United Church launches insurance scheme

THE United Church and Life Insurance Corporation (PNG) Limited (LICL) launched a micro-life insurance scheme pilot project in Port Moresby yesterday.
“United Life Insurance Plan, a micro-life insurance scheme, is primarily for members of the United Church,” said LICL adviser Raka Taviri. He said the project is aiming at acquiring 5000 members in Port Moresby and Hela.
“We hope that by 31 December 2019, after two pilot projects in NCD and Hela in the next eight months, with the cooperation and participation of the partners, we will get 5000 applications,” Taviri said. United Church moderator Rev Bernard Siai said the scheme was a new concept for the church.
“I can safely say that modern insurance is a new thing for the church and its members and today is a very significant day for the church and its members. Through this micro-insurance project, as a church we want to encourage and engage our people to support the social and spiritual service by signing up after the launch of this project.”
The project is supported financially by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) through the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP).
UNCDF/PFIP specialist Jagdeep Dahiya said the project would try to achieve three things.
“We want to try and develop a dedicated product which will have multiple features such a life, funeral and hospitalisation claims,” he said.
“We also want to work on the process and make it easy and simple so that people don’t spend too much time to get to the products and services. That is where the United Church will come in and be the front-hand and deal with the people. And the third thing is not to restrict ourselves on insurance but to provide other services as well.”