Better insurance for maids

KUALA LUMPUR: In two weeks’ time, maid agencies can opt for an insurance scheme with higher coverage than currently offered.

With an annual premium of RM48 and biennial premium of RM75, the Jerneh Insurance Bhd scheme will include a 30-working day premium-free coverage upon the maid’s arrival.While other insurance companies only give out compensations upon accidental deaths, under this scheme immediate families can expect RM10,000 if the maid dies of other causes. The scheme also pays RM100 to employers for ambulance fees when the maids are badly injured and RM5,000 if the maid were to damage their property or injure someone outside their families.

Introduced with the help of the Malaysian Association of Foreign Maids Agencies, the move is to attract more maids, especially from Indonesia, to the country.

Association president Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan said the percentage of registered maids coming into Malaysia from Indonesia had dropped 50 per cent this year following reports of abusive employers, irresponsible maid agents and low wages offered compared with Singapore, Thailand, the Middle East, Hong Kong and Taiwan.