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