GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and medical emergencies are among them. And the rising healthcare costs in India make a health insurance policy obligatory.

However, with so many alternatives available, selecting an insurance policy that fits the needs of people having pre-existing diseases cannot be easy.

What does pre-existing illness mean?

Pre-existing illness refers to the medical conditions the insured has before investing in a health insurance plan. A few examples of pre-existing illnesses include diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, cancer, etc. The insured must be transparent about all pre-existing health conditions with the insurance provider while purchasing the policy.

Here's a quick breakdown of the factors to consider when purchasing the best health insurance policy for you and your family considering pre-existing conditions.

1. Inclusions of the plan:
Selecting a policy that covers everything under the sun is unwise. It is always better to choose specific features. Further, you must also check what is or isn't covered by the insurance company if you need to file a claim with pre-existing health conditions.

2. All necessary costs to consider:
It is always best to control the price of your health insurance premium. You wouldn't want the cost of your medical bills to spiral out of control. Remember that you need hospitalisation coverage as well as outpatient coverage to get better benefits in the long run. People with pre-existing conditions need to consider the policy that addresses insurance benefits for such features.

3. Taking health insurance at the earliest:
Some people think they will get a health policy when they reach their fifties or sixties. However, this is a dangerous assumption. Going in for health insurance at a younger age can help you save substantially on the premium because insurers are often more willing to offer discounts to young and healthy individuals.

4. The waiting period:
The waiting period is an essential feature of your health insurance policy. You should check whether the company offers any waiting period and, if there is one, how long it is. Typically, you must pay a waiting period, and your insurer will reimburse you.
Insurance providers don't easily offer health coverage to people with pre-existing illnesses. The waiting period for pre-existing diseases ranges between 2 to 4 years. You can avail of the pre-existing diseases coverage after 48 months from the diagnosis of your pre-existing illness. You need to verify your insurance provider's terms and conditions to make claims during the waiting period.

5. Exclusions of the plan:
While selecting a health insurance policy, it is essential to understand the exclusion clause of the plan. This clause is applicable only in specific circumstances, and you must be certain of it before signing up for the policy. Some common exclusions include having health issues caused by excess weight.
Further, ensure you know of any service exclusions under any particular policy. For instance, if you require a specific type of care, it may not be covered under the plan. Sometimes, it is better to go for a higher-tiered plan to get above-the-line coverage to avoid such complications.

6. Hospitalisation coverage:
In addition to medical and diagnostic care, you need hospitalisation or short-term coverage. It is crucial because adverse effects of pre-existing diseases can make you visit the hospital. It would be best if your plan provides coverage for these needs.

You now know that the pre-existing condition clause is an aspect you must check before selecting a health insurance policy. It states whether the insurer will cover your medical expenses if you are diagnosed with a pre-existing condition in the future. It is crucial to research this clause thoroughly before opting for the plan. However, the most important thing is to invest in reliable health insurance because it provides financial security in medical emergencies for you and your family.

Click HERE to buy the best health insurance to deal with pre-existing diseases.

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.

If you want to do something good for humanity, you do not have to deal with arduous tasks. You can reach a blood donation camp and donate your blood. A drop of your blood can be life-saving for others. A report claims that India requires five crore units of blood daily. The same report also reflects that someone requires blood every two seconds.

Since there is no substitute for human blood, donating it is essential for everyone and the only option. Nevertheless, blood donation has a few surprising physical benefits, which we will cover further as this blog progresses. Staying fit is not an illusion. One can achieve and manage it by indulging in regular exercise, a proper diet, and sound sleep. Along with occasional blood donation, every health-conscious person should focus on health insurance policy renewal.

In the following section, find some surprising health benefits of donating blood.

1. A free health screening:
Blood donation ensures a free health screening for the donors. Routine tests have become costly in private laboratories in India. As a result, people do not undergo frequent health check-ups to save money. Not doing this can lead to non-identification with various complex diseases. Diagnosing such diseases early can help in better management and quicker treatment.
A blood donor undergoes a mini-physical examination before the donation process. For example, the screening test includes checking pulse, haemoglobin level, blood pressure, body temperature, etc. The screening test is free, and the test helps to know a few physical complications that were not known to you earlier.

