Last week Resolution Insurance launched an affordable accident emergency medical cover for commuters in Public Service Vehicles (PSV). The Resolution Ziara emergency medical cover goes for Ksh. 70 per day per person and it will be sold at designated PSV terminus. Once the cover is purchased, the customer receives a wrist band with a unique serial number which is activated by making a payment through mobile mobile services such as M-PESA.
Resolution Ziara is targeted at the majority of the population in Kenya who don’t have insurance and find it expensive to access quality emergency healthcare solutions when there is a road accident.
“The Resolution Ziara Plan is an innovative approach to ensure that commuters are able to access quality medical care in the unfortunate event of a road accident,” said Peter Nduati, Group CEO, Resolution Group.”
I caught up with CEO Peter Nduati to find out more about this product.
What was the thinking behind starting the Ziara Insurance Cover?
Article 43 of the Constitution entitles all Kenyans access to emergency medical treatment. However, we have seen that in cases of accidents in public vehicles, passengers are exposed and although entitled to treatment would have to prove negligence on the part of the vehicle owner in a court of law and that is after seeking treatment and paying for it. We saw an opportunity to bridge that gap.
Our recent conversion to a general insurer also made us change our strategy to target the emerging consumer who erstwhile did not have access to insurance.
People are skeptical about insurance in Kenya and getting paid so they shy away. What is your plan to counter this?
Skepticism about insurance stems from experiences where the Insureds had to prove they are entitled to a claim. The other issue is terms and conditions tend to be complicated. We have designed this product and others coming soon with the aim of simplicity. Easy to understand and easy to access services
Where can people buy this insurance apart from the terminus?
The Ziara band will be distributed by dealers and can be sold anywhere by these dealers. At the first instance, we have partnered with Matatu Owners Association and contracted the Saccos to be Ziara dealers. Hence the first phase, Ziara will be sold at Transport Termini. In the medium term, any retailer should be able to stock the bands. The band can then be activated just before anyone boards the vehicle in 3 easy steps via your mobile phone.
This would be a good package for those doing long distance travel. Are you working with the bus companies to offer this? Maybe as part of a package deal.
This product is targeted for travel of 40 kilometers or more. We have partnered with bus companies and MOA to distribute the product. They are been incentivized to sell the product.
The Ksh. 70 shillings is per day is because it is valid for 24 hours?
The price is for 24 hours but can cover multiple trips.
Are there plans to introduce monthly plans?
Yes. We currently have annual plans but not distributed via the same channels.
What are the benefits? What does it cover?
Ziara has an emergency medical treatment entitlement of Kshs 150,000 including ambulance services all over Kenya. It also covers last expenses benefits of 30,000. It is valid for 24 hours and the emergency admission will be catered for up to 48 hours or upon exhaustion of the limit.
How will you be able to cover yourselves against fraud because some customers might claim and they were injured in another accident not the particular one they are claiming for?
The cover is provided vide a Ziara Band that the passenger wears and activates through a USSD platform. We will have the ID number and name of the insured and the hospital verifies benefits on *830# and in real time will receive confirmation of the passenger covered and their ID and benefits. The vehicle owner will also have reported the accident. Someone can’t activate a band at the hospital because our backend already would identify the route and the fact that we have Ziara activated bands in the vehicles plying that route.
