The Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah Economic Ecosystem Development (PE2HU) at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is strengthening efforts to improve protection for Umrah pilgrims by developing the Umrah Travel Shariah Insurance (ASPU) ecosystem.
PE2HU discussed this at a meeting earlier this month with the Indonesian Shariah Insurance Association (AASI), covering strategic analysis, policy recommendations and a roadmap for ASPU development, according to a statement issued by the Ministry.
During the meeting, AASI said that the development of the ecosystem faces several challenges, including the validity and synchronisation of pilgrim data, the manual policy registration process and the lack of minimum standards for Umrah travel insurance benefits and contributions.
PE2HU Director General, Jaenal Effendi, said, "Shariah-compliant Umrah travel insurance must provide real protection for pilgrims, not simply be an administrative supplement. Therefore, strengthening governance and collaborating with all stakeholders is crucial to ensure pilgrims receive optimal protection from before departure until their return home."
In its presentation, AASI proposed optimising digital system integration between SISKOPATUH and insurance company systems to automate policy reporting, minimise potential data input errors, and increase transparency in contribution payments and real-time policy status monitoring. SISKOPATUH stands for Integrated Computerised Management System for Umrah and Special Hajj.
Furthermore, AASI proposed establishing minimum standards for ASPU benefits and contributions to ensure adequate protection for subscribers.