MONTEGO BAY, St James – Starting next month, fathers or fathers-to-be whose partners do not have insurance will be able to benefit from paternity insurance coverage under a new collaboration between Sagicor and Covenant Insurance Brokers.

Executive manager of Covenant’s newly opened Montego Bay branch, Oral Heaven, is excited about the product that, he says, is part of the company’s efforts to revolutionise the insurance industry.

“We acknowledged that if a woman is uninsured, both partners are still responsible for funding the birth. Consequently, we collectively conceived the idea of approaching insurance companies to underwrite this coverage. We received an enthusiastic response from Sagicor Life Insurance, which supported the proposal and is currently finalising its processes to assist us in bringing this offering to the market by August 1,” Heaven told the Jamaica Observer.

Heaven, who is also president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, explained that benefits will be similar to those provided to women, such as coverage for various aspects of childbirth and related medical expenses.

“This benefit allows fathers to contribute to their child’s and family’s well-being. It is important to note that a waiting period is required, and there are other conditions that will be applicable,” he said.

According to Heaven, the soon-to-be rolled out comprehensive paternity insurance package is the first of its kind in Jamaica.

The move comes in the wake of the Government’s decision to offer paid paternity leave to public sector workers as of January 1 this year. Under the measure, fathers of newborns are entitled to 20 working days off. The same benefit is also provided, in the form of adoption leave, to parents adopting and bringing a new child into the home.

Also effective January 1, paid maternity leave was increased from 40 days to a period of 60 working days for Government workers. The changes were part of the Government’s wider public sector compensation review.

While maternity leave has been available within the public and private sectors for decades, paternity leave sparked debate with questions ranging from the frequency with which the benefit could be accessed, to the issue of proof of paternity.

As outlined in the amendment to the 2004 Public Sector Staff Orders, each man can access paid paternity leave for only three births. The time off is supposed to be spent nurturing and caring for the newborn.

A number of private sector companies have also introduced paternity leave.

The insurance brokers now appear to be catching up, ready to take advantage of any opportunity this presents.

As Heaven noted, the roll-out is part of the company’s efforts to attract a broader clientele, particularly young males, by providing them with appealing insurance options that cater to their needs.