BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR— If any of the health workers dies in the frontline of coronavirus, they would be able to get claims settlement up to N3million for medical Doctors N3m; Pharmacists/Nurses N2million and others N1million under the life insurance cover proposed by the Nigerian Insurance Industry to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Acting Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas, disclosed during the
presentation to the presidential task on COVID-19 that the industry will be providing Life Insurance Cover to all frontline workers on COVID-19.
According to him the Life Insurance Cover is for a maximum of 5000 health workers who are employed in the fight against COVID 19.
He added that the benefit which is the sum Assured payable to the families or named beneficiary of any of the workers that dies in the line of duty is as follows: Medical Doctors N3m Pharmacists/Nurses N2m Others N1m
The estimated liability of the insuring companies is N11billion.
The premium in the sum of N112,500,000 for the cover has been fully paid by the Nigerian Insurance Industry in line with the principle of No Premium No Cover.
A total of 19 Life Insurance companies have been accredited to provide the Cover.
In event of any fatality the relevant agencies of government will immediately advise the lead Underwriter – FBN Insurance Ltd who will make request for relevant documents needed for payment of the claim.
The cover is for a period of 12months effective 14th April, 2020.
So far, a 51-year-old medical doctor on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 died of COVID-19 after contracting the virus from a patient he had treated.
The doctor, who died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, was rushed to the facility on Monday after attempting to manage a COVID-19 patient in a private hospital in Lagos.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has also said about 40 health workers in Nigeria have, so far, tested positive for COVID-19.
Ehanire made this known at the daily Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing on yesterday.
