Group Accident Insurance for Active Fishermen

Fishing is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. Every year, several fishermen lose their lives in the open sea due to adverse weather conditions and natural disasters. Such unfortunate incidents can push their families into poverty. To protect these families, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying has implemented the Group Accident Insurance Scheme for Active Fishermen. Under this scheme, the families of injured or deceased fishermen receive financial assistance. FISHCOPFED, along with the General Insurance Corporation of India, serves as the implementing agency of the scheme.

Objectives of the Scheme

The scheme was implemented to achieve the following objectives:

To offer financial support to fish farmers actively engaged in fishing.
To safeguard family members of the fishermen against poverty even after their demise.

Premium Allotted under the Scheme

Fishermen who are insured and pay an annual premium of Rs 15 per head are entitled to the following benefits:

Rs.50,000 for accidental death or constant total disability over twelve months.
Rs.25,000 for permanent partial disability.

The grant amount is equally shared between the Central and State Governments. In the case of Union Territories, 100% of the premium amount is disbursed by the Central Government.

Eligible Beneficiaries under the Scheme

The beneficiaries who can obtain a claim under the scheme include:

Fish farmers, fishermen, or fisherwomen by caste or occupation.
Individuals aged 18-60 years.
Those holding a fishing license from a certified authority.
Persons certified by a certified authority to receive insurance under the scheme.
Registered fishermen in a registered cooperative society or any authorized fisheries organization.
Unregistered individuals insured under the scheme.

Norms under the Scheme

The insurance premium is disbursed to beneficiaries only upon full payment of the premium to FISHCOPFED before the accident date. The conditions for grant-in-aid include:

The insured fishermen are entitled to an amount payable to their nominees if the injury leads to death lasting longer than six months, as per the policy conditions.
Compensation is provided for total and irreparable loss of sight of both eyes, loss of both hands or feet, or similar severe conditions.
Insured fishermen receive fifty percent of the capital sum insured for specific permanent losses.
The solitary and obvious reason that completely halts the injured from engaging in any employment will be covered too.

Fishermen who Cannot Claim: The following are ineligible to claim insurance under the scheme:

Non-accidental situations.
Natural death or disability due to suicide.
Presence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
Paralysis caused by high blood pressure.

Implementation Procedure

The sponsoring agency selects eligible fishermen for the grant, forwarding details and insurance premium to FISHCOPFED.
The insurance company disburses the amount from the receipt date of the premium from FISHCOPFED.
The agency must ensure the fisherman specifies their nominee for compensation under the scheme.

Documents Required

The following documents must be submitted when applying:

In the case of death

FIR copy of the deceased fisherman.
Insurance claim statement in the required format.
Post-mortem report stating the cause of death.
If unavailable, a medical certificate stating the cause of death.
Authorization Certificate from a registered authority.

When the fishermen go missing

Claim settlement form as suggested by FISHCOPFED.
Indemnity bond from the nominee and sponsoring agency.
A copy of the police report of the missing fisherman.
Authorization Certification from the authority.

In case of disability of the fishermen

The insurance claim statement must be in the required format along with:

A medical certificate declaring the person’s disability and reason.
A copy of the police report of the accident.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Group Accident Insurance for Active Fishermen.

The Group Accident Insurance Scheme for Active Fishermen is a government-sponsored insurance scheme that provides financial assistance to fishermen and their families in case of accidental death, permanent total disability, or permanent partial disability sustained while fishing. The scheme aims to safeguard fishermen's families from poverty in unfortunate circumstances.

To be eligible for the insurance scheme, an individual must be a fisherman or fisherwoman by caste or occupation, between the ages of 18 and 60. They must hold a valid fishing license from a certified authority and be either registered with a cooperative society or insured under the scheme.

The annual premium for the insurance coverage is Rs. 15 per fisherman. This premium amount is shared equally between the Central and State governments, with the Central government bearing the entire cost for Union Territories.

If a fisherman meets with an accidental death or permanent total disability, their nominee is entitled to receive Rs. 50,000. In case of permanent partial disability, the fisherman or their nominee will receive Rs. 25,000.

The sponsoring agency, such as a cooperative society or authorized organization, submits the necessary documents and insurance premium details to FISHCOPFED (National Federation Fishermen's Corporation Ltd). FISHCOPFED then forwards the information to the General Insurance Corporation of India, which processes and disburses the insurance amount to the beneficiaries.

The documents required for claiming insurance benefits include a copy of the FIR, insurance claim statement, post-mortem report or medical certificate (in case of death), authorization certificate from the registered authority, indemnity bond (in case of missing fishermen), and a copy of the police report for accidents or missing persons.

Yes, fishermen cannot claim insurance benefits in cases of non-accidental situations, natural death or disability due to suicide, or if the accident occurred while under the influence of alcohol.

FISHCOPFED, along with the General Insurance Corporation of India, acts as the implementing agency for the Group Accident Insurance Scheme for Active Fishermen. FISHCOPFED receives the premium and beneficiary details from sponsoring agencies and forwards them to the insurance company for claim processing.

Yes, even fishermen who are not registered with a cooperative society can be insured under the scheme, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and are sponsored by an authorized organization.

The article does not mention a specific timeline for claim processing. However, it states that the insurance amount is made available to the beneficiaries by the insurance company upon receiving the premium and beneficiary details from FISHCOPFED.