Kathmandu. Nepal Economic Journalists’ Association (NAFIJ) in collaboration with Nepal Insurance Authority (NEA) has launched an insurance awareness programme. The programme, which began on Saturday at Chandragiri Municipality-1 in Kathmandu, will continue till Sunday.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the programme, NRA Executive Director Sushil Dev Subedi stressed the need of popularising insurance by taking it to the general public. Stating that economic journalists have also played an important role in increasing the reach of insurance in Nepal, he said that the journalism sector should support the development of the insurance sector in the days to come.
“If there was no journalism, the insurance sector would not have reached this height. Therefore, the NRA is committed to continue such programs in collaboration in the coming days. It is also a deep and serious area,” he said, adding, “We will do whatever we can to enhance the capacity of journalists.” ’
Similarly, journalists should focus on facts rather than thinking, he said. “The news has become incomplete in the mix of facts and ideas. If we can publish or make news keeping in mind the facts, then the potential of journalism will also be reflected from there,” he said.
Chairperson of Nafiz, Menuka Karki, said that such programs are very important for capacity building of insurance journalists. According to him, the insurance bit has now been established as an integral part of economic journalism.
“Earlier, there was no insurance bit in journalism. So far, the insurance bit has been established. It is not enough to write news in the insurance sector. This bit has also been very helpful for the future of economic journalists,” she said, adding, “I feel that such programs will increase the capacity of insurance journalists as well as the scope of writing and searching.” ’
Similarly, she said the insurance sector has become an integral part of the economy. “Currently, there are 44 insurance coverage in Nepal. It has reached 67 percent. Now there is a need to spread more awareness in this regard to expand insurance access to the rest of the citizens,” she said.
NRA Director Nirmal Adhikary said that the role of media is important in increasing the reach of insurance. Therefore, the NRA has been conducting such programmes with journalists on a regular basis, he said, adding that it would continue to do so in the days to come.
“We are also working on our behalf to streamline the insurance sector. However, the insurance sector needs to be made more systematic and the general public needs to be made more aware of it. There is a need for the support of the media in this regard,” he said, adding, “Despite this, journalists need to find out the facts and bring out the facts about it when there are complaints from the insured that the insurance companies have not paid the insurance claim on time.” ’
Similarly, former manager of insurance sector Ramesh Kumar Bhattarai expressed the belief that this program would be fruitful for journalists.
“The insurance authority has come to the palace from a small house. It seems that the insurance sector has taken a leap forward. However, the insurance sector has not been able to make the same headway as the banking sector,” he said. Young leaders have come to the AUTHORITY. The insurance sector is confident that this will definitely send a positive message. ’
He also said that in the recent past, insurance companies have been investing in financially weak areas. He said that companies should be aware of this and reduce the risks that may come in the future.
Similarly, President of Life Insurance Association Nepal, Poshan Raj Poudel, said that journalists should also be prepared accordingly as the insurance subject is more technical. He said that journalists can get technical knowledge of insurance from this program.
“Nepal is lagging behind in capacity building. “I hope that journalists will learn more subjects of insurance from this program and explain it to the general public,” he said.
He also said that modern insurance products need to come to Nepal. “Insurance is a means of transferring risk. The world has come a long way by bringing only risk-bearing products. However, we are still limited to savings-based products,” he said, adding, “However, we are not lagging behind compared to the insurance sector of other countries.” ’
Birendra Baidwar, president of Nepal Insurance Association, said that regional and international news related to insurance should also be published.
“Earlier, there was a situation in the insurance sector whether we could work with pen or not. Despite that challenge, the insurance bit has become an integral part of economic journalism,” he said. If a journalist writes insurance stories that cannot be fearlessly refuted, it gives the company an opportunity to improve. ’
Similarly, the NRA should make public the data with detailed details related to claim payment through the website on a monthly basis, he added.
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