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Member of Parliament offers to insure life and health of migrants

Member of Parliament of Kyrgyzstan Ekmat Baibakpaev proposes to adopt a bill on compulsory life and health insurance of citizens traveling abroad. The document also contains a regulation on provision of material assistance to families of migrants in case of their death.

According to the author of the bill, migrants do not receive any payments in case of harm to their health while on duty or upon death.

«Every year migrants send over $ 2 billion to Kyrgyzstan. According to the National Bank, the amount of money transfers in 2019 reached more than $ 2.4 billion and $ 2.2 billion — in 2020. Remittances from labor migrants have a significant impact on the country’s economy, accounting for about one third of GDP in recent years. Approximately 10 percent of the amount of remittances are investments and savings in rural areas,» Ekmat Baibakpaev reminded.

According to statistics, there are migrants in every third family in Kyrgyzstan. Those who come to work from Kyrgyzstan get a job as taxi drivers, builders, do repairs, and the risk of injury is very high.

About 300 compatriots die abroad every year.

«With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of deaths has increased, so solution to issue of delivery of 200 cargo is urgent. The problem must be resolved as soon as possible. It often turns out that the only breadwinner of the family dies in another country and transportation of the body of the deceased is a burden on the relatives,» Ekmat Baibakpaev said.

No less urgent problem, according to the deputy, is getting injured at workplace. According to the Center for Social and Labor Relations Research, from 200 to 400 workers are injured at work in Russia annually. These are the only ones that have been registered.

«One of the important points for safety of migrants themselves is adoption of a law on life and health insurance of Kyrgyzstanis traveling abroad. This measure is necessary for the material support of compatriots in case of injury or harm to health at work or in case of death. In case of a lethal outcome, the payment will be at least 250,000 soms, as well as payments in the amount of at least 100,000 soms in case of injury at work, but subject to the availability of an employment contract and conclusion of labor protection bodies,» Ekmat Baibakpaev said.

The life and health insurance contract is drawn up for one, three or five years with the possibility of extension. The insured is obliged to pay an insurance premium in the amount not exceeding 400 soms per year.

Ekmat Baibakpaev

The parliament deputy noted that additional money from the republican budget would not be required.

The insurable event is the death of the insured or harm to health, received in the course of the performance of official duties with the exception of harm to health, suicide and death due to the use of alcoholic, narcotic or psychotropic substances.

The contract can be drawn up with all insurance companies in the Kyrgyz Republic that have an appropriate license, with sufficient indicators of financial reliability and with insurance experience of at least two years. The requirement to have an insurance certificate will be mandatory for citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic leaving the republic from the date of entry into force of this draft law, and for those leaving by car — from January 1, 2023.

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