A leading Nigerian life insurer and a member of the SANLAM Group, FBNInsurance partnered with Collinson, a global travel insurer, to launch SmartHealth International, a market-specific international health insurance product for severe medical conditions.
The partnership between the two firms aims to bridge the health insurance gap between the national and the international health insurance products present in the Nigerian market. The idea is to deliver affordable health insurance products for Nigerian employers who want to protect and give their staff members’ tranquillity.
The Head of Insurance at Collinson, Lawrence Watts, said, “at a critical time as the moment, when the demands of even the best of healthcare systems globally are under pressure, it is crucial to provide healthcare alternatives to consumers, particularly in markets where we have identified a gap between domestic and international cover.”
According to a statement, NAICOM approved SmartHealth International was carefully designed to support the local healthcare cover by providing coverage for necessary treatments abroad if a staff or family member developed a serious medical illness that could not be adequately handled in Nigeria.
“FBNInsurance, a leader in life insurance in the country, offers products that help customers enjoy the peace of mind resulted from managing the risks of everyday life, and the introduction of a health insurance proposition complements its portfolio strategy,” the statement also said.
Geographically located at strategic places across the nation, FBNInsurance will market SmartHealth International across Nigeria while partnering with Collinson to leverage its in-house international insurance and expertise to provide global access to certified medical personnel of Collinson.
The MD/CEO of FBNInsurance, Val Ojumah, said, “One of our major goals at FBNInsurance is to assist people, businesses and communities get back on their feet when the unexpected happens, and it has never been more important than now to offer our customers more choice and peace of mind when it comes to their healthcare.”
The medical health hub is a solution to treatments of complicated and severe health conditions. The proposition has been carefully created to provide medical supports for critical complex medical events, including cancer and those requiring orthopaedic and neurosurgery. More so, sustained accident injuries such as critical trauma can also be taken care of.
Above mentioned medical conditions are the reasons why Nigerians are travelling abroad. They go outside the country to seek such medical care.
Each of the medical cases will be assessed and managed individually while working in sync with the attending doctors in collaboration with Collinson’s international medical expert’s team. Based on the cover purchased level, eligible policyholders will be flown to South Africa, India or the UK. They can also be taken North African countries, where Arabic speaking is needed.
