Manulife CI FlexiCare Review: Coverage Till 99 Years Old!

Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) is a critical illness insurance plan that protects you for up to 126 early, intermediate, and advanced-stage critical illnesses (CI).

Here’s a comprehensive review of Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) to help you decide if it’s your best choice.

Spoiler alert: We think it’s the best critical illness plan in Singapore right now.

Keep reading.

My Review on Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe)

The Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) policy offers comprehensive coverage for up to 126 critical illnesses, including cancer, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Not only are your conditions limited to this 126, but Manulife also included another 20 extended advanced CI and 23 special conditions, making it a total of 169 conditions – which is pretty impressive if you ask me.

It also covers your child (below 18) for 36 advanced critical illnesses, and should you end up in ICU or HDU, the Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) will payout up to $25,000 to you – which is a unique feature.

Not forgetting, it’s probably the one policy that offers you CI coverage up to 85 and 99 years old!

So if you’re pretty kiasi, then this is something you would love!

Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) vs. Singlife Multipay Critical Illness

In contrast, Singlife Multipay Critical Illness stands out for its unique multipay structure of up to 900%, also compared to Manulife’s 800%.

This plan allows policyholders to make multiple claims for different stages of various illnesses, a feature that is highly valuable if the policyholder suffers from more than one critical illness over time.

While the total number of conditions covered (159) might be less than Manulife’s 169, the multipay aspect adds a layer of comprehensive protection that is beneficial for long-term financial planning and support.

However, the downside is that you’ll need to make a claim 3X before qualifying for their premium waivers, which Manulife’s CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) waives for you at your first claim.

Because of this, we think the Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) as a better policy (and the best plan in Singapore now), as once you’re diagnosed with an ECI/CI, you don’t want to worry about paying insurance premiums anymore.

Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) vs. AIA Absolute Critical Cover

AIA Absolute Critical Cover is known for its flexibility and comprehensive coverage.

While the exact number of conditions covered may vary, AIA plans typically offer robust protection against a wide array of critical illnesses – 187 conditions to be exact.

This plan often includes features like early-stage illness coverage and the possibility of multiple claims for different illnesses, similar to the multipay structure of Singlife.

AIA’s plan is designed to cater to various health issues at different stages, including mental health, making it a versatile option for many.

However, AIA’s Absolute Critical Cover only lets you make claims 5 times instead of Manulife’s 800% and Singlife’s 900%, and it is also more expensive than these plans.

But the kick to AIA’s Absolute Critical Cover is that you can get some of your premiums back when your policy matures, adjusted for any claims you’ve made.

In summary, each of these plans offers unique advantages. Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) is ideal for those seeking extensive coverage across a broad range of conditions.

Singlife Multipay Critical Illness is tailored for individuals who prioritise the flexibility of multiple payouts during different stages of illness.

AIA Absolute Critical Cover balances comprehensive coverage and the ability to cater to various health issues at different stages.

The choice between these plans should be based on individual health concerns, financial planning needs, and each policy’s specific features and benefits.

Because of this, we recommend that you take some time to read our post on the best critical illness plans in Singapore so that you understand your alternatives better.

Once you know your alternatives, it’s best that you consider getting a second opinion from an unbiased financial advisor as to whether the Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) is the multipay critical illness plan for you.

This is especially important as ECI/CI coverage is one of the most important insurance policies you should get due to the rising cost of healthcare and increased diagnosis of ECI/CI in Singapore.

You’re also about to commit to paying premiums for 20 to 30 years. You don’t want to be hasty only to regret your decision years down the road.

And this is something that we commonly see amongst our readers who’ve reached out to us.

If you need a second opinion, we partner with MAS-licensed financial advisors who are happy to help.

Click here for a free, non-obligatory chat.

Now, here’s more on the Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe).

Basic Product Features

Policy Term

Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) offers 4 coverage term options to meet your unique needs.

• To Age 65
• To Age 75
• To Age 85
• To Age 99

This means you can be covered under the policy until any of the above ages.

It’s great that they offer up to ages 99, and I believe they might be the only ones doing this!

Premium Payment Terms

Premium payments for Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) plans must be made throughout your entire coverage period of the policy.

It is important to note that, like all critical illness insurance policies, the premium amounts are not fixed and may be subject to change.

The specific premium you have to pay depends on multiple factors, including your age, gender, whether you are a smoker, the amount of coverage you have chosen, and the length of the coverage period.

Coverage

The Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) offers protection at all stages of a critical illness, including early, intermediate, advanced, and extended advanced stages, as well as death.

The plan goes above and beyond traditional critical illness coverage by including additional benefits such as coverage for special critical illness conditions, serious illness of a child, and recovery care plus.

Here is a summary of what the coverage offers;

Death Benefit

First, let’s discuss the death benefit offered before entering the CI conditions.

Upon demise during the coverage period, the death benefit will be the total premiums paid minus any claims already paid under the policy.

So if you’ve paid $50,000 in premiums, this means you’ll get back $50,000 in death benefit back should you pass on.

Suppose you’ve made claims on this policy before, and it’s higher than your sum assured, no death benefit will be paid upon death.

Lastly, should you incur any critical illnesses and do not survive 7 calendar days from diagnosis, no death benefit would be paid either.

Seems pretty standard for CI plans to have these conditions. Some plans only offer $5,000 in death benefits, so this definitely stands out.