2. Reduce the harmful iron storage in your body:
According to research, one out of two people are vulnerable to hemochromatosis, a physical condition due to iron overload. Most of the time, it is a genetic disease, but you can prevent it from happening by giving blood regularly.
Hemochromatosis patients need to undergo a treatment that removes additional red blood cells from their bodies. Instead of undergoing such a treatment, you can easily reduce iron storage by donating your blood regularly.

3. Reduce the risk of heart diseases:
Donating blood might lower the chance of heart disease, but it doesn't mean that regular blood donors will never get heart disease. According to the studies, a regular blood donor can reduce heart attacks by 80% through blood donation. Various medical research teams have noted that excessive iron in the blood increases the risk of heart attacks. As stated above, donating blood reduces excessive iron storage in your blood.
As a result, donating blood can prevent the risk of heart attacks. But it doesn't give you any guarantees this way, and you still need to stick to your workout and diet plans to avoid heart attacks. People with good heart conditions can obtain low-cost health insurance policy renewal deals.

4. Prevent the risk of cancer:
Cancer is one of the diseases that are fatal and difficult to deal with. A large number of people develop blood cancer. But did you know that you can reduce the risk of blood cancer to some extent through regular blood donation?
Various studies have revealed that blood donation can reduce the risk of blood cancer since it reduces the risk of hemochromatosis. Patients with the peripheral arterial disease have the highest risk of developing blood cancer, and donating blood regularly can lower this risk.

5. Psychological and social benefits:
Many researchers have also found psychological benefits of donating blood. Donating blood is a noble thing, and it can bring mental satisfaction. Many people want to work in favour of humanity, but they cannot find ways of helping others. Donating blood is the best way of helping others, as it can save a life in an emergency.

Keeping the body and mind healthy is the best way of living, and blood donation impacts both body and mind. You will feel healthier and mentally happy after donating blood. You should consider various other ways to keep your health in good shape. One way to do so is by investing in reliable health insurance. Always remain up-to-date regarding the health insurance policy renewal and avoid it from lapsing.

Click HERE before you miss out on your health insurance policy renewal.

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.

Music plays one of the inspiring roles through the most unpredictable journey called life. During the highs and lows of life, it is one constant that has been proven to have immense benefits for your mind, body, and soul.

Today, technological advancement can be seen through the different instruments and the tools to produce music that fuels our minds, thus lessening our stress and pain. People have started pursuing music professionally with immense dedication.

But one of the main questions still stands. What effects does music have on the human body and mind? How does it calm us down and bring peace to our lives? This blog will answer all your questions. Here are a few health benefits of listening to music you might not know.

1. Changes the brain:
Playing a musical instrument requires lots of practice, a massive chunk of your time, and immense dedication. And as an outcome, along with the fact that you will get well versed in playing an instrument, it has been scientifically proven that there are structural changes in your brain!
You involve a lot of senses when you learn to play an instrument- spatial reasoning, muscle movement, memory, coordination between sensory organs, and within the different sections of your brain. The nerve fibres connecting the left and right sides of your brain are more prominent in musicians than in regular people of various professions.
People who play the violin have been found to have larger brain sections that control the movement of the left touch and hand. Similarly, people who play the keyboard have bigger sizes of areas of the brain which control hearing and visual-spatial abilities.

2. Protection against diseases:
In many cases, it has been seen that people who have been in the field of music (playing instruments especially) for fourteen years or more have shown significantly visible structural and functional developments/changes in the brain. These changes might help protect them against dementia later in their lives.
Apart from this, various types of research have proven that musicians are much better in terms of verbal abilities and memory, spatial tests, and learning abilities when compared to non-musicians.
Patients who suffered from a stroke but have learned to play musical instruments have displayed a better recovery as they uniquely developed their motor skills compared to non-musicians. Such motor skills eventually help stroke patients function during everyday activities.
Not just dementia but listening to music or learning an instrument has also proven effective in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s or delaying the progression or onset of this disease since these people have heightened memory and enhanced sensory skills.

