ADDITIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE MOOTED
Government to conduct feasibility study if requested by airline companies, says Liow
EMBUN MAJID BUKIT KAYU HITAM news@nst.com.my
THE Transport Ministry may carry out a feasibility study on whether to make it compulsory for Malaysians travelling abroad to buy additional travel insurance from airline companies.
However, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, the study would only be carried out if there was request from airline companies.
He said all airlines had included travel insurance for passengers in their airfares.
“All airline companies have travel insurance for their passengers. For example, when the MH17 and MH370 tragedies occurred, all passengers were compensated.
“As for additional insurance, it is up to the individual to buy it, but we know that the cost of (medical treatment) overseas is very high,” he said after attending a high-level committee meeting at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security complex here yesterday.
He was commenting on a Berita Harian report on the lack of awareness among Malaysians to buy travel insurance while holidaying overseas.
The Malay-language newspaper reported that a study by an insurance company showed that only 34.8 per cent of Malaysians bought travel insurance for long-distance journeys and high-risk destinations.
Liow added that it was up to the individual to buy travel insurance while staying overseas.
“If we want to include travel insurance in the airfares, we need to study the cost that needs to be borne by Malaysians when they travel overseas, as well as other aspects,” he said.