health insurance, they should know how they apply, how they pick a doctor, and what doctor routines are like. Knowing this information can help you determine if you’d prefer to use the foreign worker insurance scheme or private insurance.

Need to Know About Applying for Coverage

Expats who are applying for the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme do not need to apply themselves. Rather, their employer will register for them and fill out the required paperwork. If you’re choosing to get a private health insurance plan, you can set that up all on your own.

If you want assistance with getting private coverage, a broker can benefit you in many ways!

How to Find a Family Physician

Malaysian expats can pick the physician they want by visiting their hospital of choice and registering with the doctor’s clinic in person. This will then give you access to their schedule and working hours, and you can return to their facility anytime you need care. Appointments are rarely made.

How Routine Doctor Visits Work

Routine doctor visits in Malaysia typically do not require an appointment, and specialists do not need referrals from a general practitioner. If you need care, you can check in at the hospital of your choice and wait in line until you can be seen.

This is nice in some respects since you won’t need to wait weeks for a specialist opening, but it does mean that you may wait for hours in a hospital waiting room until it is your turn to be seen.

This might not seem like a lot to do at once, but imagine spending all day in the hospital for every doctor visit that you and your family need all year long. This is one reason why many expats prefer private hospitals that treat fewer patients and have shorter wait times.

Teleconsultations are becoming more popular in Malaysia for this very reason as well, so you can seek care without having to wait in the hospital for many hours. This highly benefits patients in rural areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do expats need health insurance in Malaysia?

Expats need health insurance in Malaysia because they will not qualify for the highly subsidized health care rates. Those benefits are reserved for Malaysian citizens. Expats will have to pay for all healthcare expenses at the full price out of pocket if they don’t have insurance.

Can foreigners buy medical coverage in Malaysia?

Foreigners can buy medical insurance coverage in Malaysia through private health insurance providers. Some of the top providers include Cigna, Bupa, AXA, A+ International, NOW Health International, Tokio Marine, and LUMA.

Does Malaysia have free healthcare?

Malaysia does not have free healthcare. Malaysian citizens have access to very low-cost healthcare rates, but their income taxes make up the difference. Non-citizens do not have access to the subsidized care fees.

Does Malaysia have a universal healthcare system?

Malaysia does not have a universal healthcare system. Instead, they have highly subsidized healthcare fees for citizens, which make it affordable enough to cover them out of pocket. Expats, however, don’t qualify for these subsidized rates.

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Conclusion

You have both private and subsidized options to choose from when it comes to health insurance in Malaysia, each with its fair share of benefits and drawbacks.

Private health insurance offers short waiting times but is pricier, while subsidized health insurance is available only to citizens who qualify for it and offers fewer bilingual staff.

As one of the largest international health insurance brokers in the APAC region, Pacific Prime has over 25 years of experience helping expats and locals find coverage that matches both their budgets and unique healthcare needs.

Whether you’re an expat living in Malaysia or a local, our team of specialists will be more than happy to help you out. And if you have any further questions, please get in touch with us or get a free quote here.

If you found value in this article, you can also read Studying Abroad? Here’s Your Guide to Health Insurance and Insurance for Visitors: Protecting Your Health While Abroad.

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Tawan

Content Creator at Pacific Prime

Napasrapi “Tawan” Triemthana is an upcoming content creator at Pacific Prime Thailand. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, where he developed knowledge in literature and culture, while also building up experience writing academically compelling essays and articles. Before joining Pacific Prime’s content team, Tawan had been in an internship at a top e-commerce company in Thailand, during which he had a chance to write blog posts and short articles for the company’s website and social media. During college, Tawan also worked part-time as a Thai-English translator and proofreader for the Faculty of Dentistry's academic journals.

With his keen interest in journalism, especially in the healthcare and wellness field, Tawan joins Pacific Prime with the goal of creating content that simplifies health insurance solutions, helping people make informed choices and choose the best options for their needs.

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