Every day we set off from home for business, job, education, or other purposes. Nobody knows whether we can return home safe or not. Here comes the value of life insurance. Insurance serves like an 'umbrella' which you might not require every day. But you can always have a mental relief that if it starts raining all of a sudden, the umbrella would keep you dry. However, when we hear the term 'insurance', we think about carrying the burden of monthly premium. But not all insurance propositions are burdensome.

Today almost every adult human being uses mobile phone for communication, education, entertainment or many other reasons. What if your dearest mobile phone is offering protection against the risk-burden of life you are carrying all the time? It is a boon for the mass people if the telecommunication service provider companies offer life insurance plans under flexible terms. Now, your mobile phone can be far more than a mere communication device; rather it can be your savior at the moment of dire need.

Several pioneer telecommunications companies of Bangladesh - Grameenphone, Robi, Airtel and Banglalink - are offering beneficial mobile insurance plans for their valuable customers under certain rules. In this article, we would focus upon the key features of the best mobile insurance offers in Bangladesh. Stay with us!

What is Mobile Life Insurance?

The term 'insurance' refers to an arrangement through which a state or entity or company takes the guarantee of providing compensation for the event of death, illness, specified damage or any kind of loss in against of paying a definite premium. In simple words, 'Insurance' provides protection against a probable eventuality with adverse consequences.

'Mobile Life Insurance' is a comparatively new concept, which slightly differs from the traditional kinds of life insurance plans. 'Mobile Life Insurance' is a special kind of Life Insurance program offered by the telecommunication service providing companies. It provides protection against the subscribers' risk-burden of life-loss through cash benefit. And, the monetary compensation is paid at the event of death, or accident, or hospitalization of the registered subscriber.

Unlike general life insurance programs, the mobile life insurance plans don't require their subscribers to deposit premiums. The subscribers are required to follow some procedures like registration to avail these insurance benefits.

To allocate the insurance coverage, the telecommunication companies divide their registered subscribers into several categories depending upon the monthly recharge or daily deduction from their respective mobile accounts. The amount of monetary compensation offered to these categories varies depending upon the respective policy of the Life Insurance provider Telecommunication Company.

Life Insurance Plan 'Nirvoy' by Grameenphone:

Grameenphone (GP), the pioneer telecommunication service provider in Bangladesh has launched a life insurance plan called 'Nirvoy' for their valued subscribers in 2013. Unlike the regular life insurance products, 'Nirvoy' is a free life insurance plan which is availed by the GP customers through recharging a nominal amount to their respective GP SIM numbers.

The goal of 'Nirvoy' life Insurance plan was to bestow an opportunity to the GP subscribers to minimize the risk-burden upon their lives. Under this life insurance product, GP is supposed to provide monetary compensation when any registered customer succumbs to death during his/her covered insurance period.

The above graph represents the slab-wise Life Insurance coverage under 'Nirvoy' plan. The insurance plan starts from the minimum monthly recharge of 150 BDT. A subscriber won't avail any insurance benefit, if s/he recharges below 150 BDT per month.

'Nirvoy' life insurance proposition covers 10000 BDT, for monthly recharging of 150 to 249 BDT. The insurance coverage doubles up to 20,000 BDT for spending at least 250 BDT per month. When monthly recharging amount crosses 350 BDT, a GP customer gets eligible for 30,000 BDT. Moreover, under 'Nirvoy' life insurance coverage, GP offers a lump sum amount of 50,000 BDT for their honorable subscribers who recharge 500 BDT or more per month.

Both the prepaid and post paid subscribers can gain this life insurance coverage. However, the data only GP SIM users and GP employee SIM users are not eligible for these benefits offered by the 'Nirvoy Life Insurance Plan'. To avail this offer, the GP subscribers need to register through mobile phone (via USSD) or visit any nearby GP service point.

During the process of registration you need to agree with the relevant terms and conditions of the 'Nirvoy Life Insurance Plan'. According to the terms and conditions of Nirvoy proposition, you would be required to provide some necessary information including the confirmation of ownership of your GP SIM connection. When you complete the registration process successfully, you are considered as an eligible or covered subscriber for the Nirvoy life insurance coverage.

Life Insurance Offer 'Daktarbari' by Banglalink

Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd Company is another leading telecommunication service provider of the country. Banglalink (BL) has launched a digital health care platform 'Daktarbari' on the 22nd August in 2019. 'Daktarbari' Premium Services include three types of Insurance benefits. Those are:

Hospitalization Cash Coverage Insurance

Accidental Medical Reimbursement Insurance

Life Insurance (Complimentary).

