Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli-backed Digit Insurance launches policy for coronavirus cover
This insurance policy for coronavirus has been built under Digit Insurance's 'Digit Health Care Plus', and filed under IRDAI’s Sandbox Regulations.
Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli-backed insurtech startup Insurance has launched an insurance product that will cushion an individual against the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Digit's need-based insurance cover has been built under its health insurance product 'Digit Health Care Plus' and filed under IRDAI’s Sandbox Regulations that encourages insurers to launch and test innovative product offerings for the Indian consumers, the Bengaluru-based startup said in a statement.
As per the Sandbox Regulations, this product is valid only for a period of six months ie., from February 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020, Digit stated. The premium starts with Rs 299.
The product covers ongoing treatment and quarantine cases.
If the test for coronavirus is found positive for COVID-19 from any of the authorised centers of ICMR – National Institute of Virology, Pune, Digit gives 100 percent of the claim amount. The patient need not wait for the completion of treatment.
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Digit stated that it in the case of quarantine cases, if it has been advised in a government or army/military hospital, it will provide 50 percent of the claim amount for a consecutive period of 14 days. This is applicable even if a person's tests are later negative as it covers the screening and treatment costs.
One can choose a coverage of up to Rs 2 lakh or as little as Rs 25,000.
The one-year-long cover is applicable for Indian residents below 75 years only, and has an initial waiting period of 15 days.
With more than 1,600 recorded deaths, the number of fatalities from coronavirus has surpassed the toll of the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak, which originated in China. The outbreak now constitutes a global health emergency, the WHO said on January 30, 2020.
Kamesh Goyal, Chairman, Digit Insurance, said:
“It is unfortunate to contract an infection for which treatments are still in the trial phases. In such a time, we saw this cover to be the need of the hour. We understand that at such a devastating time, customers wouldn’t want to be stuck doing paperwork and running around to raise money to pay for the multiple screening and treatment tests. Therefore, we are offering this as a flat benefit cushion cover, for both positive and quarantined cases. While for positive cases we pay 100 percent, 50 percent of sum insured is paid for quarantined cases so that even in the smallest way possible, it compensates for the loss of income during this period.”
For being eligible for this policy, the insured should not have been in contact with someone with a suspected history of coronavirus till the policy ends.
The insured or their immediate family members should not have traveled to China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, Iran, Behrain, Kuwait, Taiwan since December 1, 2019.
(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)