Pakistan introduces world's first cardiac insurance

Pakistani company Jubilee Life Insurance launched the world's first insurance product to treat cardiac diseases for individuals which have been increasing alarmingly in the world including Pakistan but lack of financial resources cost lives of the people.

Humayoon Asghar, Head of Product and Program at Jubilee Life Insurance said the rising health issues of the people mainly painful and costly cardiac diseases in the society compelled our insurance genius to design a product which gives financial cover to individuals in case of heart health issues.

Cardiac insurance is one of its kinds not in Pakistan but across in the world introduced by Jubilee Insurance which is an in-built feature of a live insurance product of minimum Rs 50,000 having addition charges begin from Rs 2,500 depending on the individual age.

Charges variedly increased from age above 35 years because of an obvious increase in the risk of heart diseases but the insurance is provided to 65 years old persons with certain conditions, he added. Patients with severe heart issues are not covered but those with little issues of cholesterol and blood pressure could be given insurance coverage subject to examination of company's doctor. The insurance offer Rs 1 million to our clients for the treatment whenever he is recommended to undergo a heart surgery or procedure. Patients are required to provide doctors advice which will be reviewed by panel of our doctors on fast track basis to issue covered amount.

According to our policy, the company will release the required payment immediately to the clients without deduction of principal amount of their insurance plan but we will never question him about his priority to undergo treatment from a particularly hospital.

The patients, wishing to undergo treatment abroad, will not be questioned by the company. Even, he/ she will not be asked to provide bills afterward neither it will be asked to reimbursed amount to company after treatment. But it is a plus point of product that the remaining amount could be utilized for aftercare purposes, checkups and medicines. He said the insurance product will keep insured savings of the person for this targeted objectives for meeting expenses of family members particularly for children education and marriages.

The number of heart patients is growing alarmingly in Pakistan but the worst situation in the country is a young population aging from 30 years to 40 years is falling prey to cardiac diseases from various reasons with no financial means at all for quality treatment for the health issue which lasts for many ensuing years of their lives.

As per an estimate Pakistani population has one of the highest risks of heart disease in the world with 30 to 40 per cent of all deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases. The deaths due to cardiovascular diseases or coronary heart problem reached about 200,000 per year that is 410/100,000 of the population.

The careless lifestyle with no physical activities and sedentary official work, increasing trend of eating out heavily greasy traditional dishes and fast foods and various mental stress with lack of coping up skills and treatment compounded in individual lives which ultimately multiplies risks of heart diseases in society.