Critical Illness Insurance Plan For Organ Transplant

A basic health insurance cover is purchased to cover the medical expenses in case of a medical emergency, but sometimes, these covers are not much of a help if you have suffered from a permanent disability, critical disorder, or organ damage. The standard health insurance plans cover the costs of hospitalization in case of an accident or injury, but for certain critical ailments like organ damage, cancer, kidney failure, heart disease, etc. it might not stand useful. Therefore, critical illness insurance plans are made available in the insurance market to cover the expenses of the treatment of critical disorders.

As per the rules set by the IRDAI, around 12 critical ailments are to be included in the critical illness insurance covers, among which organ transplant is one of them. Either in the accidents or due to pre-existing disorders, individuals lose organs or become permanently disabled, for which they need to undergo an organ transplant surgery which can cost them a fortune. To avoid the draining of your financial savings for the treatments like organ transplants, critical illness covers are provided by the insurers. 

Organ Transplant Under Critical Illness Covers 

Transplanting an organ requires two parties, one donor and the other has to be the recipient. It can be performed for certain vital organs like kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, bone marrow, etc. It is very difficult to find a donor for these organs which can either be alive or dead. The demand for organ transplants in our country is increasing, but people do not get the transplants done due to the high costs of treatments and the low rate of successful surgery. 

Though it is a complicated procedure, with the help of technological advancements doctors have been able to achieve it. Therefore, people who choose to go for an organ transplant cannot rely on their regular health insurance plans for meeting the heavy expenses incurred during the treatment. For this purpose, you should get a critical illness cover, which covers the cost of organ transplants by providing high sum assured and additional benefits via add-on covers. 

Factors To Consider While Buying A Critical Illness Cover For Organ Transplant 

Following is the list of certain points that must be considered while buying a critical illness cover for covering organ transplants: 

• The timeframe for the critical illness covers range from 60 to 120 days, depending on the insurer. When you are diagnosed with a critical illness, you become eligible for a lump sum compensation which can be acquired after 30 days of survival post your surgery. This lump sum amount can be used to incur medical expenses or for substituting lost income. You can also pay off your debts using this lump sum amount. It is your choice, if you want a cashless reimbursement or benefit policy, depending on your requirements and comfort. 
• Before buying a critical illness cover make sure that it covers the organ transplant benefits. You must read all the policy-related documents to be sure that organ transplant is included in the list of 12 critical illnesses mentioned by the insurer as a part of the policy. 
• The organ transplant plans do not cover the pre and post-hospitalization expenses of the donor, in case of any medical emergency. Since organ transplant is considered to be a voluntary action, it is not the responsibility of the insurer to cover the expenses of the donor. However, some plans extend their benefits to provide post-hospitalization expenses. 
• There is a defined sub-limit on the sum assured under the organ transplantation of the critical illness policy. It differs from one insurer to the other. 

Conclusion 

Critical illnesses may hamper your day-to-day life activities and stop you from leading a normal life that involves working, earning, etc. therefore, if you decide to undergo organ transplantation, then without worrying much about the medical expenses you can get the treatment done with the support of the organ transplant plans under the critical illness policy. 

Also Read: Critical Illness Policy V/s Cancer Policy - Which One Should You Go For?

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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.