IT is a current trend that most people tend to have more than one insurance policy — either life or accident policy.

Insurance agents often persuade individuals to buy additional policies even though they already have policies, promising them that they can claim from all their policies without any problems.

The problem arises when someone tries to make a claim. This is when insurance companies impose all sorts of conditions and give all kind of excuses. Claims are often delayed and sometimes not paid in full. Some may even not pay if the original personal document supporting the claim has been sent to another company for other claims.

I have more than one policy to my name and these thoughts arose when I read the fine print on the policy.

It made me wonder if a person can claim from more than one policy.

I would like General Insurance Association of Malaysia or any other governing body to clarify this matter. Can a person claim from more than one policy when the policy-holder is, say, hospitalised or meets with an accident, since each insurance company issuing the policy usually requires the policy-holder to submit the original personal documents together with the claim?

Source: NST – October 7, 2008