Insurance Sector Operators Receive FG Commendation on Free Insurance Cover for Frontline Workers

Muhammadu Buhari

Ebere Nwoji

President Muhammad Buhari has commended the insurance sector for supporting the government with free insurance cover for frontline workers.

He gave the commendation recently during his nationwide broadcast .

He said: “In keeping with our government’s promise to improve the welfare of healthcare workers,

we have signed a memorandum of understanding on the provision of hazard allowances and other incentives with key health sector professional associations.

We have also procured insurance cover for 5,000 frontline health workers.

” At this point, I must commend the insurance sector for their support in achieving this within a short period of time”, he added.

Meanwhile, the insurance sector is excited that their effort is being appreciated at the highest level of authority.

The Chairman, Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Mr. Tope Smart said insurance operators were happy that for the first time, their role is being appreciated.

He stated that the recognition would further spur them to do more, insisting that the sector has always played major roles in the economy but that this is the first time they were getting a presidential recognition.
According to him, with this, the insurers look forward to more partnership with the tederal government in developing the country.

The umbrella body of insurance underwriters, the Nigerian Insurers Association(NIA), had few weeks after the outbreak of the Corona virus volunteered to procure testing kits and protective materials for the use of medical personnel fighting against spread of the pandemic COVID-19 in Nigeria .

NIA, also provided life insurance cover for all health personnel and allied professionals attending to victims of COVID-19 in the country.

Smart, said this was part of the association’s support to the on going efforts made by the federal government through the presidential task force , the state governments, Ministry of Health and Nigerian Centre for Disease Control to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

“Our intervention will therefore be in two folds arrangements are on to procure testing kits and protective materials for the use of medical personnel saddled with this responsibility. The materials will be delivered to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(N:c.) in line with our profession as risk managers, NIA, has decided to arrange a special life insurance cover for all health personnel and allied professionals who are attending to victims of COVID-19”, the NIA Chairman said.

Recently, the insurers made good their promise in this regard by paying the premium for life insurance cover worth N11billion for the health workers.

The cover, which is being provided by the Insurance industry comprising all Insurance, Reinsurance and broking companies, will cover Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and other ancillary personnel and volunteers in the frontline of the battle against the Virus.

Under the cover announced by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the industry is providing Life Insurance for a maximum of 5000 frontline health workers engaged by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control across the thirty six (36) states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The sector operators said this is in fulfillment of the pledge made to the federal government by insurance industry leaders as part of the industry’s contribution to the battle against coronavirus disease.