Several major Chinese insurance companies confirmed Thursday that
they would cover the medical expenses of the SARS patients who
purchased health and life insurance before falling ill.
A
source from Ping An Life Insurance Company, a Shenzhen-based
insurance company, told Xinhua that the severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) is now officially considered an infectious disease
and that insurance companies will be required by the China
Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) to pay compensation to SARS
patients according to the terms of their respective health and life
policies.
The source said the company's Beijing branch had notified the
family of a woman who died of SARS on April 14 that the life
insurance policy claim would be processed on Tuesday. It is
believed to be the first insurance compensation case in Beijing,
the source said.
An
official from the compensation department of the Pacific Insurance
Company said its health and life insurance policies also apply to
SARS patients. The company pledges to pay life insurance claims in
the event of SARS-related deaths, and the company will also pay for
SARS clients' medical coverage.
A
CIRC official told Xinhua that insurance companies in Beijing,
Shanghai and Shenzhen are busy processing compensation payments for
those infected with SARS, adding that she believes there will be
more SARS compensation cases throughout the country.
(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2003)
