THE Mandalay division of Myanma Insurance under the Ministry of Finance and Revenue launched a pilgrimage travel insurance program in Mandalay this month.

“We have offered pilgrimage travel insurance in Yangon for a long time, and now we’re extending the program to Mandalay,” said U Kyi Sein Win, Mandalay divisional manager of Myanma Insurance. “Many pilgrimage tour companies here are interested in the program, and we’ve already sent out information to them so they understand the service.”

He said the insurance will cover travel by land and water, and will include coverage for death, injury and emergency medical care.

Typical premiums are K50 per person, per unit for a one-day trip, K100 for three days, K150 for four to seven days, K200 for more than a week, and K300 for a month-long trip.

Individuals can buy up to 10 units for each trip.

“If a person buys 10 units of insurance and dies on a pilgrimage trip, his family will be compensated up to K5 million,” U Kyi Sein Win said.

He said the insurance is available to people on package tours as well as those who have planned their own pilgrimage trips.

“For example, a family taking their own trip can come to our office to buy insurance before they get into a car or boat and leave on their pilgrimage trip,” he said.