GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

In India, as in the rest of the world, countless single people and couples want to start a family. However, not everyone has the same level of luck, and natural conception may not be an option for certain men, women, or couples. Thus, surrogacy is viewed as an excellent option for resolving this issue.

However, there are several potential problems when deciding to go through with surrogacy. To safeguard intended parents' rights and surrogate moms, the Indian government has enacted new surrogacy legislation, which indirectly impacts online health insurance companies. Keep reading to find out what the law in India says regarding surrogacy.

The Surrogacy Regulation Act in India.

Surrogacy is a burning issue in many parts of the world, considering their complex surrogacy laws. Before commercial surrogacy was banned in 2015 in India, surrogates in India used to suffer victimisation due to the lack of protection by law. It means they had limited support from the law or any other form of government to protect themselves. Plus, they were to follow either the Supreme Court's lead or the advice of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

However, The Surrogacy Regulation Act came into force on January 25, 2022, ensuring fertility services' safe and ethical practices.

Who can get surrogacy?

A surrogate mother must be in good health and between the ages of 25 and 35. She must have been married at least once and raised a child alone. She must also be a close relative of the intended parents. A woman can only serve as a surrogate once in her lifetime under the new Indian surrogacy rules, down from a maximum of three times under the old law.

Regulatory framework for surrogacy in India.

There are two sorts of surrogacy: traditional surrogacy and gestational or host surrogacy. Artificial insemination with the father's sperm is the traditional method. It establishes the surrogate as the child's actual mother.

An embryo created via in vitro fertilisation is implanted into a surrogate mother in gestational surrogacy. It is widely held that gestational surrogacy is simpler than traditional surrogacy, which has led to increased cases involving gestational surrogacy.

Following is a summary of the recent legislation regarding surrogacy regulation, effective as of January 25, 2022.

1. Commercial surrogacy banned:
Commissioning parents in the legally permitted altruistic surrogacy arrangement are responsible for covering the surrogate's medical expenses and providing health insurance coverage. Initially, only commercial surrogacy was legal in India. Earlier, commercial surrogacy compensated the surrogate mother for her services.

2. Health insurance proof becomes mandatory:
Couples who choose surrogacy to have a child must pay for the surrogate mother's health insurance for three years. The IRDA must approve the insurer following the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act requirements. The sum insured must be sufficient to cover all costs incurred by the surrogate because of difficulties emerging during and after the pregnancy.

3. Additional protection for the surrogate mother:
The surrogate mother can end the pregnancy at any time during the surrogacy arrangement. The permission form format to be obtained from the surrogate has also been changed.
The couple must file an affidavit guaranteeing payment of expenses of the surrogate mother, including medical care in the event of illness or the surrogate mother's death and compensation for other losses.

The new surrogacy rules in India are intended to protect the rights of surrogate mothers by guaranteeing them access to online health insurance companies and policies if any difficulties arise during the pregnancy. While this is a positive development, India still has a way to go before we adequately safeguard the rights of surrogate mothers.

Click HERE to buy health insurance if planning for surrogacy.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Health insurance policies are a useful tool to tide over any medical contingencies. It is essential for people of all ages, especially senior citizens, to purchase individual or family health insurance that can cover expenses incurred due to hospitalisation or any other allied medical costs. Its importance is only increasing as the medical inflation trends in India increase each year.

We know that age increases the risk of hospitalisation and medical expenses. This creates the necessity to purchase the best-suited comprehensive plan for senior citizens in the family. This article discusses the ideal period for filing a senior citizen’s claim and the time it takes to settle.

The ideal period for filing health insurance claims:

The period of filing the claim is essential in determining the time it requires for processing. Therefore, one must take all the necessary measures to facilitate a speedy claim settlement to benefit from the insurance policy.

Ideally, the insured should file their claim within two weeks for reimbursement claims. This is not a general time frame, as different policies have different time limits. However, claims filed after two weeks of hospitalisation are likely to be rejected or settled later, depending on the case.

Average health insurance claim settlement time:

As per the surveys and research done by the insurance industry, health insurance claims made by senior citizens take 28 days to settle compared to claims made by policyholders younger than 60 years, which take 23.2 days. These results have stirred up interest in the discussion to find the cause behind the delay.

The surveys also state that even the proportion of claim settlements is lower concerning specific conditions like diarrhoea, cancer, or prostate enlargement. However, it is the opposite when related to coronary heart disease. While this may seem alarming to those who have purchased health insurance in India for parents over 60 years, there are simple ways to avoid this.

1. What causes the delay in claim settlement for senior citizens?
The primary cause for the delay in claim processing is the delay in filing a claim. It is essential to ensure that the claim is filed and processed at the earliest opportunity. The findings state that senior citizens may take a while to file claims for numerous reasons, which may cause delays. To avoid late results, senior citizens must file a claim within a week or two and get assured of timely action.

2. A simple tip to ensure timely claim settlement:
It is often seen that young adults purchase health insurance in India for parents not just to protect them from bearing the burden of substantial medical bills but also to file for tax deductions.
However, to claim its primary benefit, it is essential to file claims on time. Since the elderly may require more time to do so, help from the hospital, staff, or relatives to file the claim in time will ensure that it is settled within 23.2 days instead of 28 days.

Carefully read the terms and conditions of health insurance in India for parents that specify information dedicated to senior citizens about the different inclusions and exclusions of the policy. Since medical bills and the risk of falling ill are greater at older ages, it is necessary to be fully aware of the benefits of different policies and file claims within the stipulated period. Help the senior citizens with a good life and healthy well-being!

