A comprehensive insurance scheme launched to provide a safety net to millions of Indian blue-collar workers living in the UAE has been expanded.
The group Life Protection Insurance plan – introduced by the Consulate of India last year – has won the support of two more companies, Dubai National Insurance and Nexus Insurance Brokers.
The coverage provides life insurance, disability benefits and repatriation services. The Indian Consulate urged companies with large numbers of blue collar workers to look at insurance options that would benefit labourers in case of natural death or disability in the UAE and overseas when they were not at their work place.
The insurance product can be purchased by businesses in the UAE on behalf of their employees.
Crucial assistance
Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India in Dubai, said it was vital to provide support to families when their sole earning relative died overseas.
“This gives very critical support to families of laborers who unfortunately pass away in cases of natural death,” he said. “It covers deaths which happen not just in UAE, not just while they are at work, but also wherever they are in the world. It also covers partial and full disabilities, covers repatriation of mortal remains, which is a very critical element for families for a nominal fee.
“That's important as the family is suffering, the bread winner has gone, so that’s a huge category of people that are not covered."
All full-time Indian employees registered to work by authorities in the UAE are eligible for support. A minimum of 10 workers is required for the group coverage.
Indian citizens aged 18 to 69 can be covered, with the insurance plan running for 12 months.
The insurance covers death by any cause and permanent disability (up to a sum of Dh35,000) and repatriation costs following a death, up to Dh12,000 for a nominal annual sum of Dh32.
Why insurance protection is key
The Indian Consulate established the dedicated insurance plan to help plug gaps in access to support for its citizens.
It was found that while companies insured their employees who were covered under health and workmen’s compensation for work-related injuries and deaths, there was no mandatory insurance coverage for natural death, so families did not receive compensation.
The consulate last year helped to link companies with insurance firms such as Gargash Insurance Services and Orient Insurance for similar packages that covered both natural and accidental death in the UAE and worldwide.
About 7,000 workers have been signed up for the group insurance plan over the past year – the small numbers reflect the need for more firms to sign on. Additional companies brought on board this year provide employers with more options and benefits labourers, the consulate said.
“We encourage employers to look at this proposal with a positive outlook because it is going to benefit your own workers who are not covered by life insurance because the idea is to reach that labour community not covered for deaths arising out of natural causes,” Mr Sivan said.
“The consulate's interest is to benefit the labour class, we bring together two critical components that are necessary for the welfare of labour, which is the insurance company and employees."
Anthony Cerchiai, head of general insurance at Nexus Insurance Brokers, spoke of the social responsibility to protect the blue collar workers.
“We wanted to do something for the protection of the people who are always hard at work and prepare a programme at a very affordable premium,” he said. “We will promote this product in each workers' camp in the UAE.”
Dubai National Insurance said the plan primarily targetted Indian blue-collar workers but they were open to firms signing on workers from other nationalities.
Spot cyber scams
The insurance scheme is the latest move in support of a historic friendship between India and the UAE.
More than 4.3 million Indians call the UAE home, making up the largest expatriate contingent in the UAE. They serve not only as the backbone of the country's workforce but as a driver of economic growth, with a number of prominent Indian business people setting up companies in the country and continuing to invest heavily in its development.
Indian blue collar workers make up about 65 per cent of the Indian population and are one of the largest group of migrant workers in the Emirates.
A second initiative launched for labourers on Wednesday was an eight-week digital literacy progamme aiming to reach about 5,000 workers in the first year. The consulate has partnered with the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre to teach labourers how to protect themselves from cyber fraud.
“We want to skill our laborers … give them a bit of spur to use technology to protect themselves,” Mr Sivan said. “It is important for us to ensure that our friends and brothers in this community are thoroughly equipped to face the challenges of the modern world.”
Digital education
Workers are often been duped into transferring money to scamsters who promise them jobs in the UAE, UK and US. The programme aims to help workers to spot scams.
KMCC officials said the digital education would run in English, Hindi and regional Indian languages.
“We want to help prevent them getting caught in scams,” said Umer Abdussalam, chief executive Edapt that will run the programme. “We will enhance their knowledge and skills to help them spot fraud. AI is getting better and they may not be familiar with it so we can introduce them to tools so they better understand.”
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Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.
Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.
The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.
