Sindh to launch travel insurance facility, says minister

Like elsewhere in the world, the travel insurance facility will be launched in Sindh to provide insurance cover to passengers, drivers and transporters after appropriate legislation, said Sindh Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Syed Owais Qadir Shah.

He said this while in his address to the participants of a travel insurance awareness programme organised by the PES Technologies at a hotel.

The minister said no insurance cover was available at the moment to compensate the road accident-affected passengers, drivers or transporters, which, he said, was the need of the hour.

We witnessed many deadly accidents in the past but no system was in place to provide financial assistance to the affected parties and individuals of the road accidents, he added.

Speaking about the background of the proposed travel insurance program, he termed the programme an excellent one to facilitate the affected quarters. He advised the transporters ti cooperate with the PES Technologies to ensure implementation of the travel insurance programme.

Speaking on the occasion, Transport Secretary Shariq Ahmed appreciated the PES Technologies for the proposed travel insurance programme and said this was a new initiative through which an excellent facility would be available by paying a tiny premium of Rs10 and Rs20.

He said the utiliation of e-solution in the proposed travel insurance programme was an excellent step.

In his welcome address, CEO PES Technologies Zeeshan Khan Niazi briefed the participants about the salient features of the programme.

He said a premium of Rs10 and Rs20 would be paid by the passengers of inter-city, in addition to the charges of their tickets to avail this facility, and in case of any accidental loss, the insurance amount would be paid within two days. The staffers of the buses like drivers, cleaners and bus hostesses would be provided free of cost life-time travel insurance cover, he said.

An amount of Rs500,000 would be paid in case of death of the passenger while an equal amount would be paid in case of loss of one or both legs or one or both eyes, he noted.

He said that the e-ticketing system would be used in the travel insurance programme and free installation and necessary equipment, technical support, internet facilities woulld be provided by the PES Technologies at its facilitation centres.

Niazi said the staffers of the PES Technologies would also create awareness among the passengers at the terminals. Presenting the vote of thanks, Managing Director PES Technologies Wasif Ayub briefed the gathering about the technical features of the software of the proposed travel insurance programme.

A large number of transporters and representatives of transporters’ organisations were also present on the occasion.