Tanzania insurers now launch travel cover

Tira Commissioner of Insurance, Dr Baghayo Saqware

What you need to know:

  • Tira Commissioner of Insurance, Dr Baghayo Saqware, said yesterday the Sh200 insurance voucher was designed mainly to help passengers and their families in case of a mishap.

ar es Salaam. Bus passengers travelling to different parts of the country can now pay as little as Sh200 in a new tailor-made insurance package against calamities that could befall them on their journey.

The Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (Tira) has partnered with various insurance firms, including Bima Time and Jubilee Insurance, to introduce the special travel insurance vouchers for bus travellers.

Tira Commissioner of Insurance, Dr Baghayo Saqware, said yesterday the Sh200 insurance voucher was designed mainly to help passengers and their families in case of a mishap.

“Different insurance agencies, in cooperation with Tira, are now involved in capacity-building for passengers about the importance of insurance and how to identify insured motorised vessels,” he said while inspecting upcountry buses at the Ubungo Bus Terminal.

“The job that we are doing today is also being done in Dodoma, Mbeya, Mwanza, Arusha and Unguja.”

To buy the insurance package, passengers do not necessarily have to physically visit Tira offices, but can buy a voucher insurance, whose number would be entered in their cell phones for automatic registration.

Clarifying, Bima Time agent Lazaro Lukumay said the bima voucher had been of three insurance categories including those that cost Sh200; 15,000 and 25,000.

Mr Lukumay clarified that the Sh200 voucher insurance would be valid for three days that is, if a passenger died, Sh1 million insurance would be paid for the deceased and that if a passenger was involved in an accident and suffered permanent deformity, that passenger would be paid 25 per cent of the money, which is Sh 250,000.

“The Sh15,000 bima voucher is valid for six months, and if it happens the passenger with the bima voucher dies, his/her family will be paid Sh2.5 million. And if that passenger got a permanent deformity, s/he will be paid Sh625, 000,” Lukumay clarified.

On the Sh25,000 bima voucher, Lukumay said that if a passenger with that insurance died, his/her family would be paid Sh3 million and if that passenger suffered permanent deformity, s/he would be paid Sh750,000.