Mr Sim, a 32 year old Singaporean has high blood pressure and is on medication
to control this condition. As his mother had passed away from a heart attack
previously and he has just gotten married, Mr Sim decided to take up insurance
to protect himself as well as his spouse. He approached his friend Mr Goh, who
is an NTUC Income insurance sales representative. He was recommended a whole
life policy with death and disability benefits. Mr Sim signed the proposal for
insurance $41,000 and truthfully declared that he was suffering from high blood
pressure and on medication. He was sent for a medical examination and since his
blood pressure was fairly controlled, his proposal was accepted with a small
health extra and the policy issued in August 1993.
Slightly less than 2 years later in July 1995, Mr Sim, then only 34, had a
sudden onset of giddiness and headache and was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital
where he immediately went into a coma. He was diagnosed to have a brainstem haemarrhage.
When he came out of the coma, he was bedridden and confined to his home, unable
to move and take care of himself after the effects of the stroke.
Mr Sim's wife is in complete despair as Mr Sim is the sole breadwinner of
the family and she has now to take care of Mr Sim as well as their 1 year old
son. She is in financial difficulty as well as in great mental and physical stress.
She had to borrow money from friends and relatives to meet both the medical and
daily needs of her family.
Mr Goh, the insurance representative, on hearing about this unfortunate and
unexpected event, immediately offered his assistance to help the family by submitting
a disability claim to NTUC Income.
At that time, the policy was lapsed due to non-payment of premiums for 5 months
and the policy is no longer in force. However, as this situation had arised because
Mr Sim was in the hospital and not earning any income as photo studio assistant;
NTUC Income decided to take a compassionate stand. The permanent and total disability
claim of $42,000 was admitted and the annual instalments paid.
This money will come in handy to defray part of Mr Sim's medical costs as
well as to provide financial aid to his family; which would otherwise be burdened
with the daily living costs.
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