To provide the insurance benefits under 'Daktarbhai' platform, the covered subscribers are divided into five categories on the basis of monthly deduction from their respective BL mobile accounts.

Table 1: 'Daktarbari' Insurance Coverage for Daily Plan.

The above graphical presentation depicts the daily-plan wise insurance coverage provided under 'Daktarbari' service. All slabs are eligible for 'Complementary Life Insurance Coverage' at the flat rate of 10,000 BDT. And, a covered BL customer can gain the insurance benefit for 'Accidental Reimbursement' for maximum four times a year.

Though the first slab D1 (daily deduction of 2 to 8 BDT, excluding Tax) is not eligible for hospitalization cash benefit or accidental reimbursement, these customers would avail the complementary life insurance benefit (10000 BDT) like other slabs.

Under the second slab D2, spending a minimum 20 BDT (excluding Tax) per month, the 'Daktarbari' members can avail monthly 10000 BDT under 'cash coverage for hospitalization'. However, this slab doesn't offer any insurance coverage for Accidents.

The subscribers of D3 would get monthly 15000 BDT for hospitalization cash coverage and monthly 2000 BDT under 'Accidental Medical Reimbursement' for deduction amount of 30 BDT (excluding Tax) per month.

Under D4 slab, the cash coverage for hospitalization and Accidental Medical Reimbursement can reach up to 20000 and 3000 BDT per month respectively, for a minimum monthly deduction of 50 BDT (excluding Tax).

The eligible BL customers with D5 code can avail up to 30,000 BDT for hospitalization cash coverage and maximum 5000 BDT for the Accidental Medical Reimbursement for deduction of 60 to 62 BDT (excluding Tax) per month.

Now How to Avail the Insurance Coverage under 'Daktarbari' Service?

The life insurance coverage under 'Daktarbari' is exclusive to the BL subscribers. The BL subscribers can register this service via 'Daktarbhai' apps or USSD. 'Daktarbari' is a smart Healthcare app that combines the offered life insurance propositions through an easy-to-access platform featuring user-friendly interface. To avail these insurance benefits, the BL customers can choose the daily (2 BDT + Tax), monthly (50 BDT + Tax) or yearly (575 BDT + Tax) charge deduction plan.

Insurance offer 'Myhealth Combo' by Robi

Robi Axiata Ltd is the second largest telecommunication service providing company in Bangladesh. Robi offers life insurance as well as hospitalization cash insurance benefits under their 'Myhealth Combo' service since November 2016.

The insurance coverage won't be same for all registered Robi customers. Complying with the terms of Myhealth Combo plan, the covered subscribers have been categorized into seven slabs on the basis of their chosen monthly deduction plan.

Table 2: Insurance Coverage under Myhealth Combo Plan by Robi

Life Insurance Coverage:

The Life insurance benefits under Myhealth Combo plan fall under monthly policy. The insurance coverage would be provided to the nominee (chosen by the eligible subscriber) at the event of the covered subscriber's death caused by any reason, like natural or accidental. However, exclusion might be applied by the company.

The graph reveals the life insurance coverage under Myhealth Combo offer depending upon monthly deduction from the Robi subscriber's account. Though all service plans are eligible for life insurance benefit, the amount of coverage varies on the basis of monthly deduction charge.

According to service plan type 1, for monthly deduction of 2 to 8 BDT (excluding VAT, SC, SD) a Robi subscriber (covered) can get 5000 BDT under this life insurance coverage.

The covered life insurance benefit amount would be double for deduction of 10 to 18 BDT (Excluding VAT, SC, SD) per month under service plan type 2. In the same way, the insurance-coverage enhances with the gradual increase of monthly deduction amounts. The Robi subscribers can avail up to 60000 BDT at maximum depending upon their chosen service plan - based on monthly deduction.

Hospital Cash Insurance Coverage:

'Hospital Cash Insurance' offer under 'Myhealth Combo' service is a monthly policy. Unlike 'life insurance coverage' the hospital cash insurance is not available to all Robi subscribers. It is availed by the eligible Robi customers who have subscribed for service plan type 5 to 7 (see table 2).

According to service plan type 5, the hospitalization insurance coverage starts from 250 BDT per day for monthly deduction of 40 to 48 BDT (excluding VAT, SC, and SD). The service plan type 6 offers 500 BDT per day for deduction of 50 to 58 BDT (excluding VAT, SC, and SD) per month. The covered subscribers can avail 1000 BDT per day at maximum for per month under service plan type 7, when the monthly deducted amount crosses 60 BDT (Excluding VAT, SC, and SD).

