Star Health and Allied Insurance Co Ltd has launched an insurance policy in Braille. The ‘Special Care Gold’ policy, available in standard print and Braille formats, offers comprehensive health coverage to individuals with 40 per cent or more disability. The visually impaired population is estimated at 34 million in India.
The shares of Star Health and Allied Insurance Co Ltd were trading at ₹631.65, down by ₹6.10 or 0.96 per cent, on the NSE at 3 pm.
The Braille version, produced in collaboration with the National Association of the Blind (NAB), allows visually impaired customers to independently review and understand their policy terms. Alongside the policy launch, Star Health announced a diversity drive to train and employ visually impaired individuals as health insurance agents.
Anand Roy, MD and CEO of Star Health Insurance, said, “We are pleased to announce the launch of ‘Special Care Gold’ policy in Braille. This is a significant milestone in our mission to deliver equitable access to health insurance across all segments of society. This policy transcends traditional insurance, embodying our commitment to ensuring that individuals with disabilities receive the comprehensive support and coverage they need. We aim to build a more inclusive insurance sector — and specifically the 34 million individuals in India that are visually impaired. Aligned with IRDAI’s ‘Insurance for All’ vision, we are dedicated to ensuring democratisation of not just quality health insurance but also extend to enabling financial inclusivity by creating sustainable income generation opportunities for this unserved and marginalised section of society.”
Srikanth Bolla, CEO of Bollant Industries who is visually impaired, endorsed the initiative and became a licensed health insurance agent with Star Health. He said, “As someone who has experienced the challenges faced by individuals with special abilities, I applaud Star Health Insurance for this industry first, inclusive initiative. Special Care Gold is not just an insurance policy in Braille, it is also a message of empowerment and equal opportunity. It acknowledges that people with special abilities have the same right to health protection as anyone else, and that’s a significant stride towards true inclusivity in our society.”
Star Health reported a gross written premium of Rs 15,254 Cr in FY24 and aims to align with IRDAI’s “Insurance for All” vision through this initiative.
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Published on September 4, 2024
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/stock-markets/star-health-launches-insurance-policy-in-braille/article68604648.ece
