AXA Life Insurance Singapore is offering to cover patients’ bills for up to 360 days after their discharge from hospital, or double the longest period now with Integrated Shield Plans (IPs).

It is also offering higher annual claims limits for insurance plans pegged at private hospitals and Class A in public hospitals.

These appear to be the main selling points from the latest player whose entrance on May 1 will make it the 6th to have health insurance that integrates MediShield Life, with a large chunk of premiums payable with Medisave.

Its chief marketing officer, Perroy Kwek, said: “Major medical illness such as cancer, stroke or progressive medical conditions like Parkinson’s disease or muscular dystrophy may require a longer recovery time with multiple follow-ups after a hospital discharge.

“That is why having enough post-hospitalisation coverage is important – to ensure that customers are fully protected long enough upon hospital discharge.”

Most insurers now offer 90-180 days of post-hospital coverage. She added that the higher annual claims limits is to cover the bigger claims from people who need longer post-hospital treatments.

AXA will also offer the mandatory no-frills standard Class B1 plan on May 1.

Based on its release yesterday, AXA, which describes itself as “the world’s 3rd largest player in the global health insurance business (excluding the US)”, will not be competing on premiums which are generally between mid and high compared with the other insurers.

Premiums for its private hospital plan range from $172 to $10,664 a year while those for Class A start at $208 and is $5,933 at the upper range.

For the Standard B1 IP, which offers the same benefits across all six companies, AXA starts at $170.

Premiums from the other five insurers range from $157-$195.

At the oldest age group, AXA is charging $4,723, compared with $3,373-$5,056 charged by the others.

salma@sph.com.sg

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The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will conduct a ground deployment exercise at nex mall in Serangoon on Friday (April 1) from 1.30am until 4am.

Such exercises are part of the SCDF’s ongoing efforts to validate and update its operational plans and procedures, said a statement.

About 70 SCDF personnel and 20 emergency and supporting vehicles will be participating in the exercise.

All operational vehicles involved in the exercise will have their beacon lights switched on to alert motorists.

Exercise signage will also be placed in the vicinity to alert members of the public of the exercise.

The public is advised not to be alarmed.

To facilitate movement and deployment of emergency vehicles in front of nex, one of the two-lane Serangoon Central carriageway, in the direction of Boundary Road, will be closed.

The lane closure will be in effect from 1.30am until the end of the exercise.

sujint@sph.com.sg