Journalists have been described as a professionals who engages in journalism which is the activity of gathering, investigation and presentating news and information to the public through various media channels.
Doctor Omogbai Omo- Eboh, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) made the description during his presentation at the all inclusive Mass Media Seminar for Journalists organised by Insurance Publication limited held at the Radisson Blu Hotel Ikeja, Lagos State.
The resource person who spoke on the theme 'Transformational Journalism in the Digital Age; Deepening Insurance Awareness through Inclusive Reporting' said Journalists play pivotal role in enlightening the mass on the need to insure the property and life.
Dr.Omogbai Omo-Eboh said the roles of Journalists among others include an invisible fourth arm of the Government,producing original content, information source for the public, providing information to influence opinions and Education function.
The Resource remarked that we live in an age where people retweet and repost everything from Social Media platforms such as facebook, twitter and more, while some may repost actual articles others repost rumours,so the job of a Journalist is to post original content.
According to him,the insurance companies should liase with the Journalists to inform the public on the bouquet of insurance products, available to cover personal and commercial risks,the cost and process of obtaining one as well as demystify some of the myths surrounding insurance in Nigeria.
Dr.Omo-Eboh revealed that the primary aim of insuring is to obtain an indemnity to the full extent as prescribed in the policy and permitted by law in the event of an insured loss occuring.
He assured Nigerians that there are very important provision in the Insurance Act of Two thousand and three which stipulate time limits in which claims should be settled such as section Seventy of the Act which provides a time limit of ninety days within which the insurer shall settle a claim.
Dr Omogbai lamented that the single most important factor which has given rise to the mistrust of insurers in Nigeria is their attitude when called upon to settle claims.
He adde that apart from relying on the breach of policy conditions, non-disclosure and misrepresentation to escape liability insurers exhibit a general apathy when called upon to settle claims and stressed that cases abound where insurers take no step to either to repudiate liability or settle a claim after receiving notice of claims.
He however encouraged Journalists not to be left out but to take out a Professional indemnity risk and talk to an insurance broker to know what risk protection options are available to cover their lives, health and career.
On his
Comments
Post a Comment