Insurance not an Assurance

The delay in issuance of insurance claims to people affected by natural calamities in Trashigang impedes reconstruction work and causes distress.

Rinchen Dorji, a retired army personnel, lives with his relatives after his house in Pangthang, Tashigang, was gutted by a fire, last year. Rinchen Dorji had availed of the Rural Housing Insurance Scheme, and was entitled to a sum of one hundred thousand ngultrum as insurance, but a year has lapsed and he continues to wait for his insurance amount to rebuild his damaged house.

Rinchen’s wife, Dema, says, “We paid tax when the government asked us to pay, but when we are in need; the government is not helping us. With the insurance money, we want to construct a house, even a hut; we want to have our own house”.

BBS learnt that the insurance payment was delayed after concerned Dzongkhag officials submitted an incomplete report to the Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan. The RICBL has now received a complete report from the Dzongkhag and is expected to release the insurance payment soon.

The delay has, however, grieved and disillusioned Rinchen and his family. Dema points out that the two of them have no other source of income, “We don’t receive salaries. My husband’s pension money has already been spent. We are getting old now, and we will soon have no strength to construct a house. We are worried about our future”.