Malaysia Health Insurance for Expats

International Health Insurance for Expats in Malaysia

Expats moving to Malaysia are required by law to purchase private insurance. Public and subsidized healthcare services are only available to Malaysian citizens. Working expats in the country can enroll in the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme.

International health insurance is an excellent private insurance option as it provides security against costly medical bills. Care in private hospitals can get very expensive, yet it is still the safest option compared to the uncertainty of local health care.

Keep reading to learn all about insurance options for expats in Malaysia as well as the details of the country’s health insurance system.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in Malaysia

Malaysia’s Public and Private Healthcare

Quality of care in Malaysia depends on location, with public hospitals offering standard care to the population, albeit subject to long wait times and limited specialized care. Private hospitals in Malaysia offer cutting-edge care and access to English-speaking doctors.

Moreover, Malaysia does not have a universal health insurance plan and instead offers subsidized medical care costs for its citizens. This subsidization is funded by income tax and lowers the cost of healthcare services significantly for Malaysian citizens.

Public Hospitals in Malaysia

Malaysia offers several high-quality public hospitals that serve both local residents and expatriates. While the country’s public healthcare system provides affordable care due to government subsidies, it can face challenges like long wait times and limited specialized services.

Here are a few notable public hospitals in Malaysia:

• Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL): Located in the capital, HKL is the largest public hospital in Malaysia and is known for providing comprehensive care, including emergency services and specialized treatments. As a teaching hospital, HKL is a prominent facility in Malaysia’s public healthcare network.
• Hospital Selayang: Situated in Selangor, this hospital is recognized for its advanced healthcare technology, particularly in the fields of ophthalmology and liver care. Hospital Selayang is a modern facility offering quality care and serves as a key public healthcare provider in the region.
• Hospital Putrajaya: Located in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya Hospital offers a range of services, including general, surgical, and maternal healthcare. Known for its efficient service, it’s a choice for those residing near Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.
• Hospital Queen Elizabeth in Kota Kinabalu: This hospital is one of the main public hospitals serving the state of Sabah. It provides essential services, including emergency care, and is integral to healthcare in East Malaysia.
• Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM): Affiliated with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, HUKM serves as both a teaching and public hospital, providing a range of specialized medical services and contributing to medical research and training in Malaysia.

Private Hospitals in Malaysia

Malaysia offers a variety of high-quality private hospitals, particularly in urban centers, catering to both local and international patients with specialized and comprehensive care options. Here are a few of the top private hospitals in Malaysia:

• Prince Court Medical Centre: Located in Kuala Lumpur, Prince Court is renowned for its high standard of patient care and state-of-the-art facilities. It offers a range of specialized services, including wellness, emergency, and oncology care.
• Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur: This hospital provides an extensive array of medical specialties, from cardiology to oncology, with over 200 specialists available. Known for both inpatient and outpatient services, it is part of the larger Pantai group with facilities across Malaysia.
• Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur: Another top choice, Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur, offers comprehensive medical services, including a heart center and cancer treatments. The hospital is well-known for its amenities and its international patient center, which assists foreign patients with their medical needs and arrangements.
• Sunway Medical Centre: Situated in the Sunway City area, this hospital provides a wide range of specialized healthcare services and is affiliated with major international healthcare providers, enhancing the care quality and technology available to patients.
• KMI Taman Desa Medical Centre: Located in Kuala Lumpur, this facility offers community-oriented services with 24-hour emergency care, various specialty services, and affordable treatment.

Traditional Chinese Medicine in Malaysia

Traditional Chinese medicine is commonly used in Malaysian healthcare. Malaysian citizens will receive these traditional treatments at a subsidized cost, but not expats. Expats should speak with their insurance providers about coverage for traditional Chinese medicine.

Listed below are a few traditional Chinese medicine centers in Malaysia:

• Tong Xin Tang TCM Center: Established in Kuala Lumpur with multiple locations, this center provides a wide range of TCM services such as acupuncture, bloodletting, and fascia therapy.
• Liang Yi TCM: Located in The Gardens Mall, Liang Yi offers post-COVID-19 treatments, Meridian & Moxibustion Therapy, and other wellness therapies.
• Virtue TCM: With branches in Mont Kiara and Bangsar South, Virtue TCM provides comprehensive TCM consultations, herbal therapies, and treatments for conditions like chronic pain and stress.
• Beacon TCM Centre: Affiliated with Beacon Hospital, this TCM center focuses on complementary oncology treatments, using methods like Guasha and acupuncture for cancer care.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Health Insurance in Malaysia

When choosing international health insurance as an expat in Malaysia, it’s essential to evaluate coverage, pre-existing conditions, global coverage, benefits, underwriting and eligibility requirements, and claim support services.

Listed below are some critical points to guide your selection:

