From August 2007 all foreign maids hired through the Malaysian Association of Foreign Housemaids (Papa) must now have insurance protection.
Papa president Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan said "All members will have to participate and all employers must buy the insurance. This was agreed to under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Malaysia and Indonesia last year."
This includes Malaysia employer with foreign maids from Bangladesh Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. However, 90% of around 400,000 maids in Malaysia come from Indonesia.
Domestic maid insurance provide cover for personal accident, repatriation expenses, hospital & surgical expenses, weekly benefits for temporary total disablement, fidelity guarantee & personal liability.
Usually fixed by agreements between Malaysia Immigration and their countries of origin, the minimum monthly salaries of maids are, for example, RM360 (US$105) for Indonesia maid and RM760 (US$222) for Filipina maid. Maid insurance cost around RM48 to RM100 (US$14 to US$29) for 12 months cover.
Under the Employment of Foreign Workers’ Act, employers can be charged for illegally employing a foreign domestic maid. The penalty for illegally employing a foreign domestic maid without valid work permit is fine up to RM10,000 or 5 years imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment. In addition there also be liable to whipping of not more than six strokes and may never employ a foreign domestic maid again.
Other countries have similar maid insurance including Singapore (Singapore Domestic Help (Maid) Insurance) and China and Saudi Arabia is considering it.
Author
HuangX
Insurance Policy
Country: - Malaysia
Policy Description: - Domestic Maid Insurance Scheme
Insurer: - Malaysian Assurance Alliance Berhad MAA Assurance, Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (General Insurance Association of Malaysia), Kurnia Insurans, Jerneh Insurance Bhd
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