Page 12 - Insurance Times Janaury 2021

Health Insurance News

J-K first in India to cover "The most important feature of the to launch health insurance services
scheme is it would be portable across and HDFC to offer National Pension
all residents with free
the country which means JK residents Scheme (NPS) products soon.
health insurance can avail of the free health insurance Bose was speaking at Facebook's Fuel

Jammu and Kashmir has become the cover in any hospital empaneled under for India 2020 earlier this month when
first among Indian states and UTs to the National PMJAY scheme anywhere he talked about WhatsApp's expansion
offer free health insurance to all its in India," government sources said. into health insurance and pension
residents. There are at present 24,148 empan- products; it has already been piloting
The universal health coverage plan eled hospitals under PM JAY. services for several months, but may
rolls out today with Prime Minister JK's new expanded health protection even make them available by the end
Narendra Modi launching it in a virtual scheme will ensure that all beneficiary of the year.
event. families can avail of any of the 1,592 "The ability for people to get insurance

The scheme called Ayushman Bharat procedures offered by PMJAY. covers - life and health - can protect
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna Sources said the registration for the financial security of households
(PMJAY) SEHAT will cover 21 lakh generation of golden cards for all the from unforeseen expenses especially
families of the UT providing universal residents of JK UT under the new during the pandemic," he explained.
health coverage to all. scheme had started on September 21 WhatsApp's strategy is to scale micro-

It will also cover government and 14 lakh beneficiaries have already pensions and health insurance
employees. been registered on the Beneficiary products across the country, giving
Identification System as of today. every Indian access to them,
"The scheme will provide free of cost
"regardless of location and income."
insurance cover to all the residents of
the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. A WhatsApp to Offer Health
financial cover up to Rs five lakh per Insurance And Pension Standard personal
family will be offered to all residents. accident product
The plan envisages extension of the Products in India There is a wide variety of personal
already operational PM Jan Arogya WhatsApp is expected to move into a accident insurance products in the
Yojna to 15 lakh additional families to range of services in India within 2021 - market at present. Each product has
provide full financial protection," JK including health insurance and pension unique features, making it a challenge
administration officials told The Tribune. products. for the insured to choose the right
The new scheme will operate on According to the head of WhatsApp product. To overcome this challenge,
insurance mode in convergence with India, Abhijit Bose, the messaging a standard product with common
the already operational PM-JAY. platform is to partner with SBI General coverage and policy wordings across

12 The Insurance Times, January 2021