• Comprehensive Coverage: Look for policies that offer essential coverage like inpatient, outpatient, and emergency evacuation, especially given Malaysia’s varying healthcare facilities in different regions. Maternity, dental, and preventive care are also worth considering depending on your needs.
• Pre-existing Conditions: Many policies may not fully cover pre-existing conditions right away. Some plans provide options like a waiting period, exclusions, or premium adjustments, which can offer a level of coverage for these conditions over time.
• Exclusions: The insurer will not pay or reimburse the policyholder for medical bills related to the condition if they choose to buy a plan from them. Please inquire beforehand about what is excluded.
• Moratorium: The insurance company observes the pre-existing condition for a certain time known as the waiting period. This period is usually 24 months, and the insurance company reviews its decision.
• Coverage with Loading: Insurance companies may offer coverage for pre-existing conditions, but only with higher premiums. Not all pre-existing conditions are eligible for this kind of coverage, and not all companies offer this option.
• Global Coverage Flexibility: If you travel frequently, an international plan with global coverage is advisable. This ensures you’ll have access to quality medical care outside Malaysia, which can be invaluable given the country’s mix of private and public healthcare facilities.
• Benefit Limits and Cost-sharing: Pay attention to the plan’s benefit limits, deductibles, and co-pays, as these affect your financial liability in emergencies. For example, policies with low deductibles might be pricier but could reduce out-of-pocket expenses when accessing high-cost treatments.
• Underwriting and Eligibility: Insurance providers may require a health history, especially for more extensive policies. Ensure the plan’s requirements suit your situation, particularly if you’re older or have specific health concerns.
• Claims and Support Services: Choose an insurer with a simple claims process and reliable support, ideally with services in your preferred language. An insurance broker like Pacific Prime can assist with claim submissions and inquiries, streamlining the process.

Best Private Insurance Providers for Expats in Malaysia

Expats have a vast selection of international insurance companies for coverage in Malaysia, such as AXA, Allianz, and more. We will cover each provider below with an overview of the features of their respective plans.

AXA International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

AXA Global health insurance offers expats in Malaysia differing levels of coverage and customizable additional benefits. They offer short-term and long-term plans, with comprehensive coverage for any medical needs.

Some examples of shared coverage by all AXA insurance plans include:

Allianz International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

Allianz offers comprehensive insurance plans in Malaysia for all expats’ needs. Riders are available to be purchased and attached to any basic policy that Allianz approves. These riders can offer coverage for additional benefits such as dental and optical.

Some of the basic coverage for their plans includes:

Pacific Cross International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

Pacific Cross Health Insurance offers expats a variety of affordable plans and packages, as well as accessible round-the-clock service. They provide 9 different insurance plans for expats with different needs.

The basic coverage of all their plans includes:

Cigna International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

Cigna provides flexible insurance plans to expats in Malaysia as well as 24/7 access to a customer care team. Cigna has a silver, gold, and platinum plan with different levels of coverage.

All three of these plans share several common key coverage benefits:

NOW Health International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

NOW Health International offers expats abroad comprehensive health insurance solutions, as well as providing plans for international students. They offer online claim processes through a mobile app and provide other prompt online support.

They have several different tiers of plans, but these are the shared features across all of them:

GeoBlue International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

Geoblue offers international health insurance coverage to expats and their families across the world. They offer different levels of plans and coverage to best tailor their health insurance to expats’ needs.

Some shared features across all levels of plans are:

April International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

April International provides both comprehensive and flexible plans to expats during their time in Malaysia. They provide varying levels of coverage, fully customizable policies, and a wide direct billing network.

Some of the shared coverage across their plans are:

BUPA International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

Bupa Global offers their members tailor-made plans and guaranteed lifetime renewal. They provide high-quality service with a personal relationship manager available for their members.

Some of the features Bupa’s plans offer include:

IMG Global Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

IMG provides comprehensive insurance policies, with multiple plans and payment options to fit any expat’s budget. They provide superior services to their members, like crisis support and preventative care.

Some of the shared features across their varied plans are:

William Russell International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Malaysia

William Russell offers insurance plans that are globally portable across countries to protect expats while they’re abroad. They also renew their contracts on an annual basis, so their members never feel like they’re locked into long-term contracts.

The basic features of all their plans are:

Extra Benefits and Coverage for Expats in Malaysia

Basic international health insurance plans cover inpatient treatment costs and hospitalizations, but most insurance providers also allow additional coverage options to extend your benefits. This could cover things like dental, optical, maternity, and more.

• Dental: You can have dental check-ups, cleanings, and major dental procedures covered by customizable, additional benefits when selecting your international health insurance plan.
• Maternity and family coverage: Expats looking to expand their family can purchase international health insurance plans to cover prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care. There are also additional benefits to cover the newborn.
• Preventive care: Certain health insurance plans will offer regular health checkups and screenings, along with vaccinations and wellness programs. These resources will help expats keep themselves healthy as they begin their new adventure abroad.

Retirees Seeking International Healthcare in Malaysia

Expats retiring in Malaysia should purchase an international health insurance plan that offers comprehensive and flexible coverage for their specific medical needs. This may include coverage for cancer screenings, chronic condition support, and preventative health support.

Reach out to Pacific Prime to learn about our international insurance plans for retirees in Malaysia. We can help secure a plan that will provide excellent coverage for your needs, as well as provide access to all the best private hospitals and care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are expats in Malaysia required to have health insurance?

Expats in Malaysia are required by law to purchase private health insurance. Public healthcare services are generally reserved for Malaysian citizens, and only limited coverage is available for foreigners through the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme.

What does the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme cover?

The Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme, available to working expats through their employers, covers essential inpatient care, such as surgeries and hospital stays, in Malaysian public hospitals. However, it excludes outpatient care and has limited benefits.

Why is international health insurance beneficial for expats in Malaysia?

International health insurance provides expats in Malaysia with access to private hospitals, where English-speaking staff, shorter wait times, and specialized care are available. It also offers global coverage, ensuring expats can receive high-quality healthcare in emergencies.

Conclusion

If you are hoping to move to Malaysia soon, or even if you have already settled and need to find quality health insurance coverage for yourself and your family, Pacific Prime can help with the process of selecting and comparing different plans.

With over two decades of experience in matching expatriates with health insurance policies for their lives abroad, Pacific Prime’s brokers know exactly what to consider when it comes to healthcare.

Contact us today for more information or compare quotes using our online quotation system!