The insurance plan, which covers people aged 18 to 70, will require employers to pay between Dh37 and Dh72 per year for each worker.
The UAE has introduced a new insurance plan for Indian workers, guaranteeing compensation of up to Dh75,000 for their families in the event of the worker's death, whether caused by accidents or natural reasons. Known as the Life Protection Plan (LPP), this scheme became effective on March 1, as announced by the Indian Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday.
The LPP was created to address a gap in employment benefits for the 2.27 million blue-collar workers in the UAE, according to the consulate.
Although some companies offer insurance for work-related accidents and deaths, there's no required coverage for when employees pass away naturally. This leaves many families without money for bringing their loved ones home if they die. To fix this, the Indian Consulate helped arrange a meeting between big UAE companies hiring blue-collar workers and two insurance companies.
The insurance plan costs between Dh37 and Dh72 each year for people aged 18 to 70. If a worker passes away from an accident or natural causes, their beneficiaries can receive compensation from Dh35,000 to Dh75,000, depending on the premium chosen. Additionally, the plan covers Dh12,000 for bringing back the worker's body to their home country. Two insurance companies created this package for blue-collar workers, and then the details were discussed with the recruitment companies.
Here's an overview of the policy:
- For the policy with Dh72 annual premium, the compensation is Dh75,000
- For Dh50 per year, it's Dh50,000
- For Dh37, it's Dh35,000
1,000 worker deaths in 2023
In 2023, there were around 1,000 worker deaths out of a total of 1,513 deaths recorded, according to the Indian Consulate. About 3.5 million Indians live in the UAE, with approximately 65 percent being blue-collar workers. Consul-General Satish Sivan emphasized the importance of the welfare of the Indian community and encouraged companies to consider subscribing to the Life Protection Plan (LPP) to provide financial benefits to the families of deceased workers.
News Source: Khaleej Times