Comprehensive Critical Illness (CI) Benefit

Now, let’s move on to the more important benefit – your ECI/CI coverage.

If you are diagnosed with an early, intermediate, or advanced stage of a covered condition (including extended advanced), the following will be paid:

It is essential to remember that this benefit is a one-time payment – regardless of which CI stage you’re making claims for.

Once the benefit is paid out, the current coverage amount will be reduced by the amount of the benefit paid.

This means that you will no longer be eligible for the benefit again in the future.

Below is a comprehensive list of covered conditions that fall under the early, intermediate, and advanced stages:

Here are the extended advanced-stage CI conditions covered:

Advanced Stage CI Booster

If you are diagnosed with any covered advanced (including extended advanced) stage CI, an additional benefit of 200% of the basic sum insured will be payable.

However, it’s worth noting that this is a single payment benefit, and once it is paid, the current coverage amount will be reduced by the paid amount.

Therefore, you cannot claim this benefit again in the future.

Special CI Conditions Benefit

If you are diagnosed with a covered special condition, a benefit of 20% of the basic coverage amount, up to a maximum of S$25,000 per policyholder per condition, will be paid.

However, it’s worth mentioning that payment of this benefit will not affect the current coverage amount, which means you will still be eligible for full coverage even after making a claim.

This benefit allows for a maximum of 6 claims, but each claim must be for a different covered special condition.

This means that if you claim a covered special condition, you will not be able to make another claim for the same condition again in the future.

Here is a list of the covered conditions and juvenile-specific illnesses.

Serious Illness of a Child Benefit

If your child is diagnosed with an advanced stage of a covered condition, a lump sum benefit will be paid, subject to the maximum payout limit set by the policy.

For the payment of this benefit, the child must be your biological or legally adopted child (in accordance with the adoption laws of Singapore) but not your stepchild.

The child must also be at least 30 days old but less than 18 years old as of the date of diagnosis.

Receiving this benefit will not reduce the current insured sum.

Recovery Care Plus Benefit

If you are admitted to a Singapore hospital as a result of sickness or accident, and you stay in either the intensive care unit (ICU) or a combination of ICU and high dependency unit (HDU) for a total of 4 consecutive days or more in one hospital admission, you will receive 20% of the basic sum insured, subject to a maximum of S$25,000.

It’s important to note that this excludes admission to an overseas hospital.

For the policy to pay the benefit, admission to an ICU or HDU must be deemed medically necessary and certified by a licensed medical doctor.

This benefit is only paid once and will terminate when you reach 85 years of age on your last birthday.

Also, be aware that receiving this benefit will not reduce the current sum insured and is paid in addition to the Comprehensive CI Benefit if the ICU or HDU admission is due to any comprehensive critical illness.

Optional Add-On Riders

Cover Me Again Booster Rider

The CoverMeAgain Booster (Deluxe) is an optional supplement to the Manulife CI FlexiCare (Deluxe) policy that provides additional coverage for critical illnesses.

It has 2 parts – Cover Me Again Booster and Recurring/Relapse Major CI Benefit.

Cover Me Again Benefit

It runs concurrently with the basic policy and has the same coverage term as the basic policy.

The rider allows you to make up to 4 additional claims if you were to be diagnosed with another critical illness again – as long as you have not claimed that CI.

You will receive full reimbursement of the basic sum insured if:

• You are diagnosed with a stage of critical illness covered under the policy;
• You were not diagnosed with any conditions and have claimed from the whole policy for the past 12 months
• The diagnosed condition has not been previously claimed under the basic policy.

Additionally, upon payment of the Cover Me Again Benefit, the current sum insured will be reduced by the amount paid.

Thus, the Cover Me Again Booster Rider assures you up to 400% of your sum.

Recurring or Relapse Major Critical Illness (CI) Benefit

Additionally, the Recurring/Relapse Major CI benefit feature under this rider provides you with 2 additional claims for selected repeated advanced-stage CI conditions if you were to experience a relapse of your critical illness.

To ensure your claim is valid, there must not have been any claims under this whole policy within the last 12 months.

Once the claim is paid, that amount will reduce your sum insured, and a minimum period of 24 months from the date of diagnosis must pass before you make another claim.

Thus, this benefit gives you up to 200% of your sum insured – should you face any of the following recurring CIs.

• Persistent Major Cancer
• Recurring Heart Attack of Specified Severity
• Recurring Stroke with Permanent Neurological Deficit
• Repeated Open Heart Valve Surgery
• Repeated Major Organ / Bone Marrow Transplant
• Repeated Coronary Artery By-pass Surgery

Early Critical Care Waiver Rider

The Early Critical Care Waiver Rider is another supplementary benefit that can be added to the basic policy.

This rider will waive your premium payments until the end of your policy if you are diagnosed with any covered critical illness in this policy – extended advanced CI conditions included.

With this rider, the insurer will waive your premium payments until the end of the policy tenure.

Others To Note

Here are some ad-hoc things that you should note.

Waiting Periods

Generally, there is a 90-day waiting period for new policies incepted, including adding any riders during any point of your policy.

This means that for the first 90 days of your policy, you cannot make any claims under the Manulife CI FlexiCare.

If you decide to add the Cover Me Again Booster or Early Critical Care Waiver rider in your 3rd policy year, then you cannot make any claims under those riders for its first 90 days.

This is not exclusive to this policy or just Manulife, but it is a pretty common thing amongst all critical illness plans across all insurers.