The Best Health Insurance Options In India
What is the best health insurance option in India? The answer is a comprehensive plan that provides comprehensive coverage. This article will tell you about the different plans, prices, and products available for you to consider when purchasing health insurance in India. If you’re looking for all-encompassing coverage with less limitations, this article can help out.
What Is Health Insurance?
Health insurance is a type of insurance cover that pays for the medical expenses of an individual or a family. Basically, health insurance can be thought of as any form of insurance which pays for the cost of medical care. In addition to this, health insurance may also include other costs like transportation and accommodation. This insurance is offered and sold by private companies or by the government.
How and When Do I Buy Health Insurance In India?
You can buy health insurance in India whenever you want, but it is recommended that you buy it as soon as possible because this means that you’re more likely to have access to medical care as soon as you need it. There are three main types of health insurance: voluntary, group, and employment-based. Voluntary health insurance is a self-funded policy where the insured takes on the full financial responsibility for their own medical expenses. Group health insurance is provided by your employer or a government agency in return for your service. Normally, those who have group health insurance plans are required to pay a nominal monthly fee or percentage of the premiums paid by their employers or the government. Employment-based health insurance is an insurance offered by the employer as part of their employee benefits package. You are required to be a member of the group policy and you have to have at least a certain period of employment, usually six months, with an employer. Your employer will contribute towards the insurance premiums, though you will still be responsible for paying them proportionally.
When Do I Need Health Insurance?
You need health insurance when you are diagnosed with having a medical condition or disease. The condition could be life-threatening, or it could only affect your health and ability to work. There are many types of health insurance:
- Critical Illness Insurance: This is a type of policy which covers the cost of hospitalization, surgery, and medications. These policies are normally available to those who are above the age of 50 years or 65 years. The coverage can be bought during the application process or after you’ve been insured for a certain period.
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance: This is a policy that ensures that your family will be financially stable in case an accident causes your death or you lose one or more limbs.
- Hospitalization Insurance: This type of insurance covers the cost of hospital procedures and/or recovery time.
- Dental Health Insurance: Dental insurance covers the cost of dental care for you and your family, as well as coverage for any associated expenses. You are also covered in case you lose one or more teeth, or if your gums become infected.
- Vision Insurance: This type of policy covers your eye glasses and contact lenses if you wear them to work or school, plus the treatment costs for any eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and others.
- Critical Illness Insurance + Hospitalization Insurance: This is a combination of the two types of insurance cover mentioned above.
- Critical Illness Insurance + Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance: This is a combination of the two types of insurance cover mentioned above.
What Are The Best Health Insurance Options In India?
There are many options when it comes to choosing health insurance in India. The best health insurance in India would be one that provides comprehensive coverage at an affordable price, or one which offers better protection with lesser premiums. You should also take into consideration the companies that offer health insurance in India. This can help you choose a product which will suit your needs and suit your lifestyle. Some of the companies that offer health insurance in India are:
- Apollo Munich Health Insurance: This is one of the best health insurance companies in India and it offers a wide variety of products, medical treatments, and packages for their customers to choose from. For example, the Apollo Munich ValueGuard plan includes all the basic needs like hospitalization and critical illnesses. In addition to these benefits, there is also personal accident cover which covers you if you’re involved in an accident and require medical care.
- Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance: This company offers three types of policies called Platinum Plus, Gold Plus, and Silver Plus. These plans cover hospitalization premiums only or they cover both hospitalization premiums and outpatient treatment. The policies are available in two different versions, the daily benefit plans and the annual benefit plans. The daily benefit plan pays the maximum amount for your hospital treatment within a given period, which is usually around 30 days. The annual benefit plan pays for a given period of days which varies but it’s usually 90 to 365 days.
- Star Health Insurance: This company offers three packages namely Star Plus Value, Star Plus Comprehensive, and All in One. It’s also possible to add on a personal accident policy to any of these packages as additional coverage if you wish to do so. These products include features like health checkups, hospitalization coverage, and global medical cover just like other insurance providers in India do.
- Max Bupa Health Insurance: This company offers two types of health insurance, the Health Insurance and the Comprehensive Health Insurance. The insured will only be covered for serious illnesses and accidents if they have the comprehensive plan. The health insurance covers urgent treatments in your area and also covers maternity expenses. The patient is not required to pay anything at the time of receiving treatment from a hospital or clinic.
- AXA Health Insurance: This is one of the best health insurance companies in India and it offers a wide variety of products, medical treatments, and packages for their customers to choose from. The monthly premium is slightly expensive at around Rs 1,200 or $24 for an individual. The minimum age for a policy holder is 25 years.
- HDFC Health Insurance: This company offers four options- Classic Plus Plan, Classic Plus Lifetime Plan, Health Plus Plan, and Essential Healthcare Plan. These policies provide coverage for hospitalization, outpatient doctor’s visits, childbirth and maternity care, and accident treatment.
- New India Assurance Health Insurance: This company offers five types of policies- Standard Plus, Standard Plus International Plus, Bronze Plus, Silver Plus, and Gold Plus. It offers a wide variety of treatments including medical tests like X-rays and MRIs among many others. The plans cover treatment in your area or even abroad if you require them.
- Reliance Life Insurance: This company is known to be one of the best health insurance companies in India and it has a wide variety of products to choose from. The insured will only be covered for serious illnesses and accidents if they have the comprehensive plan. The health insurance covers urgent treatments in your area and also covers maternity expenses.
- Max Bupa Health Insurance: This company offers two types of health insurance, the Health Insurance and the Comprehensive Health Insurance. The insured will only be covered for serious illnesses and accidents if they have the comprehensive plan. The health insurance covers urgent treatments in your area and also covers maternity expenses.
- ICICI Lombard Health Insurance: The basic policy includes hospitalization coverage which is similar to the other health insurance plans in India. One of the most attractive features this company offers its customers with is cashless service at more than 18,000 hospitals in India.
- United India Insurance Health Insurance: This company offers two different types of health insurance, one which is free and the other which comes at a small premium. Both plans give you coverage for hospitalization expenses, outpatient treatments, and maternity benefits among others. You can also add on a personal accident policy if you wish to do so for additional protection.