MALAYSIA: 97,000 Seniors Register for Death Insurance Coverage

KOTA BAHARU, Eastern Malaysia (Bernama), July 22, 2007: A total of 97,000 out of 139,000 senior citizens in Kelantan have registered with the state government for a mortality insurance policy, showing that the insurance, Takaful Kifaalah was well received by senior citizens in the state. Their families would be paid RM2,500 after their death. State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman, Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan told reporters "The senior citizens are 60 years old or above and 1,400 of them have died," after presenting the Takaful Kifaalah Aid Plan donations and donations from the Chronic Illness Aid Fund at JKR 10, here, today. The senior citizen's next-of-kin would immediately receive RM500 after the senior citizen's death and another RM2,000 subsequently. He said the insurance scheme was managed by Tabung Tok Kenali and the state government provided RM3.2 million a year as premium for the insurance. Takiyuddin said senior citizens who joined the scheme were not required to pay any money unlike other schemes. The state government also allocated RM15,000 to each state constituency as assistance to chronically-ill people. "The state government allocates RM1 million a year to assist chronically-ill people," he said. Twenty-five heirs of senior citizens who died were paid RM2,000 each today at the function while another 90 people received between RM300 and RM1,000 from the Chronic Illness fund. Copyright © 2007 BERNAMA.