Mumbai:
The listed New India Assurance(NIA) has covered 22.12 lakh public healthcare workers under the specially launched Rs 50 lakh Covid-19 personal accident policy and has already paid six claims ,within 48 hours of receiving the clam documents.
The NIA is currently processing another 30 odd eligible claims under the scheme.
The policy has covered across grades including Asha workers, paramedics and nurses who may have to be in direct contact and care of Covid-19 patients. The tailor made comprehensive intended to provide personal accident cover including accidental loss of life on account of contracting Covid-19.The insurance scheme was funded through the health ministry’s NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) budget.
The policy was unveiied by the union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKB) on March 26, for all healthcare workers at the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 . Subsequently, the Ministry of Health &Family Wefare (MOH&FW) entrusted the issuance of the insurance coverage solely to the NIA
However, the insurance cover despite being a well-publicised scheme, awareness of the same appearsto be little amongst some of State Nodal Agencies as a substantial number of some 75 claims, lodged till date are outside the purview of the policy on account of either the deceased not being a health worker or the deceased having died of other than corona related ailments, said Atul Sahay CMD, NIA..
“We see it as a matter of great responsibility that the Government chose New India to service this policy.This policy provides much needed support to our corona warriors. We have been able to service the claims seamlessly so far though only a limited number of eligible claims have been received so far.The claim process requires simple documents, duly verified by the respective state government Authorities. All the claims where documentation was complete were released by us within two working days of such compliance.We expect that we will be able to receive necessary documentations in the remaining 30 odd eligible claims so far during this weak and we intend to dispose of the claims during the week itself,''said Sahay..
The NIA is hopeful of receiving the documents of all the eligible claims lodged so far, before 19th of June and intends to settle all such claims during the said week itself.
The claims procedure is a simple and seamless standard operating procedure was finalised by the insurer in consultation with the MH&FW and Department of Financial Services(DFS), Ministry of Finance(MoF).
Clear and simple documentation to identify the insured person, claimant, employment, enlistment for Covid19 services, cause of death, heirship/nominee and financials were duly conveyed to the state administration.
The MH&FW, DFS and NIA are closely engaging with the state Nodal Officers and their teams on daily basis. The joint secretaries of the MH&FW conduct regular virtual meetings with the state nodal Agencies, providing them with necessary inputs and insisting upon them the need to prioritize the submission of claim documents.
The progress of efficient claim administration is being personal monitored on every day basis by the joint secretary and additional secretary of the DFS .The offices of the NIA across the country are also personally in close touch on daily basis with the state nodal office and senior bureaucrats at state and district magistrate level to ease the process.