Home ›› 01 Mar 2023 ›› Front
Nusrat Jahan, an NGO officer by profession, has purchased a health insurance policy at a life insurance company in the country. The 10-year policy with a monthly installment of Tk 1,000 covers medical assistance for eight diseases. Being infected by coronavirus during the policy term, she received Tk 40,000 medical assistance under the policy.
Nusrat Jahan said, “In September of 2021, I was admitted to the hospital being infected by coronavirus. I got health benefits under the policy at that time. My parents and my husband are also eligible for the health benefit as my dependent under this policy.”
Under this policy, health benefits can be claimed two times a year and a maximum of Tk 2 lakh is available, Nusrat said.
Like Nusrat Jahan, many conscious customers are becoming interested in buying health insurance policies to ensure medical assistance for various complex diseases. As a result, health insurance policy is becoming increasingly popular.
Zakir Hossain, a resident of Dhanmondi who received policy from a multinational insurance company, told The Business Post, “During the pandemic, I have realised how important it is to have a health insurance policy. If we invest the same amount of money buying health insurance instead of depositing in the bank, we would get various benefits financial benefits as well as safe health care. So, every customer like me should open this type of deposit scheme.”
Currently 35 life insurance companies in the country are encouraging customers to ensure medical assistance for various complex diseases through health insurance policy.
The health insurance schemes help the low-income of the country ensure financial security in case off untimely death or during their old age.
Benefits of health insurance scheme
A healthy person aged 18-60 years and having a regular income can receive this policy from the life insurance companies of the country.
The term of the policy is 5, 10 or 15 years. Premium can be submitted annually, quarterly or at any time with the approval of the management authorities. Under this policy, if a customer is affected by any of the listed diseases, financial benefits are provided for medical treatment. The maximum amount of insurance can be up to Tk 40 lakh in case of fatal illness.
MetLife is one of the multinational companies offering health insurance policy in the country.
The company has five health insurance schemes. These are Critical Illness Insurance Protection Plan, Critical Illness with Return of Premium Super (CI ROP Super), Medicare, Critical Care and Hospital Care. Under these policies, customers are receiving medical assistance for 10-52 diseases.
“All of the MetLife’s five health insurance policies are popular among the customers. However, we have come up with a new health insurance called Hospital Care. Under this policy, a customer will get a certain amount of money every day if he is admitted to the hospital. This scheme is very popular among the customers,” said Saif Rahman, communication chief of MetLife Bangladesh.
“Critical Illness Insurance Protection Plan protects the policy holder against 52 critical diseases including cancer, stroke, first heart attack and kidney disease. Metlife Depositors Protections Scheme is very popular among customers. The policy has four plans: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze,” he added.
Zenith Islami Life Insurance Chief Executive Officer SM Nuruzzaman said, “We are providing health insurance services as an associate insurance with other policies from this year. Customers can now take health insurance as companion insurance with all our schemes. Under this health insurance, we are providing insurance services against seven major diseases. We are already training our field level officials.”
Our company provides health insurance policy coverage for Rajshahi University students against only Tk 250 premium. Under the policy, the students can claim Tk 80,000 for ailments and Tk 2 lakh for demise,” he added.
Making health insurance compulsory demanded
Bangladesh Insurance Association President Sheikh Kabir Hossain told The Business Post, “We have realised the importance of health insurance during the global Covid pandemic. Already some institutions have introduced health policy on piloting basis. The government should make health insurance compulsory in the country. If it becomes popular, the insurance sector will expand further besides ensuring health care for the policy holders.”
