FORTUNE General Insurance Corp. (FGen) has launched an insurance plan against mosquito-borne diseases to help Filipinos cope with the financial risks that come with the illness.
According to FGen President and COO Michael F. Rellosa, the company’s plan, called “Mosquitronella”, will help the financial capacity of families to cope with sudden illnesses, like dengue, zika and chikungunya.
“This is the first product of its kind in the country that addresses the three diseases. The Philippines is a tropical country where mosquitoes thrive,” Rellosa said. “Thus, products like Mosquitronella are necessary to help our countrymen face the serious health issue of mosquito-borne diseases.”
Mosquitronella is a no-confinement-needed annual insurance plan. Rellosa said the insurance plan is meant as a last-mile protection to lessen the financial impact on the family of a dengue, zika or chikungunya infection. It provides a lump sum payoff of P10,000 upon diagnosis by a doctor that the fever, chills and body pains suffered by a patient are due to any of the three diseases.
“The best part of this product is that payoff will be received even if the insured is not confined. Most dengue cases do not need confinement and can be treated at home,” he added. “We just need a confirmation that the patient was stricken with either dengue, zika or chikungunya and we will release the money.”
Mosquitronella is valid for one year and is available for a onetime payment of P350, according to Rellosa. Persons with ages ranging from zero to 70 years old can be insured by the product. The product targets middle-income parents.
According to data from the Department of Health (DOH), those affected mostly by mosquito-borne diseases are children and young adults up to 20 years old.
DOH data shows the Philippines has been considered a hot spot when it comes to dengue, with more than 200,000 cases, including 1,000 deaths in 2016. There have been reported chikungunya outbreaks in certain areas like Maasin town in Southern Leyte and Indang town in Cavite affecting more than 1,000 people. And some 57 cases of Zika infection have been confirmed as of February, DOH data revealed.