Note: This Hospital Cash insurance coverage starts from the first day of hospitalization. If a subscriber is hospitalized for 7 days, s/he would be paid for 7 days. Hospital Cash insurance coverage is provided for maximum 20 days a year. Under this umbrella, a covered Robi customer can get up to BDT 20000 BDT per year (maximum 1000 BDT per day).

How to Avail the Insurance Coverage under Myhealth Combo Plan?

The Insurance Coverage under Myhealth Combo plan is available for both the pre-paid and post-paid subscribers of Robi. The Robi subscribers can register this service through USSD. After confirmation, the subscriber's Robi account will undergo the deduction 2.0 BDT (+VAT, SC and SD) as daily service fee. Thus the system will continue the deduction for 30 days each month on a regular basis until the service gets un-subscribed by either the customer or the system.

Life Insurance Coverage under 'Myhealth Combo' Offer by Airtel

Airtel Bangladesh Limited has recently merged their operation with Robi Axiata Ltd. Their Digital health platform 'Myhealth Combo' plan is quite similar to the health service plan offered by Robi in the same name.

The subscribed Airtel customers are divided into five categories under 'Myhealth Combo' offered by Airtel. Not all subscribers are eligible for insurance benefits.

Table 3: Insurance Coverage under Myhealth Combo Plan

Life insurance coverage starts from category 2, for minimum monthly deduction of 30 to 38 BDT (excluding VAT, SC, and SD). Monetary compensation for life insurance is provided at a flat rate of 5000 BDT at the event of covered subscriber's death for any reason (like accidental or natural). Life insurance is applicable for the eligible Airtel subscribers who have registered under category 2 to 5.

The 'Hospital Cash Coverage' benefits are quite similar to the hospitalization monetary compensation offered by Robi's 'Myhealth Combo' plan. The last three slabs (category 3 to 5) are eligible for hospitalization cash insurance. A covered Airtel customer can avail maximum 1000 BDT for monthly deduction of 60 BDT (excluding VAT, SC, and SD).

The monthly deduction policies are also similar to the propositions of 'Myhealth Combo' plan offered by Robi. Same as 'Robi', the 'Airtel' Subscribers can register for the mobile insurance under 'Myhealth Combo' plan via USSD.

Bottom Line:

Mobile Life Insurance offers protection to the "insured" subscriber and his/her family by paying a monetary compensation at the event of loss of life. Some mobile insurance plans include accidental reimbursements and hospitalization cash benefit. These benevolent offers can bestow support to many people in their rainy days.

Grameenphone (GP) has brought 'Nirvoy' life insurance plan for their trusted customers. Under this plan monetary compensation is provided at the event of the covered subscriber's death. Spending minimum 150 BDT (excluding Tax) per month, a covered subscriber can get life insurance benefit of 10000 BDT. An eligible GP subscriber can get utmost 50,000 BDT for monthly recharge of 500+ (excluding Tax) BDT.

Banglalink (BL) provides mobile insurance benefit under their digital health platform 'Daktarbari'. These insurance benefits include coverage for hospitalization, accident, and death. Here all the covered customers are divided into 5 codes on the basis of daily deduction amounts. The deduction starts from 2 BDT (excluding Tax) per day. Here all slabs are applicable for complimentary life insurance benefit of 10,000 BDT. The eligible subscribers can avail up to 30,000 BDT for hospital cash coverage and maximum 5000 BDT for accidental reimbursement.

The Robi subscribers can enjoy mobile insurance under the 'Myhealth Combo' service offered by the company. Robi offers insurance benefits for occasions of hospitalization and death. Under this proposition, all eligible Robi customers are divided into 7 types of service plans. All of these service plans enjoy life insurance benefits at varied amounts. On the highest end, a covered Robi customer can get 60,000 BDT for life insurance and BDT 20000 BDT for hospital cash coverage per year.

Airtel provides mobile insurance offer under 'Myhealth Combo' service. Under this plan, Airtel categorizes their covered customers into 5 slabs. The life insurance benefit is availed by category 2 (for minimum monthly deduction of 30 BDT, excluding Tax) to category 5 at the flat rate of 5000 BDT. The 'hospital cash benefit' offer is almost analogous to the propositions of Robi's Myhealth Combo service.

So far we have discussed several mobile insurance propositions offered by the major telecommunication service providers in Bangladesh. Further information is available on the respective websites and service points of each telecommunication company. However, the telecommunication service providers hold the authority to change their mobile insurance plans at any time.