THE insurance and takaful industry will set up a special RM8 million fund to subsidise the cost of Covid-19 screening at private healthcare facilities for policy holders, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today.

Muhyiddin said this is to support the Health Ministry’s efforts in carrying out more screenings for the virus.

The fund will foot up to RM300 of the screening cost incurred by each insurance policy or takaful certificate holder at private hospitals or laboratories.

Additionally, insurance and family takaful will offer postponement of premium or contribution payments for policy holders whose incomes have been affected by the pandemic.

The mySalam insurance scheme for the poor will also assist bottom B40 income earners if they get infected and are admitted to hospital.

Patients can claim an allowance of RM50 a day, up to 14 days, to cover lost wages.

In line with that the government has decided, the same benefit will be extended to those in the B40 group who are quarantined as patients under investigation. – March 27, 2020.