Grupo Catalana Occidente allocates 2.27 million to the insurance charity fund to protect the lives of healthcare workers tackling Covid-19

"The Group has launched various initiatives in recent weeks to preserve the health and safety of the wider society"

Grupo Catalana Occidente has contributed 2.27 million euros to the charity fund backed by the insurance sector to protect the lives of healthcare professionals who are at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19. The Group has participated through the companies Seguros Catalana Occidente, Plus Ultra Seguros, Seguros Bilbao, NorteHispana Seguros, and Atradius Crédito y Caución.

As announced by the Spanish Association of Insurers (Unespa) yesterday, the sector has set up a 37-million-euro charity fund through which collective life insurance will be paid, as well as a subsidy for healthcare professionals who are hospitalised due to Covid-19. According to Unespa's estimates, this fund will cover more than 700,000 people.

In particular, this protection will be available to doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, porters and ambulance personnel who are part of the National Health System and are directly involved in the fight to combat coronavirus. It will also cover those working in public hospitals, clinics and outpatient centres, as well as those working in private-sector centres. This collective insurance will also protect public or private doctors, nurses, nursing assistants and porters working at nursing homes.

Commitment to society

Support from Grupo Catalana Occidente to the healthcare fund of the insurance sector comes in addition to other initiatives implemented by the Group in recent weeks to preserve the health and safety of the wider society during the Covid-19 outbreak.

These include a donation through Fundación Jesús Serra to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), with the aim of driving research into a future vaccine against Covid-19. The Grupo has also come together with other firms from different sectors to promote the launch of 'Beat the Vid' (https://beatthevid.opinno.io/), an innovation platform that seeks to unite efforts within the healthcare ecosystem to respond to the current challenges caused by the emergency arising from Covid-19, as well as future challenges. Beat the Vid is open to start-ups, businesses, R&D centres, universities, etc.

Furthermore, it is collaborating with Save The Children to help families whose situation has worsened due to Covid-19, as they can no longer benefit from the food provided by school canteens and the accompaniment of teachers.