Wah-re-SBI General, tu ne kamal kiya: My wife cannot have Individual Personal Accident Insurance in her individual housewife or retired person capacity.

 

A housewife is not housewife but rightfully she is a homemaker. She works day and night for the members of her family, and this work is largely unrecognised, leave alone being paid any way. She cares for elderlies in the home, as most parents live with their grown-up children. Comfort of family depends up on her labour and sacrifice. Her contribution as a progenitor of next generation and its raising and educating is far greater than anyone, even of her husband. And hence, the Supreme Court of India under the three-member bench headed by Justice N V Ramana recently awarded equal compensation to wife as well as husband in the motor accident case, rejecting the earlier judgement of Delhi High Court that housewife do not work or do not add economic value to the household. It is reported that woman on an average spend 5 hr a day on unpaid domestic services for household members in the country. There are as many as 159.85 million women doing household work as compared to 5.79 million men. Elaborating on this aspect, the Court said that “a homemaker’s notional income must be determined by the courts keeping in mind the number of women engaged in this activity, and the value of their labour, service and sacrifice. Their activities contribute in a real way to the economic conditions of the family and the economy of the nation and ought to be recognised in reflection of our changing attitudes and mind-sets as well as towards achieving the constitutional vision of social equality and dignity of all individuals”.

It is thus clear that value of homemaker’s work is same as husband’s even if he is working in high capacity in the office. Cheers for homemakers….

It is therefore surprising for me that our country’s the largest state owned bank viz., State Bank of India’s insurance arm, SBI GENERAL is still ignorant of the above and treats housewife, nay homemaker as “unemployed”. I had this experience while trying to buy personal accident insurance policy for my wife who is retired (PG teacher) and now housewife, nay still remains a homemaker extending her work to care for grandchildren too as per needs. It is sad and deplorable that she as housewife, or as retired person cannot get “Individual Personal Accident Insurance” cover as I tried to do so online (see photo 1). And a reason in red ink is the primary insured cannot be unemployed or student. SBI thinks housework as uneconomic activity as it is not employment, the parochial attitude, ignoring the latest judgement of the Supreme Court.

Photo 1 (below): Screenshot of https://www.sbigeneral.in...

I thought of finding if she as a labourer can get it. So, as per occupation specified, I found that even labourer (manual, unskilled) is entitled for this insurance cover for as much as Rs 15,00,000/-which he or she belonging to this category may not be saving in his lifetime (see photo 2, detail of birth date covered up). Yes, she can, but as a manual unskilled labourer, which she is not. INSULTING….

 

Photo 2: Screenshot of https://www.sbigeneral.in...showing premium for Rs 15,00,000/- if shown as labourer (manual, unskilled)

 

So, while our “incredible” country, India is in the forefront of giving equal rights even voting rights to women much before some developed nations of the world, and the Supreme Court ruling in favour of them in personal accident case as late as Jan 2021, this great financial institution remains oblivious, ignorant and treat housewife/housewives (homemakers) much less than even labourer(s) (manual, unskilled).

I hope SBI takes the note and revise its policy and its website accordingly. It makes no sense to add occupation as a mandatory need to generate policy.

PS: Most comprehensive car insurance policies adequately provide for owner-driver, but 15-times less for co-passenger(s). And these co-passengers could be near and dear whose lives are as precious as yours as an owner-driver. Care for them too, the same way, you ensure to buy a car with airbags for co-passenger(s) too.