Malaysian insurers have not yet arrived at a decision whether to provide coverage for possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccinations.

The General Insurance Association of Malaysia said that medical and health insurance policies normally do not cover pandemics like COVID-19, Free Malaysia Today reported.

“As to whether the industry will extend coverage to complications arising from COVID-19 vaccinations, we are awaiting more data and information before an update or general comments can be made,” the insurance association said in a statement.

The association, which is made up of 26 member firms, will leave the decision to its individual members. Companies will have to take into account consumer demand, business strategies, risk exposure profiles and underwriting considerations, with each insurer’s situation unique, it said.

In neighbouring Singapore, the seven insurers offering Integrated Shield Plans have announced that they are covering possible COVID-19 vaccine complications.

Singapore launched its vaccination programme on December 30, 2020, while Malaysia is set to receive its first batch of vaccines from Pfizer in February, the report said.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, common side effects of COVID-19 vaccination include pain and swelling in the injection site, as well as fever, chills, tiredness and headache. As with all vaccines, there is also a chance for an allergic reaction to occur.