The finance ministry on Saturday directed public sector insurance companies, including the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), to expedite the disbursement of claim amounts to landslide victims and their families in Kerala’s Wayanad and other affected districts.
Insurance companies are actively reaching out to policyholders via local newspapers, social media, company websites, and SMS to provide contact details for assistance in Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Thrissur, where numerous claims have been reported. This initiative aims to ensure prompt support and communication, as confirmed by the finance ministry in a post on X.
“In light of the unfortunate landslide incident and heavy rains in Kerala, the government has mandated the Public Sector Insurance companies (PSICs), including LIC, National Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance, and United India Insurance, to extend all possible support to the victims of the calamity so that the insurance claims can be expeditiously processed and paid,” the ministry stated.
The LIC has been specifically instructed to swiftly disburse claim amounts to policyholders under the PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. The ministry further said, “The documentation required for processing of claims has been relaxed comprehensively to ensure speedy dispersal of the claim amount.”
The General Insurance Council will coordinate with insurance companies to ensure claims are processed and paid promptly. Additionally, the council will host a portal for insurers to report claim statuses daily.
As rescue operations in the landslide-hit areas of the district entered fifth day, rescuers unearthed more bodies and body parts, taking the death toll to 215, with around 206 people still reported missing, PTI reported.
(With inputs from agencies)