Will Insurance Benefits be Available if Infected with Hantavirus?

Staff Correspondent: Treatment costs for Hantavirus infection may be covered under health insurance. However, whether treatment for this disease will fall under insurance coverage in Bangladesh and how much money can be received will depend on the terms of the relevant policy.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Hantavirus mainly spreads through contact with the faeces, urine and saliva of infected rodents. It can cause fever, headache and muscle pain. In severe cases, breathing difficulty and kidney failure may occur. There is no specific approved medicine to cure the disease. There is also no approved vaccine for prevention. Most Hantaviruses do not spread from person to person. However, prolonged close contact with a person infected with the Andes virus found in South America can infect other people.

According to WHO estimates, approximately 10,000 to more than 100,000 people worldwide are infected with hantavirus each year. The mortality rate among identified patients in Asia and Europe ranges from less than 1 percent to 15 percent. In the Americas, the rate for severe hantavirus-related lung and heart disease can be as high as 50 percent.

On 2nd May this year, WHO received reports of several people with severe respiratory illness on the Netherlands-flagged cruise ship “MV Hondius.” The ship was travelling from Argentina towards Cape Verde via the South Atlantic Ocean. Later, Andes virus was detected among them.

According to WHO’s report of 2nd July, 13 people associated with the ship were reported to be infected. Infection was confirmed in 12 of them and one was a probable case. Three people died. On that day the organisation declared the outbreak over. Updated official figures on infections in Bangladesh could not be confirmed.

In Bangladesh, some health insurance policies cover hospital admission, tests and medicine costs within a specified limit. In some other policies, a fixed amount is paid for hospital stays. However, it is necessary to check whether ICU, oxygen or dialysis costs will be covered under the insurance.

Some health insurance policies require a specific waiting period before benefits can be received. This is called the “waiting period.” Pre-existing diseases or costs of certain treatments may also remain outside the insurance coverage.

If death occurs due to Hantavirus infection, money may be received from an active life insurance policy. However, problems may arise with the claim if the policy is not active or if important information has been concealed. Additional benefits designated only for accidental death are generally not available in cases of death from ordinary diseases. If infected abroad, travel insurance may also cover emergency treatment and the cost of repatriation to the home country for medical reasons. However, these benefits must be included in the policy terms.

According to World Bank figures, in 2023 people in Bangladesh bore 79.31 percent of total current health expenditure out of their own pockets. On the other hand, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF’s MICS 2025 survey, 0.4 percent of children under five years of age and 0.8 percent of women aged 15 to 49 years were covered by health insurance. As a result, treatment for serious illnesses can create significant financial pressure on families.

To claim treatment costs, necessary documents including hospital bills and test reports must be submitted. Separate documents are required to claim the death benefit under life insurance. If a claim is rejected, a complaint can be lodged with the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA).

According to Section 72 of the Insurance Act, 2010, if the money is not paid within 90 days from the later of the date the claim becomes payable and the completion of necessary formalities, there is a provision for payment of interest. However, exemption from this rule can be obtained if it can be proved that the reason for the delay was beyond the company’s control. Section 73 of the same Act provides for settlement of disputes related to insurance claims.

Therefore, before purchasing health insurance, it is essential to know which treatments will be covered for how much money and which costs will remain outside the insurance.