After half a century in the judiciary and almost five years as attorney general, Miriam German He found an offer that combines his social sensitivity with the need to generate an income to cover his expenses. She decided to accept a role other than practicing law: accompanying families in one of the most difficult moments in life. The former attorney has been hired by General de Seguros as global ambassador of CieloRDfuneral services insurance, repatriation and burial place created exclusively for the almost three million Dominicans who live outside the country.
The idea, says Germán, moved her. A close experience —the difficulty of a relative in repatriating the body of her daughter who died in Spain—made her understand the anguish of many families abroad. “We had a meeting at the beginning, when I was told about CieloRD. When they explained to me what it was, I could say that it aroused a certain emotion in me. “I kind of said to myself: this seems to be my place,” he confesses.
From his new role, he seeks create awareness about the need for foresee the inevitable. During his participation in the segment Free Dialogue of this newspaper, warns about the need to be prepared for the only certain thing in life: death.
He CieloRD insurance offers coverage in America and Europe, with premiums from 50 dollars or euros annually, and includes costs of repatriation, support economical for emergencies and funerals both in the country of residence and in the Dominican Republic.
Germán assumes this task with the serenity of someone who has served the State for a lifetime and with the conviction that his social commitment It can also be expressed from the private sphere. He is also motivated by cultural reasons rooted in the nation, such as the conviction that mortal remains should rest close to the family and where they are honored from time to time with flowers and prayers, among other customs. From his early days in Salcedo, he learned the dominican protocol in grief and death.
The plans of CieloRD
Within the coverage, the repatriation insurance and burial may include financial support up to $1,000 for unforeseen expenses, travel of a family member to the nation where the death occurred and wake two to four hours in the place of residence of the deceased. These benefits They are available in America and Europe for a premium ranging from 50 dollars per year in the first continent and 50 euros in the second.
The repatriation ensures the arrival of the body from any international airport to Dominican territory. Once in the country, the remains are collected in a hearse vehicle to direct them to any part of the Dominican Republic. Also offered is a funeral service both in a home and in a funeral home, prior to transfer to the cemetery for burial.
“We take care of all the bureaucratic issuesand they are made there (in the country where the deceased resided) a kind of wake in a funeral home that can last two hours. This has its reason for being that the person also has relationships there with other Dominicans who want to go to give condolences to family members,” explained Germán.
In America, up to age 40, the premium is 50 dollars; from 41 years old to 70 years old it is 75 dollars; and from 71 years of age, 125 dollars. In Europe it is 50 euros up to age 70 and, from age 71, 95 euros annually.
At 77 years old, Miriam Germán believes that she has the lucidity to continue being productive. When she said in 2024 that she would retire, she was referring to her role as attorney general.
Among his income is the pension he receives from the judicial system, with which he is not entirely satisfied. “Life costs more every day and pensions are not indexed,” he indicated.
He maintained that he has “many family demands” and medical expenses, although he has good health insurance. Because of these limitations, he was looking for something that suited his “nature” and that “completed his income.”
He has received offers from friends to work in law offices, but he remembered that in this practice there is no fixed income. “You can go a couple of months without anything happening, and I have many obligations, especially with a son of mine (who has a special condition),” said Germán.
He called for the pensions for the Public Ministry to be reviewed. “You can’t leave life in an office, which involves a lot of emotional exhaustion, and then leave with three cents,” he complained.
He said that he processed the request to the Executive Branch about three years ago so that this situation could be corrected.
With catastrophic pictures
Germán Brito maintains that the advantages of repatriation insurance and sepultura, which he described as “very unusual for insurers,” is that it accepts anyone who wants to subscribe with a catastrophic illness. To be paid all the benefitsthe affiliate must have covered the first year and renewed the second.
From the outside you can ensure up to five members of a family paying each insurance. In addition, $600 is offered to cover the flight to come to the funeral.
If the person decides to return to the Dominican Republic to live their withdrawalthe plan remains in force.
20 thousand insured
CieloRD has to date approximately 20,000 insuredreported its Director of Operations, Margaret Gouveia. 60% of these correspond to the America plan and 40% to Europe.
New ones have been added benefits like the telemedicine. Also psychological assistance for family members of the insured, such as support in grieving processes.
Germán insists that we do not have to wait for death to occur to resolve the procedures involved in holding a wake and a funeral. burial.
Earlier this year, the Dominican family Pamela Alcantarawho was murdered by her partner in New York, was forced to request help to cover the expenses of repatriation of the corpse, which amounted to 16,000 dollars. The coverage it offers CieloRD It is an incentive for cases like this.
Germán argued that we must work to universalize CieloRD and that all dominican consulates support him.
A move that takes her back to her place of origin, in addition to her two private jobs, keeps the former Attorney General of the Republic very busy, which prevents her from devoting the time she would like to her two passions: reading and listening to music.
In addition to working for Cielo RD, Germán is now also a member of the Board of Directors of the Dominican Oil Refinery (Refidomsa), an entity that is autonomous, although the State owns shares.
“There is an Argentine group that mixes tango with electronic music, very good, spectacular,” he commented. It refers to Bajofondo, made up of eight members of Argentine and Uruguayan origin.
Another of her favorite artists is Adriana Varela, also Argentine, whom her daughters call “ronca.”
