Travel insurance review: Is MSIG travel insurance worth it?
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PUBLISHED ONMarch 02, 2022 8:08 AMByClara Lim
MSIG travel insurance is one of the most popular brands in Singapore and is second only to NTUC (impressive!). That’s probably because MSIG used to be the provider of DBS travel insurance.
DBS might have since changed their provider to Chubb, but that doesn’t mean that MSIG travel insurance isn’t solid. Let’s have a look at whether MSIG TravelEasy is worth your money.
MSIG travel insurance at a glance
Here’s a quick look at the three tiers of MSIG TravelEasy insurance plans, the Covid-19 extension as well as the TravelEasy Pre-Ex plans:
| Travel insurance plan | Standard | Elite | Premier |
| Price for one week (Asean) | $57 | $76.50 | $107 |
| Price for one week (Asia) | $70.50 | $94.50 | $132.50 |
| Price for one week (worldwide) | $102.50 | $127 | $175 |
| Promotion | 40per cent off single trip plans till 30 April 2022 | ||
| Medical expenses (overseas) | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Emergency medical evacuation | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Personal accident (death & TPD) | $150,000 | $200,000 | $500,000 |
| Travel delay ($100 every six hours) | $500 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Trip cancellation | $5,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Baggage delay | $150 every 6 hours up to $600 | $250 every 6 hours up to $1,000 | $375 every 6 hours up to $1,500 |
| Baggage loss/damage | $3,000 | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| Adventure activities covered? | No | Yes | Yes |
Here’s a summary of the Covid-19 extension that applies to single trip policies:
| Covid-19 benefits | Standard | Elite | Premier |
| Overseas medical expenses | $65,000 | $130,000 | $200,000 |
| Emergency medical evacuation | $65,000 | $130,000 | $200,000 |
| Overseas quarantine allowance | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. |
| Trip cancellation | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Trip postponement | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
And here are the TravelEasy PreX travel insurance plans, which cover pre-existing medical conditions:
| Annual travel insurance plan | Pre-Ex Standard | Pre-Ex Elite | Pre-Ex Premier |
| Price for Asean | $70.50 | $90 | $120.50 |
| Price for Asia | $85 | $107 | $148 |
| Price for worldwide | $115 | $147.50 | $192.50 |
| Promotion | No promotion currently | ||
| Overseas medical expenses due to pre-existing condition | $75,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 |
| All other medical expenses (overseas) | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Emergency medical evacuation due to pre-existing condition | $100,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 |
| All other emergency medical evacuation | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Personal accident (death & TPD) | $150,000 | $200,000 | $500,000 |
| Travel delay ($100 every six hours) | $500 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Trip cancellation | $5,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Can claim for delay or cancellation caused by pre-existing condition? | No | No | No |
| Baggage delay | $150 every six hours up to $600 | $200 every six hours up to $1,000 | $250 every six hours up to $1,500 |
| Baggage loss/damage | $3,000 | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| Adventure activities covered? | Yes | ||
MSIG travel insurance promotions
Though the listed prices of MSIG travel insurance plans seem pretty hefty at first glance, there’s almost always a promotion to keep their prices competitive, like the current 40 per cent discount off single trip plans.
That means if you get an MSIG TravelEasy Standard plan for a week in Asean, it’d only set you back $34.20. That’s quite a steal.
To see what’s on, just click or tap on the “Promotions” tab on the MSIG travel insurance page.
As long as the 40 per cent promotion is on, I’d say it’s worth it to buy travel insurance from MSIG. The price is really competitive against the likes of NTUC Income, Aviva and FWD.
ALSO READ: What to look out for when buying travel insurance in Singapore (2022)
What does MSIG travel insurance cover?
Overall, MSIG’s travel insurance coverage is pretty adequate. The Standard plan has a slightly low coverage limit for emergency evacuation, and the payout for baggage delays is lower than standard, but those aren’t dealbreakers.
But the important thing to note is that the cheapest Standard plan is limited in coverage if you’re planning anything more than a normal sedate city getaway. It doesn’t cover most outdoor activities, even basic ones like skiing and scuba diving.
So you might want to opt for an Elite (or even Premier) plan for better and wider coverage. These higher tier plans cover a whole slew of outdoor activities, including the common ones listed here:
| Outdoor activity | Covered by MSIG? |
| Hot air balloon | Elite & Premier only |
| Scuba diving | Elite & Premier only (up to 30m) |
| Skiing and other ice/snow sports | Elite & Premier only |
| Hiking or trekking | Elite & Premier only (up to 3,000m) |
| Mountaineering or outdoor rock climbing | Elite & Premier only (up to 3,000m) |
| Marathons or other competitions | Elite & Premier only (marathon up to 42.195km) |
| Jet skiing | Elite & Premier only |
| White water rafting | Elite & Premier only (up to Grade 3) |
| Skydiving | Elite & Premier only |
| Paragliding, hang gliding or parachuting | Elite & Premier only |
| Bungee jumping | Elite & Premier only |
The Elite & Premier plans also cover loss of wedding-related items (so it’s good for wedding photoshoots or destination weddings) and entertainment/sports tickets (so get this if you plan to go to a festival or watch a major football match).
However, another drawback of MSIG’s travel insurance policies is the limited coverage of its Covid-19 extension. It’s payout of $65,000 for overseas medical fees due to Covid-19 falls short of other policies which offer $100,000 and upwards in claims. It also won’t do very much for you in the event of travel inconveniences caused by the pandemic.
MSIG travel insurance claim procedure
Emergency hotline: Call the MSIG emergency assistance hotline at +65 6323 8288
Phone claims: For non-emergency but urgent claim requests, call MSIG’s Claims Hotline at +65 6827 7660. A claims officer will be in touch with you to handle your case.
Online claims: Submit your claim and supporting documents through the online form (linked on MSIG’s travel insurance claims page). Or you can download it and email MSIG at claims@sg.msig-asia.com
Hard copy claims: You can submit your claim in person or mail it to MSIG, 4 Shenton Way, #21-01 SGX Centre 2, Singapore 068807.
Things to note: Refer to MSIG’s travel insurance claims page for instructions and a useful checklist of required documents before you make a claim. There’s also a chatbot with whom you can check on your eligibility for certain claims.
MSIG prides itself on a good claims experience, with personalised, responsive claims specialists attending to your requests. They typically settle straightforward claims within two to three weeks. Expect some delays during peak travel periods like school holidays.
Conclusion: should you buy MSIG travel insurance?
If you just look at its cheapest Standard plan, MSIG travel insurance is extremely affordable after the generous promotional discounts.
The level of support and clarity MSIG provides is also reassuring. Terms & conditions are clearly stated on the site, not hidden away in some remote PDF, and the claims process appears to be pleasant. Basically, it looks like MSIG knows their stuff.
However, the drawback is that MSIG has made the Standard plan very limited in comparison to the Elite and Premier plans. Once you compare their coverage, you will definitely feel tempted to upgrade. It’s a bit like how budget airlines compel you to add a bundle on to your basic-ass air ticket. Another thing to have in mind is that their Covid-19 extension is not the most comprehensive in its coverage.
However, if you’re vaccinated and in the pink of health and are buying from MSIG, it is worthwhile to pay a bit more for Elite if you’re taking part in outdoor activities, a wedding shoot or catching some kind of music or sports event overseas. As a bonus, you get higher coverage limits too.
ALSO READ: Travel insurance: Promo codes for 2022 and 7 more ways to save on it
This article was first published in MoneySmart.