Insurance coverage for maids from Lanka, Bangladesh
Housemaids from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh employed in Oman are now
being covered by insurance schemes.
“Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have started implementing insurance
coverage for their housemaids from this year. Moreover, housemaids from
India and the Philippines are already availing similar insurance schemes
for the past couple of years. However, housemaids from some African
countries like Ethiopia and Tanzania, and Asian country like Nepal, are
yet to get the benefits of any insurance scheme,” a senior employee at a
leading insurance firm said.
According to an official at the labour section of the Bangladesh
embassy in Muscat, a high-level delegation from Dhaka visited Oman this
year and had met ministry officials. “Following those discussions, we
have made insurance coverage mandatory for all Bangladeshi housemaids
from this year.”
The insurance coverage enjoyed by Sri Lankan housemaids can be
claimed only in their home country.
“Our government has made insurance coverage mandatory for all
housemaids who are working abroad. We are now working to make this
insurance coverage available in the country they work in. If this
happens, more than 10,000 Sri Lankan housemaids in Oman will benefit
from it,” a senior official in the Community Welfare Department of the
Sri Lankan embassy said.
“The insurance policy for housemaids costs between RO20 and RO40 for
two years and covers death due to an accident, total permanent
disability due to accident, partial injury, critical illness, medical
expenses due to accident and deportation of mortal remains to the home
country,” the insurance firm official added.
Courtesy: Muscat Daily |