A comprehensive life insurance scheme designed to support Indian blue-collar workers in the UAE has been expanded. Initially launched by the Indian Consulate, the Group Life Protection Insurance plan has now gained the backing of Dubai National Insurance and Nexus Insurance Brokers.

The plan offers life insurance, disability benefits, and repatriation services, ensuring financial security for workers’ families in case of death or disability, whether in the UAE or abroad. The Indian Consulate is urging companies with large labor forces to consider enrolling their employees in the scheme.

Essential Coverage for Workers

Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India in Dubai, emphasized the critical need for this initiative, particularly for families that lose their sole breadwinner.

“This provides crucial financial support to families of workers who pass away due to natural causes, whether in the UAE or elsewhere,” he said. “It also covers full and partial disabilities and includes repatriation of mortal remains—an essential service for grieving families.”

The policy, available for full-time Indian employees aged 18 to 69, requires a minimum of 10 workers for group coverage. For an annual fee of just Dh32, it offers death and disability coverage up to Dh35,000, with an additional Dh12,000 for repatriation costs.

Bridging the Insurance Gap

The Indian Consulate introduced this plan to fill a critical gap in worker protection. While most companies provide health and work-related insurance, there is no mandatory coverage for natural deaths, leaving families without financial support.

Last year, the consulate collaborated with Gargash Insurance Services and Orient Insurance to offer similar packages. Despite this, only 7,000 workers have been enrolled so far, highlighting the need for more companies to participate.

“We encourage employers to view this positively,” Mr. Sivan said. “This plan directly benefits workers who otherwise lack life insurance, particularly for natural causes.”

A Social Responsibility

Anthony Cerchiai, head of general insurance at Nexus Insurance Brokers, stressed the importance of supporting the labor community.

“We wanted to create an affordable program for those who work hard every day,” he said. “We will actively promote this insurance in workers’ camps across the UAE.”

Dubai National Insurance, while primarily targeting Indian workers, is also open to covering other nationalities under the plan.

Digital Literacy to Prevent Scams

In addition to the insurance scheme, the Indian Consulate has introduced an eight-week digital literacy program to help workers recognize and avoid online scams. In partnership with the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the initiative will teach 5,000 workers how to protect themselves from cyber fraud.

Mr. Sivan highlighted the growing risk of digital scams and the need for workers to stay informed. “We want to equip our labor community with the skills to safeguard themselves in an increasingly digital world.”

KMCC officials confirmed that training will be available in English, Hindi, and regional Indian languages, with AI-powered tools helping workers identify fraudulent schemes.

With over 4.3 million Indians living in the UAE, including a large blue-collar workforce, these initiatives mark a significant step in protecting their well-being and financial security.