Mothership - AIA denies S$100,000 payout to S'pore man with benign brain tumour, said condition 'not life-threatening' at time of surgery & not includ

[matrix05]

i guess this is why that luigi fella was so venerated online

From experts here, the fella likely has exclusions and bought CI (not ECI). Condition is not critical so cannot claim. Maybe got exclusion for his IP. But MSL (no exclusion) will cover him to a smaller amt. He opted for pte, so he has to take the big bill. In the end, he paid for IP & CI premium plus big pte hospital bill (guestimate SG60K). Triple whammies.

 

[dry_county]

Insurance scums again…..

 

[iantao99]

Hard to believe a growing brain tumor is deemed as not life-threatening.
Looking at a different perspective, could what the doctor told the AIA policyholder be different from what the medical report actually shows?

 

[mummynew]

Hard to believe a growing brain tumor is deemed as not life-threatening.
Looking at a different perspective, could what the doctor told the AIA policyholder be different from what the medical report actually shows?

Generally there are doctors who are more confident about whether patients can claim from medical insurance and there are also doctors who stay away from such issues (coz don't want to be responsible in case can't claim).

I met several of such doctors when asked them whether can claim, they referred me to the insurer. Then when checked with insurer, they said 'depending on your final reports'.

 

[mummynew]

Hard to believe a growing brain tumor is deemed as not life-threatening.
Looking at a different perspective, could what the doctor told the AIA policyholder be different from what the medical report actually shows?

Now i think back that actually as long as surgeons deem can do surgery = can claim from ISP.

I have 2 surgeries for breast lump removal before. Both benign. Medical insurance under two different insurers both paid without questions.

*I was given a choice of to continue to monitor the growth or to remove. That time my kids small and so just removed straight away.

 

[Scarlet Tea]

everyday diss lazy hardworking people.

Help u correct

 

[alpha_beta]

lol there is no such thing as a benign tumor. how did it get there in the first place ??

 

[bombshell]

Nothing wrong ma, CI if diagnosis don't fall under those listed in the coverage, no payout loh.
Unless he is disputing the diagnosis made by the doctor which is also not insurance daiji, go complain the doctor la.

 

[unrealx262]

https://mothership.sg/2025/10/insurance-critical-coverage-tumour/​

AIA denies S$100,000 payout to S'pore man with benign brain tumour, said condition 'not life-threatening' at time of surgery​

An AIA policyholder submitted a Straits Times forum letter calling for greater regulatory scrutiny of how insurance companies define “life-threatening” conditions.

This was after his claim for critical illness coverage, which he bought "several years ago", was rejected, despite undergoing surgery for a benign brain tumour.

Diagnosed with brain tumour, had surgery​

Frankie Yee Kok Wah was diagnosed with the tumour in 2018, his Oct. 20 forum letter read.

As the tumour was initially small and asymptomatic, his doctor advised against surgery, opting instead for annual MRI surveillance to monitor changes in the tumour's size.

However, in November 2024, a scan revealed significant tumour growth.

Concerned that it could begin affecting his neurological functions and overall quality of life, his neurosurgeon strongly recommended surgical removal.

Yee proceeded with the operation.

Hospitalisation and critical illness claims rejected​

When he submitted his hospitalisation and critical illness claims following the procedure, both were denied.

AIA’s stated reason for rejecting the S$100,000 critical illness claim was apparently that the tumour was "not life-threatening" at the time of surgery.

Yee said this interpretation was deeply problematic and asked if a policyholder must "wait until his condition becomes fatal" before a claim can be accepted:

F up AIA. Condemn this coy

 

[bunegg]

Medical insurance claim and critical illness claim is different.

 

[askxyz]

more and more insurance company like that liao.. seems like there could be many claims during covid19 or post covid19, now they chu pattern to conserve cash ?

 

[shock]

Heng ah. My only insurance is the force to buy one.

 

[HelloEllo]

I think it could be stage 1 breast cancer but also need to see the conditions. I heard from another colleague (not directly from the horse's mouth) that my this stage 1 breast cancer colleague did mastectomy so it could be her stage 1 is more serious (even though I know of another friend whom I have lost touch who also did mastectomy with stage 1 breast cancer for peace of mind and not because it is serious).

Anyway, my point is, please dont just assume stage 1 cancer cannot claim CI as this may deter genuine cases from making claims or for those sitting on the fence about CI from buying CI. For those who want greater coverage, can buy ECI as this covers "pre-cancer" as well (stage 0 or carcinoma-in-situ) but this will come at a much higher premiums so only worth it to buy at a younger age, as ECI cover CI as well.

I am not an insurance agent so will not encourage anyone to buy or not buy CI.

The most important is to buy hospitalisation shield insurance if you can afford and travel insurance (must buy when you travel).

CI they can play games and not payout. Hospitalization is more straight cut

 

[HelloEllo]

gov needs to step in

Ya actually there should be a governmental board to appeal claims and then let them decide.

 

[zwerty]

First, the word "benign" is a misnomer when used for brain tumor. "Benign" in this context just means the brain tumor is non-cancerous.

As per LIA Critical illnesses definition guide, before 2019, benign brain tumor would be defined as "
a non-malignant tumour located in the cranial vault and limited to the brain, meninges or cranial nerves where ALL of the following conditions are met:
• It is life threatening;
• It has caused damage to the brain;
• It has undergone surgical removal or, if inoperable, has caused a permanent neurological deficit; and
• Its presence must be confirmed by a neurologist or neurosurgeon and supported by findings on Magnetic
Resonance Imaging, Computerised Tomography, or other reliable imaging techniques.

From 2019 onwards, LIA changed the definition to " a non-malignant tumour located in the cranial vault and limited to the brain, meninges or cranial nerves where ALL of the following conditions are met:
• It has undergone surgical removal or, if inoperable, has caused a permanent neurological deficit; and
• Its presence must be confirmed by a neurologist or neurosurgeon and supported by findings on Magnetic
Resonance Imaging, Computerised Tomography, or other reliable imaging techniques.

In the Amendment Note for the changes, the LIA specifically stated that the removal of "life-threatening" in the updated definition is because the term itself is too ambiguous and subjective. Similarly, LIA also removed the wording "caused damage to the brain" from the 2019 definition update because it is non-specific.

It seems from the ST Forum letter exchanges, AIA based its position to reject the writer's claim on the old, i.e, pre-2019 definition, which explicitly stated that the brain tumor must be "life threatening". If true, this is perplexing since all insurers are supposed to follow LIA and update their CI definitions accordingly when insurees renew their policies.

 

[cet87]

AIA know better than the doctors.

 

[born2fly]

This is call insurance you pay every month until you fall sick and wait to be rejected by the company because your didn't read the fine print of a 20 pages contract...

 

[Bad kids]

Must pay the agent gao gao... so that they can afford Skye@Hollang... and bids high high for COE... for their conti....

 

[zetraw]

MOTS: don't buy insurance.

More specific: Don't buy from AIA

 

[helloicanseeu]

Buy insurance for what? Haha

lots of so-called friends keep pestering u to sign loh ...