Click HERE to buy the best health insurance in India

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

We have discussed various types of insurance on this forum: health, personal accident, general, home, health, two-wheeler, motor, and many others. As a consumer, the most important role you need to play is to be aware of the purpose and the benefits of the insurance you are looking for or are ready to purchase. Have you ever wondered about what to do in case of burglary and theft of your possessions with a high financial value? Is there any insurance that helps you cover the costs of the properties or possessions against burglary, stealing, robbery, and other types of theft?

This blog will discuss everything you must know about theft insurance in India, including what kind of losses it can help you compensate for, the claims, benefits, etc. In this space, we will shed light on all the information you should know before you get in touch with an insurance provider or an insurance agent to purchase a theft insurance policy.

1. We are getting started with the basics:
Let the first point cater to the question- What is theft insurance? Theft insurance comes in handy against burglary, stealing/robbery, and other types of theft. It protects against the loss of your valuables in the points mentioned above.
Theft, which will be significantly used in this blog, refers to all kinds of stealing/robbery activities. At the same time, burglary indicates the act of trespassing on someone’s property forcibly and taking away their possessions illegally.

2. Why should you have theft insurance:
Now that you know what theft insurance is, you need to understand the more profound answer to why you need theft insurance. To attain protection against such incidents, it is a good idea to have a theft insurance policy in place. Apart from home, if you own a shop or an office space with items of high financial value, a theft insurance policy helps you recover losses caused by such illegal acts on your property’s premises.

3. A note for you to remember:
You need to be aware of the difference between theft and burglary. Both these illegal acts have their respective covers under theft insurance and burglary insurance plans. To claim theft, you need concrete proof of non-consensual/not forceful and non-violent entry/attempts into the premises of your home or other properties.
Meanwhile, to claim burglary, you need to have solid proof of violent and pushing/forceful attempts to enter the premises to accomplish the burglary. Insurance plans cover theft and burglary, so you can explore all your options with your insurance provider, keeping the difference between these two threateningly illegal activities in mind.

4. What type of coverage and benefits are we talking about:
Always read all the terms and conditions of the insurance policy carefully, which will help you analyse and get more insights into the benefits and coverage limitations.
Theft insurance covers the risks and losses due to damage done by theft in your home or other spaces that you own. The insurance premium is decided based on the history of the claims made, the type of possessions, and the security measures within the property.

5. Limitations you must be aware of:
You will not be compensated for the theft insurance policy under the conditions which have been mentioned below:

● Silver, gold, and other high-value metals

● Hard cash

● Items stolen by members of the family

● Share certificates and possessions stolen by employees and house help

● Thefts that occur during stressful periods like wars, riots, natural disasters, calamities, terrorist attacks

● Absence of security or leaving the possessions uncared for/unlocked on your premises

● Forged theft acts

You must purchase the right theft insurance policy by exploring your options, talking to the insurance provider, and finalising the policy that caters to your needs in the best way possible. Reliable insurance will protect you against monetary stress in light of such unpredictable and dangerous activities.

Click HERE to learn more about purchasing a theft insurance policy.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

The world is adapting to digitisation, resulting in convenience and efficiency with the power of technology. The insurance industry has adopted various new and technology-driven concepts to ensure better customer support. Most official activities turned digital during the last two years due to the pandemic.

But many people believe that the online service mode is not very bankable, be it shopping, online payments, or online insurance. Even today, people choose the physical method because they believe it is more reliable and effective.

In this article, we will bust some myths and talk about all the benefits of online insurance and why you should buy motor insurance online.

1. No third party or agent is required:
One of the most significant benefits of buying motor insurance online is that you do not need an insurance agent to facilitate the process. When you purchase insurance from an agency offline, the insurance agent helps you identify all the covers in your insurance policy or any additional add-ons you might require.
When you switch to online insurance, you eliminate the need for this third party as all the information you require is readily available online. You can also compare various insurance providers and their costs. The cost you save on paying your insurance agent can be used for buying add-ons on your premium.

2. Ditch the paperwork:
Online insurance companies are making completely paperless purchases with bare minimum paperwork. All your IDs are digitally scanned and uploaded to your insurance portal, and the proposal form is also filled digitally. The digital copy is later forwarded to you for future reference. When you buy motor insurance online, you skip the hectic paperwork and contribute to a greener environment.

3. Instant policy:
The process of buying motor insurance online is faster compared to the physical mode. One can achieve everything instantly, from evaluating the policy holder’s profile to resolving the claim if opting for online motor insurance. All the documents and forms can be filled out from the comfort of your home and get instant policy issuance.

4. Compare online:
Since evaluating every motor insurance policy can be cumbersome when done physically, opt for an online comparison. Various websites with good customer reviews will enable you to make informed decisions on the different kinds of insurance policies, their premium amounts, and the overall customer experience.
Not only will these websites help you in comparison, but there are insurance calculators on various websites that can give you an approximate estimate of the total insurance cost. Read through the company’s website thoroughly to choose a tailor-made insurance policy. When you compare prices online, you know more about different deals available in the online market.

These are a few ways an online insurance policy is a better option than a physical one. Irrespective of the kind of insurance you buy, it is essential to remember that all your needs are met with your current insurance policy. Add value to your bike riding experience by investing in good motor insurance. Motor insurance is an intelligent way to ensure that you are safeguarded against accidents and damages and all the other expenses that your vehicle's maintenance might require. For your next renewal, buy motor insurance online to save money and time.

Click HERE to buy motor insurance online.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.