New domestic worker insurance plan launched in U.A.E

The Ministry of Interior launched on Tuesday a new initiative — an insurance rights document for domestic workers — in a joint press conference by the Ministry of Interior and AXA Green Crescent, the initiative’s strategic partner.

This move comes in line with the announcement by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of 2017 being the year of giving.

The initiative aims at supporting individuals and private sector companies sponsoring domestic workers to promote social responsibility, perform their roles in serving the country and contribute to the development of the country.

An official source in AXA Green Crescent told Gulf News that this document is completely different from the health insurance policy imposed by the residency laws and regulations for domestic workers and only covers matters not related to those covered by the health insurance, such as covering expenses of transporting bodies of deceased domestic workers or sponsored individuals to his or her home country or covering travel expenses of domestic workers who are not medically fit or those who do not fulfil medical tests prior to issuing of residency, or covering costs of domestic workers who flee or run away from their sponsors.

Brigadier Dr Rashid Sultan Al Khadr, spokesman for Naturalisation and Residency Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, said “that the ministry has partnered with AXA Green Crescent to design and provide the necessary service for residents in the United Arab Emirates, after screening and selection process, aimed at determining the implementation of the initiative in line with the ministry’s strategy in strengthening and enhancing their plans to please customers.Brig Al Khadr added that the document on ensuring domestic workers’ rights is not mandatory for UAE nationals and residents sponsoring individuals or domestic workers.

The annual premium of the insurance policy for domestic workers starts from Dh100 and covers three cases of running away, failing to pass medical tests upon issuing of residency and covering travel and transport expenses if the domestic worker dies.

The company will act on behalf of the sponsor and finish all the necessary procedures and will pay Dh5,000 to the sponsor if the domestic worker dies or is medically unfit and will cover the travel expenses if the domestic worker flees from the sponsor.

The insurance policy covers maids, drivers and domestic workers sponsored by citizens and residents aged between 18 and 64.

The insurance holder can pay an additional Dh100 for additional benefits of optional compensation for domestic workers, and based on that additional benefit in case of the death of a domestic worker, the company will pay Dh50,000 to the respective individuals during the insurance period.

AXA Green Crescent expects 10 per cent of domestic workers sponsored by citizens and residents to enrol in the insurance policy.