Airtel Payments Bank ties with HDFC Ergo, launches mosquito protection policy

Mumbai: Airtel Payments Bank, India's first Payments Bank, and HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India's leading private sector general insurance company, under the corporate agency tie-up launched an innovative Mosquito Diseases Protection Policy (MDPP) as a part of their objective to drive insurance adoption in the country through affordable and easily accessible products. The partnership aims to bring together the deep distribution network of Airtel Payments Bank and the strong innovation pipeline of HDFC ERGO to contribute to financial inclusion in the country.

Mosquito Disease Protection Policy offers cover against seven common mosquito-borne diseases - Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) and Zika virus. The product, which is a part of the 'Wallet Insurance Portfolio' of HDFC ERGO, will be offered to the remittance customers of Airtel Payments Bank at a nominal cost of Rs 99 per annum.

Designed after extensive consumer research, the policy is currently available to the over 4 million remittance customers of Airtel Payments Bank. This segment of customers mostly comprises of migrant workers, who usually are the lone breadwinners of the family, and even a single day's pay or wage loss impacts them in a big way. The policy offers financial security for loss of pay or loss of savings in case of hospitalisation due to any of the above mentioned diseases. This pocket friendly product stands apart in the industry by being the only policy offering the sum assured benefit to the insured even if he/she is hospitalised for 24 hours for treatment.

Anubrata Biswas, MD and CEO, Airtel Payments Bank said, "We are delighted to offer an affordable innovative insurance product, customizing it to the end customer's requirements. Through this product construct we aim to introduce easy and sachet size paperless insurance solutions to millions of customers spread across the nation. This association is an important step in our journey towards building a comprehensive product portfolio customized to each segment for a financially inclusive society."

Commenting on the partnership with Airtel Payments Bank, Anuj Tyagi, Executive Director & Chief Business Officer, HDFC ERGO General Insurance said, "HDFC ERGO is committed to bring innovative and relevant products to the insurance buyers. Our PING group (Providing Insurance for Next Generation) has been developing products under the umbrella of 'Wallet Products Portfolio'. In our assessment, wallet products will change the way customer perceive or buying insurance products. These are low ticket, extremely relevant products which provide ease of buying, simplicity of coverages and simplest claim procedures, thereby providing maximum value to the insured. In our opinion, these products would also prove to be very efficient in creating awareness about the insurance products, since these are simple and insured can connect with these products, immediately.

Source: Business Fortnight