Nepal Insurance Authority Organizes Insurance Awareness Program in Bhajani Municipality

Kathmandu — The Sudurpaschim Province Office of the Nepal Insurance Authority conducted an insurance-related interaction and discussion program in Bhajani Municipality, Kailali, on Baisakh 22 (May 5). The event was held under the chief hospitality of Mayor Kewal Chaudhary and the special hospitality of Acting Chief Administrative Officer Surya Bahadur Singh.

The program saw the participation of municipal executives, ward representatives, school teachers, officials from the Agricultural Knowledge and Animal Expert Centers, insurance company branch heads, local businessmen, farmers, and other stakeholders.

A working paper presented by the Authority’s Sudurpaschim Province Office covered key topics including the Authority’s functions, legal provisions, insurance claim procedures, and the role of local governments in expanding insurance coverage. The need for collaboration between local governments and the Authority to connect citizens with insurance was also emphasized.

Mayor Chaudhary stressed the importance of agricultural insurance in flood-prone areas like Bhajani and highlighted the municipality’s efforts to insure its employees. He urged the Authority to address delays in claim payments and to regulate insurance companies to restore public trust.

Participants raised concerns over procedural complications in claim settlements, undervaluation in livestock insurance, and unresolved COVID-19 insurance claims. Responding to this, Kedar Nath Bhatta, Head of the Authority’s Provincial Office, urged insurers to prioritize long-term service quality and fairness in valuations. He also stated that COVID-19 claim payments depend on government release and encouraged municipalities to appoint insurance focal persons for better coordination.