Everything you need to know about Health Insurance 5^th May 2021

Health insurance is a policy that provides financial cover for your medical expenses. It includes both pre-emptive medical care such as routine medical checkups and tests and costs incurred after someone gets sick or in case of some medical emergency. Your health insurance provider reimburses these medical bills.

With the development of the internet, the entire buying, renewal, and maintenance of your insurance policy has shifted online and has become more streamlined and convenient. Further, the advent of technological development has also favored cashless modes of premium payment.

In this article, we will walk you through all the basics that you need to know about health insurance. This way, you can easily navigate through different policies and come across the best Health Insurance in India, to match your needs. Let’s get started…

Major Factors to Consider Before Buying a Health Insurance:

● The policy holder’s requirements (size of the family, members of the family, specific allergies, ailments, and diseases)

● Policy limits (possible advantages, disadvantages)

● Type of plan (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)

● Market credentials of the insurance provider

● Whether or not the insurance has a cashless network

Basics of Health Insurance

A health insurance doesn't cover all the costs, it only covers what it calls the ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses. These policies are formulated in such a way that it shares costs. After reaching the out-of-pocket limit, the insurance pays the entire cost.

Ways of Cost Sharing Between the Policy Holder and the Health Insurance

There are several ways in which an insurance company shares costs. Each way constitutes a different type of insurance policy. Here are some features of your policy that you should know about:

● The out of pocket limit

● The deductible

● The co-insurance

● The co-payment

Did you know that a cashless claim settlement brings in more money, when compared to other modes of payment? It is useful to keep these little tips in mind before buying and selecting a health insurance policy.

Other Things to Keep in Mind:

● Crucial benefits that are offered to each policyholder

● Should be affordable as per your income

● Certain government-mandated federal standards

● Consumer protection laws

Who Should Purchase Medical Insurance and Why?

Everyone should have health insurance. Medical emergencies and problems are often unforeseen and it is highly unlikely that an average person has a substantial amount of money saved up at all times. Moreover, medical costs are too high, and one usually cannot cover it by themselves. These bills are also directly linked to several financial problems.

Various groups that should invest in health insurance:

● Students: Students can avail their parents’ health insurance till the age of 26. Universities often offer the right health insurance plans. Students who go away to college in a different state should avail of this insurance since their parents’ insurance might not work in another state.

● People with families: Family plans usually have individual as well as family deductibles for each member. The insurance comes into force only after the deductibles have been met.

● People who fall in the lower income slab: Health insurance policies are the best way to cover your costs, without burning a hole in your pocket. People who fall in the lower income slab should consider using this tool to prevent financial losses.

● People who are pregnant: All health insurance policies cover pregnancy and certain prenatal as well as postnatal procedures. Childbirth and maternity care count as essential benefits, and everyone who is pregnant should get a chance to avail of it.

● Senior citizens: All senior citizens, i.e. people of the age 60 and above qualify for the government-mandated health insurance plans.

● People in the military: All active military officers get their health care and their family’s health care subsidized by the government.

● Married people without children: These couples could purchase individual insurance plans instead of a complete family plan. One could also depend on their spouse’s employer’s insurance plan if such a situation exists.

Conclusion

Having health insurance offers loads of benefits. From the above guide, we hope that your doubts about health insurance are solved. Secure yourself today by getting health insurance. Moreover, as you age, health insurance becomes even more important.