What Is A Standalone Medical Card?
A standalone medical card is medical insurance that you buy on its own, separate from a life insurance policy. It suits people who want health cover only, without paying for a bundled life insurance or investment plan. This RinggitPlus page compares standalone medical plans currently available. These plans cover hospital and surgical bills, and some plans also cover outpatient cancer treatment and kidney dialysis. Depending on the plan, the annual limit goes up to between RM150,000 and RM2,100,000.
Standalone Medical Card Comparison
Some plans have several options. The table shows each plan's highest annual limit.
| Insurer | Plan | Annual Limit |
| Generali | Generali SmartCare Optimum Plus | Up to RM2,100,000 |
| RHB Insurance | RHB Insurance MediSure Supreme Insurance Medical Card | Up to RM2,000,000 |
| Zurich | Zurich Smart Health | Up to RM1,000,000 |
| Generali | Generali Medic 101 | Up to RM300,000 |
| Kurnia | Kurnia MediGUARD Supreme Medical Card | Up to RM300,000 |
| Manulife | Manulife EZ-Med Deductible | Up to RM250,000 |
| Allianz | Allianz MediCure | Up to RM250,000 |
| Etiqa | Etiqa i-MedicalCard Elite | Up to RM250,000 |
| Great Eastern | GREAT Medic Shield 2 | Up to RM150,000 |
| Generali | Generali eMedic Plus | Up to RM150,000 |
| Etiqa | Etiqa OneMedical | Up to RM150,000 |
Note: Annual limits checked on 24 September 2026.
Use A Customer Fact Find To Check Your Agent's Advice
A Customer Fact Find is a form your agent fills in with you before suggesting a plan. It notes your income, the cover you already have and what you want to be covered for. It also shows the plan your agent suggests. If you buy a standalone medical card through an agent or a bank, ask to see the form before you sign.
Some agents suggest a medical rider on an investment-linked plan instead of a standalone card. An investment-linked plan costs more because you also pay for life cover and savings. If you told your agent you only want health cover, the form should say so. If the agent still suggests a rider, the form should explain why a standalone card doesn't suit you. You can choose not to fill in the form, but your agent's advice then isn't based on your needs.
Tell your agent about any group medical cover from your employer, and check that it's on the form. If you have group cover, you can pick a standalone card with a high deductible, which costs less.
After you buy, keep the Confirmation of Advice that the insurer sends with your policy. It sums up the fact find and the plan your agent suggested. If you think you were sold the wrong plan, complain to the insurer first. If you're still not happy, take it to the Financial Markets Ombudsman Service (FMOS). Our complaints guide explains how FMOS handles complaints.
How Is My Premium Calculated?
Your insurer works out your premium from your answers about your age, health, family medical history, lifestyle and job, and from the options you pick. Smokers usually pay more than non-smokers. A job with more physical risk, such as construction or offshore work, can also mean a higher premium. Two people on the same plan can be quoted very different premiums. If you buy through an agent, the Customer Fact Find section above explains what to check before you sign.
Why Your Premium Goes Up As You Get Older
Most standalone medical cards renew each year, and each renewal is priced for the age you've reached. What you pay at 30 won't be what you pay at 45. Buying younger gets you in at a lower rate, and you apply before most health problems show up, so there's less for the insurer to exclude.
What Insurers Do With Your Health Answers
Certain online plans ask only a few health questions, while others want your full medical history or a check-up. With a clean history, you're usually accepted at the standard rate. If you've had high blood pressure, diabetes, surgery, or a hospital stay, the insurer can charge a higher premium (called a loading), exclude that condition from your cover, or decline you altogether.
Do note that your answers have to be complete and honest. If you leave something out and it comes up when you claim, the insurer can reject the claim or void the policy.
Does Your Family's Medical History Count?
It can. Some insurers ask whether your parents or siblings have had heart disease, cancer, diabetes or stroke. A family history alone doesn't mean you'll be turned down, but it can mean a higher premium or a medical check-up before the insurer decides.
How A Deductible Or Lower Limit Cuts The Premium
You pay less if you pick a lower annual limit or a lower room and board rate. You also pay less if you pick a deductible. This is an amount you pay yourself before the plan pays the rest of the bill. Some plans use co-insurance instead, where you pay a part of each bill, usually up to a set amount each year. Since 1 September 2024, insurers have had to offer you a plan with a deductible or co-insurance when you buy or renew a medical card.
To see what you'd pay, ask for a quote using your real age and health answers.
A Cheaper Option With A Standalone Medical Card
We often read and hear about the importance of having health insurance coverage, backed by the fact that the cost of medical treatment has been on the rise over the years.
Medical claims keep rising faster than most costs. Claims inflation across Malaysia's insurers and takaful operators was 12.28% in 2025, and it averaged 13.63% a year from 2023 to 2025. Most of the 2025 rise came from more claims, not higher prices per claim.
What does this supposed to mean? It means that getting a fever diagnosis with medicines and a medical certificate at a private clinic can easily cost you more than RM100 per visit.
Unless you are settled on relying heavily on the public healthcare system, having health insurance coverage is a necessity nowadays.
Medical insurance comes in two options which are standalone with no frills medical policy and a medical rider attached to a life insurance plan, such as an investment-linked policy.
