Assam: SOP for zero-premium insurance to government employees issued in state

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The state government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for its regular and permanent employees regarding zero-premium insurance coverage.

The SOP provides guidance for all regular and permanent employees of the Government of Assam regarding benefits and processes associated with salary package accounts offered under MoUs signed with scheduled commercial banks.

The SOP mentions the key features of salary package accounts for regular and permanent employees regarding insurance coverage, including Term Life Insurance for a minimum of Rs 10 lakh; Personal Accidental Insurance, entailing a minimum of Rs 1 crore in case of death, up to Rs 1 crore in case of Permanent Total Disability, up to Rs 80 lakh for Permanent Partial Disability; and provision of Air Accidental Insurance for a minimum of Rs 2 crore.

There is also a provision for health insurance, which will be available for state government employees and their family members based on a discounted premium, to be borne by the employee concerned.

Regarding account management, the SOP states that in case of a new account, the employee should open a salary package account during induction or upon receiving the employee or service number. In the case of an existing account, the employee has to verify that their existing account is categorized as a salary account of the empanelled bank.

As for claim procedures, it is stated that employees or their nominees or legal heirs can file claims under different types of insurance based on the circumstances.

Term Life Insurance covers the employee in the event of natural death, including death due to illness and accidental death. To file a claim, the nominee or legal heir has to submit the death certificate, ID proof, and bank account details and any other documentation as required to the insurance company or submit the claim to the employee's home branch.

In the case of Personal Accidental Insurance, in the event of death caused by an accident, the nominee or legal heir of the employee has to submit an accident report (FIR) and medical documents and account information for settlement.

In the case of Permanent Total Disability Insurance, which is applicable if the employee's disability (e.g., loss of both limbs), is caused by an accident. The claim process is the same as for accidental death insurance.

For Permanent Partial Disability Insurance, for employees who suffer a permanent partial disability (e.g., loss of one limb) due to an accident, the claim process is the same as for accidental death insurance.

In terms of Air Accidental Insurance, applicable for employees who lose their lives due to an air accident, to file a claim, the nominee or legal heir has to submit the air ticket, death certificate, and other supporting documents to the insurance provider or home bank branch.

Regarding employee discretion and bank comparison, banks have the freedom to enhance the current benefits they offer. On the other hand, the employee will be able to review insurance coverage, health insurance discounts, and any other facilities provided and choose the bank based on the best offers and services suited to his or her requirements.

In order to provide zero-cost insurance coverage, the Finance department has already signed MoUs with the State Bank of India and Union Bank of India on January 1, 2025. Moreover, the department is in the process of signing similar MoUs with other scheduled commercial banks as well.

 Also Read: Assam Government Launches Zero-Premium Health Insurance Scheme for State Employees

Also Watch: