NBA partners Leadway to enhance lawyers’ insurance benefits

The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Leadway Assurance Plc to enhance insurance products and benefits for all financial members of the NBA.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Rapulu Nduka, the Association stated that under the MOU, all lawyers, who paid their Bar Practising Fee (BPF) on or before March 31, 2021 can have access to N2 million as Life Insurance cover at no extra cost to them.

The offer is a 100 per cent increase from what used to be N1 million for any ailment that qualifies as critical Illness under the policy (with a further N1 million payable if the member unfortunately passes); N1 million for accidental permanent disability with a further N1 million, if the member unfortunately passes as well N60, 000 to cover any medical expenses related to accidents; and free telemedicine access for lawyers with medical doctors approved by Leadway.

According to the statement, the NBA has also advanced its negotiations with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to provide insurance cover at discounted rates, for members of the Association who subscribe to the scheme.

“To kick start the NBA-NHIS Health Insurance Scheme, the NBA will, as a part of the pilot phase, be paying the health insurance premium for 1,000 lawyers selected from all branches of the NBA by a team led by the Chairperson of each Branch,” it said.

NBA added that the scheme seeks to provide free health insurance to one thousand financial members of the Association, for a period of one year, as a prelude to the subsequent enrolment of all members of the Association into the NHIS at special concessionary rates.

The association noted that all branches of the NBA are entitled to nominate four members, who meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by the body to participate in the pilot scheme.

“Of these four beneficiaries: two shall be young lawyers between one to seven years post call (and shall not be over 30 years of age) and two shall be senior lawyers who are 60 years of age and above,” it further added.

On the aspect of disqualification, NBA noted that any member that fails to meet the criteria and any branch selection committee that fails to submit the branch nominee submission form before the stipulated deadline would be disqualified.

NBA added that the disqualified branch should lose the opportunity of selecting any other beneficiary, while the National Secretariat shall nominate a beneficiary to fill the resultant vacancy.