Need own medical card if company already provide insurance?

Question

My company give group medical insurance and hospitalisation. Agent trying to sell me personal medical card, quite expensive. Do I really need my own if company already cover? Whats the catch here?

Startup Founder Hakim · Answer

Yes you should have your own, and I learned this the hard way. Company insurance sounds great UNTIL you leave the job, get retrenched, or retire, then poof, coverage gone overnight, and if you developed any illness meanwhile, buying a new policy later means that condition is excluded or premium sky high. My colleague got diagnosed with a heart issue while covered by company, then got retrenched, and could not get affordable personal coverage after because it was now pre-existing. The whole point of a personal medical card is it stays with YOU regardless of employer, and you lock in coverage while young and healthy (cheaper premium, no exclusions). Company insurance also often has lower limits and shared annual caps. My approach: keep the company one as a bonus top up, but hold my own personal medical card as the foundation. Buy it while you are young and healthy, premium is much cheaper and you avoid exclusions. Dont wait until you are sick, then it is too late.

Uncle Civil Servant Rahman · Answer

Check your company policy limits carefully. Many group plans have a low annual limit or room-and-board cap that sounds ok until a real hospitalisation, then you top up from your own pocket. Mine capped at a level that a single surgery blew through. Your own card with a higher/no annual limit is the real protection. The company one is a supplement, not a substitute.

Uncle Raju Insurance · Answer

Also remember government hospitals are your ultimate safety net in Malaysia, cheap and the doctors are actually very good, just long waiting. So you are not totally exposed even without private cover. But for serious stuff where you want speed and choice of specialist, private card matters. Balance your budget, dont buy so much insurance you cannot enjoy life either.

Civil Servant Encik Azman · Answer

The catch the agent wont stress but is true: portability and lock-in. But also dont over-buy, some agents push you into bundled investment-linked policies with high fees. You mainly want a standalone medical card with good hospitalisation coverage and a reasonable deductible if you want lower premium. Compare a few, dont just sign the first agent friend proposal. Know what you are paying for.

Need own medical card if company already provide insurance?

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