How Can We Provide Insurance Coverage for Employees in Areas Without ESI? Seeking Advice on Mediclaim Policies and Their Benefits

Dear All,

I am working in an upcoming manufacturing industry. Presently, we are in the construction phase. The area where this industry is located is not covered under ESI. Presently, we do not have any provision for providing insurance coverage to the employees. Please suggest to me what kind of insurance coverage we can provide to our employees as a welfare measure and what the financial implications would be for providing such coverage.

Also, please share your views about mediclaim policies, how these policies work, and how employees could benefit from these policies.

Dear Vijay Shankar,

If your unit is not covered under the ESI Act, then the Workmen's Compensation Act is applicable to your unit. You can opt for an unnamed insurance policy under the Workmen's Compensation Act. In this policy, you have to provide the maximum number of workmen to be employed and their wages to the insurance company for coverage.

Dear Vijay Shankar,

You should consider an unnamed insurance policy to cover workman's compensation and also a personal accident insurance policy. The personal accident insurance policy can be taken in an individual's name. This will take care of hospital expenses.

Regards,
Venkatachalapathi

Dear All,

I am working in an upcoming industry where we are not covered under ESI, and there is also no provision for providing any insurance or health cover to the employees. In case of a mishap (death or severe injury to any employee working at the worksite), what should be our course of action as HR, and what should be done to provide immediate relief to the family of the deceased? PLEASE GUIDE ME, IT'S URGENT.

Regards,

Dear Vijay,

ESI cannot be made applicable in the construction phase. Please take a mediclaim from Oriental Insurance. Nowadays, many companies have entered this field from the private sector, such as Tata AIG and ICICI.

Thanks & Regards,
J S Malik

Dear Malik,

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. I will certainly go for that. I have one doubt: will the cost of the premium be deducted from the employees' salaries, or should it be covered by the employer? Please advise.

Regards,

It depends upon your management's policy. By the way, the premium is not a very huge amount.

Under the Compensation Act, it is the duty of the Principal Employer to provide insurance coverage.