KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Bernama) --  A staggering 29.2% of Malaysians are suffering from mental illness, with statistics from the Ministry of Health indicating that the number of Malaysians suffering from mental health problems had a double-digit increase between 1996 and 2015 with 4.2million people diagnosed.  AafiahCare, Etiqa’s first-in-Malaysia stand-alone Takaful Critical Illness plan, offers a comprehensive takaful critical illness plan that covers 68 critical illnesses, including one for mental illness.  A key feature of this plan is that the mental illness coverage is deemed as an additional benefit that does not reduce the basic coverage amount.
 
Eligibility for coverage is straight-forward and easy.  As long as the customer is accepted by Etiqa, he or she will be eligible for cover, subject to the normal underwriting process.  The range of mental illness coverage is from RM7,500  up to a maximum of RM30,000 depending on the sum covered.  Most beneficial to the participants is that Etiqa does not define how this amount is to be used, thus the participant may use it for consultation fees, medication, or hospitalization, as they see fit. 
 
Etiqa’s AafiahCare covers four types of mental illnesses;
 
1. Bipolar Affective Disorder;
2. Major Depressive Disorder;
3. Schizophrenia; or
4. Schizoaffective Disorder
 
Zafri Ab Halim, CEO Etiqa Family Takaful Berhad said, “We are encouraged by the response to AafiahCare and in noting the demand for stand-alone Critical Illness products, Etiqa is proud to offer AafiahCare, which is line with the principles of Value Based Intermediation (VBI) to support people, planet and prosperity, further advancing Etiqa’s purpose statement of Making the World a Better Place,” he added.
 
For more information, visit www.etiqa.com.my or call Etiqa Oneline at 1300-13-8888.
 
About Etiqa
Etiqa is a true multi-channel distributor of Insurance and Takaful products via its 10,000 agency force, 46 branches and 17 offices, over 490 bancassurance network (via Maybank branches, third-party banks, as well as co-operatives and brokers) through its presence in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia.
  
SOURCE: Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Azita Azlan
Communications
Tel: 603 - 2785 5132 / 012 - 289 0776
Email: azita.a@etiqa.com.my 

Name: Putera Asyraf Zulkefli
Communications
Tel: 603 - 2785 5130 / 014 - 238 6001
Email: puteraasyraf.z@etiqa.com.my 

--BERNAMA