Helping those who have helped us most during the pandemic and protecting those who continue to protect us on the front line. In our awareness of the tremendous debt that society owes to healthcare professionals, the insurance sector has joined forces to match their commitment by creating a solidarity fund aimed at caring for personnel in this sector .
The biggest-ever group policy
This is the biggest group policy in the history of insurance in Spain: 38 million euros, contributed to by 109 insurers, which will give coverage to more than one million healthcare professionals . This policy – which is free for all of them – includes life insurance, which covers death caused directly by COVID-19 of the personnel who provide their services in health centers, nursing homes and residences for people with disabilities. The insurance also includes a subsidy for health workers who have had to be hospitalized as a result of this disease.
Retroactive
The announcement of this protection was launched last spring and is notable for its retroactive nature: the start date of the coverage was taken as March 14, the day the state of emergency was declared. It was established that the insurance would be valid for six months, thus expiring on September 13. However, when the insurance industry observed an increase in coronavirus infections around that time, it decided to extend the term of the policy to October 31.
Endorsing the commitment
According to UNESPA, “it was foreseeable that, with the end of vacations and the resumption of work and school activity, cases would increase. This represents an increased risk of infection to people working in health centers and residences. In this context, the insurance industry wishes to endorse its commitment to these professionals by extending the validity of the life insurance and hospitalization subsidy that has been arranged for them “.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, the number of health professionals testing positive for COVID-19 amounted to 63,149 as of September 30. Up to June 5 this year, the Ministry had recorded 63 deaths among health professionals. It is estimated that of every 100 people infected by coronavirus, eight are working in the health sector . Some 56 percent of these professionals were infected in hospitals and primary care centers.
Health professionals interested in getting more information about this policy should go to https://www.unespa.es/que-hacemos/coronavirus/profesionales-cubiertas/
