Page 11 - Insurance Times March 2019

Health Insurance

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Maharashtra pays 713 Bajaj Allianz launches health cover for only vector-borne

crore premium for Ayush- diseases
maan Bharat scheme Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has launched a health cover that is specifically
targeted at seven vector borne diseases - dengue,
National Insurance Company has malaria, chikungunya, Kala Azar, Japanese encepha-
bagged the litis, filariasis and Zika virus.
Ayushmaan
Bharat ac- While the focus is on mosquito-borne diseases, the
count of policy also covers major infections spread by all types
Maharashtra. of vectors such as fleas, flies, sand flies and other in-
The state has paid a premium of Rs sects. It offers various coverage options that range between Rs 10,000 and Rs
1,00,000 for a premium from Rs 160 to Rs 3,000.
713 crore for the scheme, which
started from January 1, for six months A unique feature of this cover is that it remains operative even during interna-
and indicated it would like to extend tional travel. The insured can claim compensation if the infection takes place
it for the whole year afterwards. in 37 listed countries such as the US, entire Europe, New Zealand, Singapore,
Malaysia, Japan, Canada, Dubai and Hong Kong.
NIC has agreed to run scheme with
premium of Rs 640 per family per "We have seen significant increase in the number of people falling ill due to
year. There will be a prospective sav- these vector-borne diseases. This year in India, more than 3 lakh cases of ma-
ing of Rs 111 crore annually for the laria and 80,000 cases of dengue were reported," said Bajaj Allianz General
state government. Earlier, Insurance MD & CEO Tapan Singhel. The cover can be opted for both individual
Maharashtra was paying a premium and family. The family floater policy offers coverage for up to six members,
of Rs 690 per family. which can include one's parents, spouse and children.

NIC has been the insurer of state's India's coal power plants 'unhealthiest' in world
flagship scheme Mahatma Jyotiba
Coal-fired power plants in India take the highest toll in the world when it comes
Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, that provides
to health, according to a study of global emission
cover for Rs 1.5 lakh, since 2012 and
has given benefit to more than 21 lakh hotspots which found that China and the US are the
beneficiaries till date. Since November largest producers of coal power.
2016, the premium for the scheme Coal power generation is a primary cause of green-
increased from Rs 333 per family per house gas (GHG) and toxic airborne emissions globally,
year to Rs 690 per family per year over said researchers from ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
a period of five years. The scheme pro- Coal burning not only produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to global
vides cover to 2.25 crore family in the warming, but also releases particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide
state. The scheme will now include 83 and mercury - thus damaging the health of many people around the world. To
lakh families who would be now eli- estimate where action is urgently required, the researchers modeled and cal-
gible for the facilities under culated the undesired side effects of coal power for each of the 7,861 power
Ayushmaan Bharat scheme.
plant units in the world.
The Insurance Times, March 2019 11