Ceylinco General unveils world-first Dengue and Chikungunya Insurance Cover

From left: Ceylinco General Insurance Director K. Shankaramoorthy, Ceylinco Holdings Executive Director Dr. Jagath Alwis, Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer Patrick Alwis, Labour Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Ceylinco Holdings Executive Director Executive Chairman/CEO Ajith Gunawardena, Ceylinco General Insurance Director Ajith Perera, Director Roshan Ranasinghe and Director Sathyajith Wijayapura at the press launch of Ceylinco General insurance protection against dengue and chikungunya in Colombo —Pic by Ruwan Walpola 

• New specialised cover offers up to Rs. 250,000 in protection, including home recovery, hospitalisation and ICU benefits, for an annual premium of Rs. 2,000

By Amira Cader

Ceylinco General Insurance has unveiled what it describes as the world’s first specialised Dengue and Chikungunya Insurance Cover, offering financial protection of up to Rs. 250,000 and introducing benefits for patients recovering at home in addition to hospitalisation and intensive care protection.

Designed as an affordable safety net against two prevalent mosquito-borne illnesses, the new product provides a combination of home recovery, hospitalisation and ICU benefits for an annual premium of Rs. 2,000 inclusive of taxes.

The insurance solution was unveiled at a special event attended by Labour Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, together with senior representatives of Ceylinco Holdings PLC and Ceylinco General Insurance.

Among those present were Ceylinco Holdings PLC Executive Chairman and CEO Ajith Gunawardena, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Patrick Alwis, Executive Director Dr. Jagath Alwis, Ceylinco General Insurance Directors Ajith Perera and K. Shankaramurthy, and other senior officials of the Group.

The launch comes as dengue and chikungunya continue to pose public health concerns in Sri Lanka, with the illnesses potentially creating an additional financial burden for individuals and families through treatment expenses, hospitalisation and disruption to work and everyday activities.

Presenting the new insurance solution, Ceylinco General Insurance General Manager Deshapriya Wickramaratne said it had been developed as a simple and affordable means of providing financial protection against dengue and chikungunya, with benefits structured around the different levels of care a patient may require.

A key feature is financial assistance for patients recovering at home, extending protection beyond conventional hospital-based treatment.

“This is the first time we are introducing cover for home care as well. We are paying for home care,” Wickramaratne said, 

Under the home recovery benefit, policyholders receive Rs. 5,000 per day for up to five days during the first instance of recovery, providing a maximum benefit of Rs. 25,000. The same benefit is available for a second instance, taking the potential total home recovery benefit to Rs. 50,000.

Where hospitalisation is required at a Government or private hospital, the policy provides Rs. 10,000 per day for up to 10 days, with a maximum benefit of Rs. 100,000.

An additional intensive care benefit of Rs. 20,000 per day for up to five days is available when ICU treatment is required, providing a further maximum benefit of Rs. 100,000.

Together, the benefits provide total financial protection of up to Rs. 250,000, while the annual premium has been set at Rs. 2,000 inclusive of taxes.

Wickramaratne said simplicity, affordability and accessibility were central to the development of the product, particularly against the backdrop of relatively low insurance penetration in Sri Lanka.

The policy covers treatment arising from dengue or chikungunya within Sri Lanka and is provided on an individual basis. It remains valid for one year from the date of enrolment and carries a 21-day waiting period from the commencement date.

Wickramaratne noted that while health insurance policies generally carry a waiting period of around 30 days, the waiting period under the new cover has been limited to 21 days.

Another distinguishing feature is the absence of an upper age restriction.

“Anybody can get this particular policy,” Wickramaratne said, highlighting its accessibility across age groups.

He also outlined the claims procedure, under which customers are required to inform Ceylinco General Insurance when dengue or chikungunya is detected or when hospitalisation takes place.

For applicable home recovery claims, a dengue or chikungunya antigen test report is required, while hospitalisation and ICU claims require a copy of the diagnosis card issued by a Government hospital, registered private hospital or nursing home.

Ceylinco Holdings PLC Executive Chairman and CEO Ajith Gunawardena said the introduction of financial protection for patients receiving treatment at home was a particularly significant element of the new product.

“For the first time, we have also introduced and extended this insurance cover for patients seeking treatment at home,” Gunawardena said.

The company said the initiative reflects its broader focus on developing practical insurance solutions that respond to changing consumer needs while making financial protection more accessible to Sri Lankan households.

By extending protection beyond hospital-based care to include home recovery, Ceylinco General Insurance said the first-of-its-kind initiative seeks to address the practical financial impact of dengue and chikungunya while providing individuals and families with greater financial support during recovery.