Vaccine: SBI General Insurance to cover cost for low-income beneficiaries in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh

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New Delhi: SBI General Insurance has said it will cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccination for sections of low-income groups in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as part of its CSR activity.

Through this programme, SBI General will cover the cost of two shots of COVID-19 vaccination for low-income groups in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, it said.

This initiative will provide free COVID-19 vaccination to more than 37,000 beneficiaries, covering senior citizens and people with co-morbidities in select locations.

The locations include Usmanabad, Raigad, Palghar, Jalgoan, Latur, Ahmednagar, subdistrict of Yavatmal and Chandrapur, outskirts of Mumbai, outskirts of Pune, outskirts of Nagpur, in Maharashtra and Amaravati (Vijayawada belt) in Andhra Pradesh, it said.

“In our small way, we are trying to support government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive by reaching out to the underprivileged section of society and provide them with two shots of free vaccinations at private hospitals. This is also aimed to accelerate the vaccination drive to the needy population as soon as possible, which shall further help in restraining the spread of coronavirus,” said PC Kandpal, MD & CEO, SBI General Insurance.

Insurance sector regulator Irdai had earlier this month asked insurers to play an active role in sensitising the policyholders about the vaccination drive as well as help them in this matter.

Sanjay Datta, Chief – Underwriting & Claims, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, said the company is sensitising customers by sending them messages about vaccination.

“We are communicating to everybody by sending them messages and running campaigns on social media and other open platforms. We are telling them which are the places from where they can get the shots. We want to encourage them to get vaccinated,” Datta said.

Bajaj Allianz Life’s Chief-Operations and Customer Experience, Kayzad Hiramanek said: “We have been engaging with our customers throughout the outbreak of this pandemic to be cautious, and keep themselves safe. Several ongoing communications on our website, social media handles as well as emails, amongst other modes, are being made.

“We will continue to leverage these platforms to also inform them about the vaccination and getting themselves and their family members vaccinated on time.”