3. Faster response/reaction time:
As people grow older, their reaction time increases due to the weakening of their senses and understanding skills. But people who have been into music, either by learning a musical instrument or being a fan of listening to their favourite musicians, have shown faster-listening capabilities, excellent touch response, and enhanced auditory and tactile abilities. Music lovers are also proven to have better integration skills of multiple senses while performing various tasks.

4. Handle pain after surgical procedures:
Several studies have shown that listening to music helps relieve chronic pain and alleviate pain generated by various surgical procedures. Music helps the patients keep calm and soothe themselves, relax and lower the need for sedatives, allowing for efficient recovery and satisfying the patient. Music therapy is often advised to patients to lessen their pain during recovery.

Other benefits of music include boosting mental health, managing anxiety and depression, enhancing productivity and concentration, improving cognitive abilities, and much more.

We hope this blog gives you insights that might help you delve deep into the world of music, navigate your interests, and improve your health. Considering your body, mind, and overall health, it would be wise to buy health insurance online India in safeguarding yourself and your family against unprecedented circumstances. You can explore your options and buy health insurance online India which is best suited for your needs.

Click HERE to buy health insurance online India and know its benefits.

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.

Drinking alcoholic beverages has been a social norm for centuries. But it's time that we rethink our relationship with alcohol. Alcohol may have some short-term benefits, such as reducing social anxiety, insomnia and a decrease in cardiovascular problems. These reasons and the fact that alcohol has become a part of nearly every social activity makes it a drink on many occasions.

However, excessive drinking can lead to serious health problems, including but not limited to liver problems, depression, heart diseases, and certain types of cancers. It is very admirable if you have decided to quit or cut back on your drinking, and this blog aims to guide you on how to do that conveniently with the best tips provided by health experts.

1. Introspection and finding out your triggers:
If you've decided to cut back on the alcohol, maybe you're worried about your cravings when you stop drinking for a day or two. Or perhaps it is about the reasons for which you drink. It is important to find out why you're drinking too much, which might be stress from a relationship, work, or other triggers. When these are identified, you can start avoiding them or try dealing with these problems in a different course of action rather than having a drink.

2. Measure your drinks:
One of the most effective tips that most experts give is to measure each drink and compare it to the official guidelines on how much drinking is safe for adults. This will also estimate how much you're drinking and further solidify your approach to reducing your consumption.

3. Set a drink limit:
Set a fixed drink limit according to official health guidelines and be cognizant of the drinks you take at a time. If possible, involve a friend or a family member to help you stop at the right amount.

4. Have dry days and make fun challenges:
The brain is always up for a challenge. Try having dry days, such as vowing not to take any alcohol Monday through Friday. Or you can have months of abstinence, such as No Drink December or Sober October. Make things a challenge and do it with the people you love to get the maximum benefits.

5. Find a support person / people:
Finding a community is the most crucial step towards a good change. Talk to trusted friends and family members about your decision to abstain, and they will surely help in the process. If this is not ideal, find online support to discover people with similar goals.

6. Keep attractive non-alcoholic options at home:
There's an urge to drink alcohol even if you're probably just thirsty and need water. However, water seems like a boring alternative to alcohol. So, keep fruit juices, sparkling water, or cold drinks in your fridge to avoid going for alcoholic options.

7. Make alcohol non-accessible, and try delaying your first drink:
A 10-minute walk at night to a bar or a liquor shop can be a significant deterrent to getting a drink. Avoid stocking up on alcohol in your house, as you'll likely be tempted to finish it sooner than expected. Request friends and family members to bring their drinks and take them back with them as they leave.
Another approach you can try is delaying the day's first drink to as late as possible. Research suggests that the earlier you start drinking, the more you consume.

Quitting alcohol is an excellent choice for your mind and body. There is no saying what excessive drinking does to your health in the long term. It is heavy on your well-being as well as your pocket. Follow the tips from health experts and take your step toward healthy living. Practice mindful habits like eating a healthy diet and drinking fresh juices, regular exercise for at least 10 mins, and indulge yourself in yoga and meditation.

Opting for a reliable health insurance plan is best to save money on hospital visits. Health insurance adds a safety net to you and your family to provide robust coverage and secure your finances during emergencies.

Click HERE to know more about health insurance.

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.