Insurance questions, answered

Yes. Roadtax can be renewed online once your motor insurance is valid. Lulu renews your insurance and roadtax together over WhatsApp, and you get a digital roadtax you can view in the MyJPJ app.

Your plate number, the registered owner’s IC number and your postcode. For a first renewal with Lulu, a photo of the car grant (VOC) helps her get the details right.

Not until new insurance is in force. Roadtax renewal needs a valid motor insurance policy, so the insurance is renewed first and the roadtax right after.

For an individually owned private saloon in Peninsular Malaysia, a 1,401 to 1,600 cc car pays RM90 a year.

A 2,000 cc individually owned saloon pays RM380 a year in Peninsular Malaysia and RM274 in Sabah or Sarawak.

From 1 January 2026, electric cars pay by motor power in kW. Up to 50 kW is RM20 a year, and the rate rises in bands above that, as shown in the table on this page.

Yes. Any time you carry paying passengers through an e-hailing app, the car is used commercially, and a private-only policy may not cover a claim during that trip.

Often yes, as an e-hailing extension on the private car policy, depending on the insurer and your car. Lulu checks what is available when she quotes your renewal.

Platform per-trip coverage has its own scope and limits. Read what it covers, and ask Lulu whether you still need your own e-hailing cover for your situation.

No. Lorries and goods vehicles need commercial vehicle insurance that matches how the vehicle is used.

No. Motor insurance covers the vehicle and third-party liability. Cargo needs a separate goods-in-transit policy.

Valid commercial vehicle insurance and an up-to-date PUSPAKOM inspection, plus any permit your business requires for the vehicle.

A medical card is hospital and surgical insurance. When you are admitted to a panel hospital, the insurer pays the bill directly up to your plan’s limits, so you don’t need to pay a deposit.

There is no single best card for everyone. The right one depends on your age, budget, the hospitals you’d use and any company cover you already have. Compare the annual limit, room and board, deductible options and lifetime limit.

Generally no. Conditions you had before the policy started are usually excluded, which is why it’s best to get covered while you are healthy.

Add up your debts, your family’s living costs for the years they would need support and future goals such as education, then subtract savings, EPF and existing cover. The gap is roughly how much life cover to consider.

Neither is better for everyone. Term life gives the most cover for the premium during the years you need it most. Whole life lasts for life and builds cash value, but costs more.

Common exclusions include suicide within the first year and non-disclosure of health conditions on the application. Each policy lists its own exclusions.

MRTA’s sum assured reduces with your loan and mainly pays the bank, while MLTA’s sum assured stays level, belongs to you and can carry on after the loan is paid off or refinanced.

MLTA costs more but is more flexible and portable. MRTA is cheaper upfront. Which is better depends on whether you plan to refinance, how long you’ll keep the house and what other cover you have.

Not by law, but some banks or loan packages require mortgage insurance. Ask your bank what it accepts, as other life cover may be acceptable.

As early as possible, ideally when your child is a baby. Starting early spreads the cost over more years and gives the savings more time to grow.

They do different jobs. SSPN is flexible national savings, while an insurance plan adds discipline and a premium waiver if the parent can’t pay. Many families use both.

If the plan has a payor or waiver of premium benefit, future premiums are waived and the plan carries on for the child.

Usually yes. Many Malaysian medical cards cover emergencies overseas only for a limited period and don’t cover trip cancellation, delays or baggage.

As soon as you book your trip, so you’re covered if you have to cancel before departure.

Single trip suits one or two holidays a year; annual multi-trip suits frequent or business travellers.

Yes. Foreigners with a valid long-term pass, including MM2H participants, can usually apply, subject to the insurer’s age limits and underwriting.

The MM2H programme has required medical insurance from a Malaysian insurer, but the rules and exemptions change. Check the current requirements before applying.

Yes. Each plan has a maximum entry age, and premiums rise with age, so retirees should apply early.

Houseowner insurance covers the building itself, while householder insurance covers the contents such as furniture and appliances. Many landed homeowners need both.

A basic fire policy doesn’t; flood is added as an extension, which shops and factories usually need. Many houseowner and householder policies include flood as standard, so check the perils listed in your own policy.

Insure the building for its rebuilding cost, not the market price, because the market price includes the land, which does not burn.

Usually not. It typically covers only the building to protect the loan, not your stock, machinery, lost income or liability.

It pays lost profit and ongoing fixed costs, such as salaries and rent, while your business recovers from an insured event like a fire.

If customers or the public visit your premises, or you work on others’ sites, public liability protects you if someone is injured or their property is damaged.

If you have any assets or young children, yes. Without a will, non-Muslim estates are divided under the Distribution Act 1958, and your family must apply for Letters of Administration, which usually takes longer.

Rockwills is a Malaysian will writing and estate planning company. Lulu is a Rockwills representative who helps clients prepare their wills through Rockwills.

The fee depends on the will package and any trust or custody services you choose. WhatsApp Lulu for the current options.

Estate planning is arranging in advance how your assets will pass on, using a will, insurance nominations and trusts, so your family receives them smoothly and according to your wishes.

No. A nomination covers only that insurance policy’s payout, while a will covers the rest of your estate. You usually need both.

Anyone, but nominating your spouse, children, or parents when you have no spouse or children generally creates a trust, so the money goes to them directly instead of through your estate.