Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday  called for ensuring  that the insurance claims are paid after proper investigation to curb anomalies in this sector.

“Make sure that you are paying the claimed money after appropriate investigation and examinations,” she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a programme to observe National Insurance Day 2023 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) with the theme ‘my life and asset will be secured, if these are insured’ (‘amar jibon amar sampad, bima korle hobe nirapad’).

She said that there are allegations of anomalies in paying the claimed money where unscrupulous people  claim hefty amount of money against their insured items.

“My request to the people and authority involved in the insurance sector to remain alert to ensure inquiry for finding out the actual loss from any incident,” she said.

She asked them not to pay any money without conducting proper investigation bowing down to the pressure from any (influential) person.

She asked all  people and authorities involved in insurance sector to sincerely look into various anomalies in this sector.

“Please do no give in to any pressure. Many people come to us, to me and the ministers or any other person, for getting favour, but you have to find out the actual loss,” she said.

Hasina said that any person can claim hefty amount for his or her insured item, but the concerned authorities have to pay the money after proper investigation and examination.

“Why  is not that being implemented? Then should I think that the investigators are also the beneficiaries of this (anamoly)? I doubt they also have involvement is this,” she said.

She mentioned that she does not want that insurance companies earn bad names, because she is also a member of this family. “I have to look after this.”

She also requested the insurance companies to publicise their various kinds of products among the people as they sometimes are reluctant to take insurance policy.

Responding to a demand from the insurance companies, the PM said that the government will look into the matter that without proper insurance no vehicle will be plying on the roads.

“We have to keep a special eye on this matter,” she said.

IDRA Chairman Mohammad Jainul Bair, Bangladesh Insurance Association President Sk Kabir Hossain And Secretary to Financial Institutions Division Sheikh Mohammad Salim Ullah also spoke.

A documentary on the insurance sector of the country was screened at the programme.

Earlier, she distributed prizes among the easy writting competitions.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman joined Alpha Insurance Company on March 1, 1960, and took up insurance as a profession. In commemoration of that day, the National Insurance Day is celebrated on March 1 every year.