Insurers add coverage for female diseases

It is Songkran season again and people are gearing up for the holiday period.

Published on April 11, 2008

Police and hospitals are getting ready for the annual casualties. This year, the government has a plan to reduce the number of traffic deaths to 413 during the short four-day period.

At this rate, you might think that road accidents - Thailand being ranked sixth worst in the world for casualties - would be the No-1 killer of Thais. But, according to the Public Health Ministry, deaths from cancer outnumber those from road accidents and heart disease combined.

Last year alone, 2.31 million Thais were struck with the deadly disease.

Cancer, particularly among women, is a hot topic. Pramote Sakkumjorn, first senior vice president of Muang Thai Life Assurance, said women stood a much higher chance of developing cancer than men. However their survival rates are much higher, too.

What insurance policies are there to support women's battles with the disease?

One of the first things that comes to mind about cancer is the medical costs, which can run well into the millions. Although life- and medical-insurance plans usually cover the deadly disease, many life-insurance companies have jumped in to fill the demand with niche cancer policies, particularly for women.

Awareness raised by the government and various public and private healthcare organisations has placed the issue at the forefront of the public mind.

"A recent advertisement of a cancer insurance plan has spurred interest and sales again," said Pramote, referring to Ayudhya Allianz CP Life's Bt20-a-day cancer insurance campaign first broadcast in February.

Just how serious is the scale of cancer deaths?

From 2001 to 2002, the Public Health Ministry reported a 63-per-cent increase in breast-cancer cases - one of the main killers of women. Although by no means a contagious disease, cancer has badly hit the female population on a global scale. Ovarian cancer, another common type, kills a woman every two minutes globally.

In Thailand, within the 30-to-60 age group, 23 in 100,000 women have ovarian cancer, and there are 5,000 to 6,000 new cases every year. This year, the Public Health Ministry has even forecast that there will be 12,000 new cases of ovarian cancer.

One of the very first life insurers to tap into this niche market, Muang Thai Life introduced its Happy Lady policy two years ago. According to Pramote, it has been selling like hot cakes. In addition to ovarian, cervical and breast cancers, the policy also covers 13 other cancer variations related to the female physique.

But other non-cancer-specific riders also cover cancer and related illnesses. Women may very well benefit from these more comprehensive plans.

ING Life has a yearly renewable rider for critical illnesses, death and permanent disability. The terms require a minimum Bt100,000 premium base and is renewable until the age of 69.

ING policyholders can claim up to no more than three times the premium base. The CIYRT - or critical illness yearly renewable term - rider covers diseases from kidney failure to benign brain tumour.

These comprehensive-rider plans tend to be marketed on the number of diseases covered. Southeast Life Insurance, Krungthai Axa Life and Thai Life Insurance cover 28, 32 and 41 illnesses, respectively.

Choose your cover wisely.

The Nation

I find it interesting that 1. insurance specifically for women is a new concept and 2. the increase in cancer rates for women is quite high.

I wonder how much education there is when it comes to self examination of breasts? I can't say i've ever heard any of my Thai friends mentioning going for a smear test either, you'd think there would be a push by the government if they are expected to pick up the tab under the 30B health care plan.I'm sure yearly checks would reduce the figures mentioned.Better to catch these things in the early stages.

So true. I've gone for yearly checks at the gyn before and was asked more than once by both the doctor and the nurse "so, nothing is wrong then, there are no problems?". To which, I respond, " no just a yearly exam" . "oh, ok" was their generally befuddled answer.

I got the impression after that that most Thai women either go because they are pregnant, can't get pregnant or something is wrong.

I got the impression after that that most Thai women either go because they are pregnant, can't get pregnant or something is wrong.

At least in some circles it would seem education regarding these checkups is quite good. My wife currently is experiencing, as us dumb males would say, 'female problems'. I told her to see a doctor and also to be sure to get a pap smear. She commented to me that she knows all females over 30 need to have the test done but she was afraid something may be found. So I will have to push the issue and make sure it's done. She does have good insurance, but I wasn't aware of the separation of female diseases.

The wife of a colleague at the uni had a mass discovered during a breast exam and was able to get it corrected (mastectomy) with excellent prognosis due to early discovery. She always had an annual breast exam. It seems I've seen on TV what appears to be public service announcements regarding these exams.