Is Pacific & Orient (P&O) Car Insurance Worth It?

Pacific & Orient Insurance Co. Berhad, better known as P&O, is one of the general insurers you will come across when renewing your car insurance in Malaysia. It is often shortlisted by drivers who want straightforward cover at a fair price, and it also offers a mileage-based plan that few other insurers have.

So is P&O car insurance worth it? The answer depends on how much you drive, what kind of protection you need and which add-ons matter to you. This guide explains P&O’s car insurance plans, its optional benefits, roadside assistance limits and claim process, so you can decide whether it suits you.

What car insurance does P&O offer?

For private cars, P&O offers three main options. You can also see P&O’s details and compare it with other insurers on the Pacific & Orient insurer page on Bjak.

Private Car Comprehensive

This is P&O’s most complete cover. According to its Product Disclosure Sheet for private car comprehensive insurance, it pays for loss of or damage to your own car caused by collision or overturning, falling objects, fire, explosion, lightning, burglary, housebreaking, theft and malicious acts. It also covers your legal liability to other people. If you are new to this type of policy, our guide to comprehensive car insurance explains how it works.

Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT)

TPFT covers your liability to third parties, plus loss of or damage to your own car from fire, explosion, lightning, burglary, housebreaking or theft. It does not pay for accident damage to your own car. P&O’s TPFT Product Disclosure Sheet lists passenger liability cover as an optional benefit for an extra premium. Read more about third party, fire and theft car insurance.

PrOmilej (mileage-based cover)

PrOmilej is P&O’s pay-by-distance car policy. You choose a yearly mileage plan, and the less you expect to drive, the more you save on the basic premium. Comprehensive cover applies within your mileage allocation, while third-party cover continues regardless of how far you drive.

Here is how the three options compare at a glance.

Plan	Own car damage	Fire and theft	Third-party liability
Comprehensive	Yes	Yes	Yes
Third Party, Fire and Theft	No	Yes	Yes
PrOmilej	Yes, within your mileage allocation	Yes, within your mileage allocation	Yes, at all times

Under both the comprehensive and TPFT policies, P&O states unlimited cover for third-party bodily injury or death, up to RM3 million for third-party property damage and up to RM2,000 for legal costs to defend a criminal charge such as causing death by driving. If you only need the legal minimum, read about third party car insurance and check with the insurer whether that cover is available for your car.

How PrOmilej works

PrOmilej can make a real difference to your premium if your car spends most of its time parked. P&O offers these plans:

Plan	Yearly mileage	Savings on basic premium
Plan 1	Under 5,000 km	40%
Plan 2	Under 10,000 km	20%
Plan 3	Under 15,000 km	10%

There are a few rules to know before you sign up:

• You must submit a photo of your odometer before buying, and your mileage is checked again when you claim.
• If you exceed your allocation, you get an extra 500 km of grace mileage.
• Once you go past that, your car loses cover for its own loss or damage and optional benefits, although third-party cover continues.
• You can top up to a higher plan by paying the difference, up to two times. Downgrades and refunds for unused mileage are not allowed.
• Cars up to 20 years old, including new cars, are eligible.

PrOmilej suits weekend drivers, people who work from home and owners of a second car. If you drive long distances every day, a standard comprehensive policy is usually the simpler choice.

Optional add-ons from P&O

P&O lets you add extra protection to its comprehensive policy for an additional premium. The options listed on its website include:

• Special perils, covering floods, storms, landslides and other natural disasters
• Windscreen, windows, sunroof and tinted film, for repair or replacement of glass (see how windscreen claims affect your NCD)
• Strike, riot and civil commotion (SRCC)
• Legal liability to passengers, which P&O notes is required by law when you drive into Singapore
• Legal liability of passengers, for damage caused by your passengers, such as opening a car door into another vehicle
• NCD relief, which compensates for losing your current No Claim Discount when you make a claim
• All drivers, extending cover to anyone who drives your car

P&O also states that the first two named drivers, including you, are free and that each additional named driver costs RM10. Flood cover is not automatic, so it is worth adding if you live or park in a flood-prone area.

Roadside assistance and towing

Holders of valid P&O comprehensive and PrOmilej private car policies get roadside assistance through the 24-hour hotline at 1-300-80-8800. The benefit is limited by cost rather than distance:

• Up to RM350 per incident for breakdown towing and assistance
• Up to RM200 per incident for accident towing
• Towing to the nearest approved repairer or safe storage, with any charges above the limit paid by you

P&O also offers an optional P.A Plus add-on that provides unlimited towing for one trip per incident to its approved repairer or panel workshop, for both comprehensive and TPFT policyholders. Breakdowns caused by an empty fuel tank or the wrong fuel, and keys locked inside the car, are excluded from the standard service. To see how other insurers set their towing limits, read our guide to free car towing in Malaysia.

How to make a P&O car insurance claim

P&O’s Product Disclosure Sheets state that you should notify a claim within seven days, unless you are physically disabled or in hospital. You can notify a claim online through P&O’s customer portal or call its claim helpline at 1-800-88-2121. Its claim services page lists the basic documents you will need:

• A completed claim form
• An original certified copy of the police report
• Copies of the NRIC of the policyholder and the driver at the time of the accident
• A copy of the driver’s driving licence
• A copy of the vehicle registration card or certificate of ownership
• A detailed repair estimate from the repairer

Use a P&O panel or approved workshop where possible, as they can help you complete the claim form. Keep in mind that any compulsory or voluntary excess must be paid before repairs start.

Pros and cons of P&O car insurance

Pros	Cons
PrOmilej can cut the basic premium by up to 40% for low-mileage drivers	Own-damage cover under PrOmilej stops once you use up your mileage and grace allowance
Comprehensive and PrOmilej policies include 24-hour roadside assistance	Towing is capped at RM350 for breakdowns and RM200 for accidents unless you buy P.A Plus
A wide range of add-ons, including flood, windscreen and NCD relief	Flood and windscreen cover cost extra and are not included by default
Online claim notification and claim status checks	Roadside assistance is not included as standard with TPFT

So, is P&O car insurance worth it?

P&O is worth considering if you want a mainstream comprehensive policy with a solid list of add-ons, or if you drive fewer than 15,000 km a year and can take advantage of PrOmilej’s savings. It is less suited to drivers who want generous built-in towing or who expect their mileage to change a lot during the year.

As with any insurer, the best way to decide is to compare. Compare car insurance quotes on Bjak to see P&O’s price for your car alongside other insurers before you renew.