Insurance Cover Sex Workers in India

The Life Insurance Corporation of India is now offering insurance cover to sex workers.

Under LIC's Jeevan Madhur policy, one can pay a weekly or a monthly premium of as little as Rs 25 and Rs 100, respectively. The premium has to be paid for a period of 5 to 10 years. The age limit for buying the policy is 65. The maximum sum that can be assured is Rs 30,000.

Like any other insurance policy, in its case too, the accident benefit will be double the sum assured.

Before buying the policy, one has to undergo a medical test, for which LIC will bear the expenses.

The LIC is collaborating with Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, a non-profit organization based in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal in the eastern part of the country, in the new venture.

In effect India’s giant public sector firm, LIC has recognised sex trade as a profession, something Durbar workers have been fighting for, points out Santanu Chatterjee, head of Usha Credit, a sister organisation of Durbar.

"In March 2008, V Ravi Kumar, marketing manager, LIC, Mumbai, wrote a letter to us and also to the general manager of the bank that we operate from -- State Cooperative Bank, Waterloo Street -- confirming that Jeevan Madhur policy holders can write 'sex work' as profession in their applications. This is a major breakthrough for each and every Durbar member," Chatterjee told the website rediff.com