Differences Between Standalone Medical Card And Rider Medical Card
The most important highlight that differentiates a Standalone from a Medical Rider is the premium cost. A standalone medical card is way cheaper compared to a rider for several reasons:
| Feature | Standalone Medical Card | Rider Medical Card |
| Coverage | Health coverage only. Pure medical insurance plan. No add-ons. | Health and Life coverage. Can add-on Critical Illness and Personal Accident at premiums. |
| Premium Cost | Cheaper at a young age. Premium increases as you age. Cheaper because it only covers hospitalization, surgery and outpatient treatment etc. | Premium is expensive, remains the same until maturity or termination, whichever comes first. Expensive because it includes health and life coverages in a single premium. Plus, a savings portion to build cash value. |
| Policy Duration | 1 year, renewable annually at higher premiums. Renewal is not guaranteed. Depends on your claim history(s), health condition, age etc. | Up to 100 years old, renewable annually. Renewal is not guaranteed. Depends on your claim history(s), health condition, age etc. |
| Savings | No. More flexibility to invest or spend extra money elsewhere. | Yes. Cash value built up over years to cushion the impact of medical inflation; can be withdrawn too. |
| Life Protection | No | Yes. Receive payout upon death or TPD. |
| Deductible | Usually yes, to reduce premium cost. | Yes and no |
Choosing the right medical card for yourself and/or family members requires strategic financial planning.
If your purpose is to get covered for health only and want to save money on premiums, a standalone medical card is the right way to go.
Benefits Of A Standalone Medical Card
A standalone medical card is a term insurance plan that provides coverage such as hospital, surgical, outpatient and other medical benefits.
The best part about this cash-over-cover insurance plan is it is much more affordable than a rider medical card because it is a pure medical insurance plan.
A medical rider works the same way as a standalone medical card, except that it comes in the form of an investment-linked policy (ILP).
ILP has a base plan, which is life insurance, and a savings plan. To increase the policy coverage in health insurance, a medical card is added on as a rider.
Standalone Medical Card Is Not Guaranteed
In terms of premium renewal, both standalone and rider medical cards are not guaranteed.
What it means by “non-guaranteed” is because of medical inflation and other lifestyle and health factors, an insurance company may or may not renew your health insurance plan.
The insurance company will look at many factors, including but not limited to your:
● Claim history(s) – how many claims have you made and how frequent that happen?
● Past health issues – what pre-existing condition(s) you had and how serious was it?
● Age – the older you are, the more expensive it gets to insure you.
Let’s say you have made multiple claims in a year due to the same illness until your annual limit is exhausted, the insurance company will increase your annual premium for the next policy year for the risks you have transferred to them.
If you think a medical rider works differently in terms of renewal, think again. Although a medical rider is attached to an ILP, your medical card policy renewal is subject to the insurance company's discretion too, based on the factors mentioned above.
Even when you have not made any claim in your previous policy years, your standalone medical card premium will still increase due to age increment. This is because the insurance company is covering the actual cost of insuring you.
Compared to a medical rider, the cash value (from your savings and investment) covers the difference between the cost of insurance and the actual premium as you age. That’s why it is more expensive.
Standalone Medical Card with Deductible
Another way to keep your standalone medical card annual premium lower is by choosing a deductible.
A deductible is the upfront cash payment borne by you before your insurance money comes in. The deductible amount ranges from as low as RM1,000 to few hundred thousand, and is common in standalone medical card policies.
If you want to pay lower premiums, you should go for a higher deductible medical card. However, you must always prepare a sum of money upfront to receive the benefit of your medical card.
Policyholders are usually advised to get a medical card with a higher deductible. If you are already covered with a medical insurance plan, whether personal (zero deductible) or company group term.
Standalone Medical Card and Group Term
What if you don’t even have a personal medical card with zero deductible? You can turn to your employment benefits.
Although group insurance coverage is a voluntary benefit by employer, having a Group Term as part of your employment benefits is a good start. This way, you can afford an inexpensive standalone medical card with a high deductible as your first personal medical insurance plan.
If your employer gives you group medical cover, it can pay the deductible on your personal medical card, and your personal card pays the rest of the bill. Not every plan allows this, so check the terms before you buy.
Standalone Medical Card to Comprehensive Insurance Plan
Owning a personal medical insurance is necessary to better manage your financial risks when you fall sick and are unable to work.
A basic health insurance plan such as a standalone medical card is enough to cover your hospitalisation and other medical expenses, at a fraction of your monthly income.
When you have moved up a ladder in your career and life, always review your insurance plan(s) by increasing the coverage limit, adding on critical illness insurance or personal accident insurance.
You can also buy an ILP such as whole life insurance to get comprehensive insurance coverage in a single premium, with a medical rider add-on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a standalone medical card and a medical rider?
A standalone medical card is medical insurance that you buy on its own. A medical rider is an add-on to a life insurance policy, such as an investment-linked plan. You can't buy a rider without the life insurance policy.
Can the premium go up every year?
Yes. Your premium goes up as you get older. The insurer can also raise the premium for everyone on a plan when claims go up, even if you haven't made a claim.
What is the difference between an annual limit and a lifetime limit?
The annual limit is the most the insurer pays in one year. The lifetime limit is the most it pays in total over your life. Some plans have no lifetime limit.
Does a standalone medical card cover conditions you already have?
Usually not. A pre-existing condition is a medical condition that you had, or had symptoms of, before you bought the plan. Some insurers will accept you if you declare it, but may charge a higher premium or exclude that condition from your cover.
Can I use a standalone medical card together with my employer's group medical plan?
Yes. Your employer's group plan ends when you leave the company, but you keep a personal card when you change jobs. A personal card with a high deductible costs less.
