How Super Top-Up Health Insurance Works: Key Features and Benefits

In India, healthcare costs are rising by around 14% each year — and sometimes, even a solid health insurance plan might not be enough to cover your full medical bill.

Ever faced a situation where your hospital expenses exceeded your insurance coverage? It’s stressful, right?

That’s exactly where a Super Top-Up Health Insurance plan can save the day. It helps you increase your coverage without paying high premiums for a bigger base policy.

Let’s break it down simply: What is it, how does it work, and why should you consider getting one?

What is Super Top-Up Health Insurance?

Super Top-Up Health Insurance, just like the name suggests, is an additional protection available on your existing health insurance policy. It acts as an emergency backup that comes into play once your regular health insurance is exhausted.

Here's how it works.

• The deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket (or through your base health policy) before the super top-up plan kicks in.
• Once you cross this deductible in total across the year, your super top-up plan starts covering any further medical bills.

For example, Mr. Sharma has an employer-sponsored base health insurance of ₹5 lakhs. He has had an accident, and the total hospital bill comes to ₹8 lakhs.

Here’s how his insurance will work:

1. ₹5 lakhs is covered by the base insurance.
   
2. The rest of the ₹3 lakhs is on him.
   
3. However, if he has a super top-up plan, which has a sum insured of ₹10 lakhs with a deductible of ₹3 lakhs, then his super top-up plan will pay ₹3 lakhs.

Now, let's say he fell sick again and had to go to a hospital with a bill of ₹4 lakhs. Since he has already paid the deductible amount before, his super top-up plan will pay ₹4 lakhs for him.

This is the best part about the super top-up policy, which covers beyond the deductible.

Key Features of Super Top-Up Health Insurance

A super top-up plan is similar to enhancing your existing insurance coverage at a premium that is not too high. Below are the key features.

1. Deductible

• The amount you pay for covered health care services before your super top-up insurance starts to pay the bills.
  
• It’s calculated annually, so you only have to pay it once a yea,r no matter how many claims you make.
  

2. Hospitalization Coverage

• Covers expenses like room rent, ICU charges, doctor’s fees, and nursing charges.
  
• Includes daycare procedures and advanced medical treatments.
  

3. Pre- and Post-Hospitalization Expenses

• Pays for diagnostic tests, medicines, and follow-up checkups.
  
• Covers expenses 30 days before hospitalisation and 60 days after discharge.
  

4. Annual Health Check-Up

• Annual health check-up is also a part of the coverage.
  

5. Organ Donor Expenses

• Expenses incurred in the process of an organ transplant will be covered by insurance.
  

6. Family Floater Option

• You can choose a family floater super top-up plan to cover your entire family under a single policy.
  

7. Cost-effective and Customizable

• You can set your deductible and choose coverage that suits your budget.
  
• Premiums are lower than if you purchase a separate high-sum insured health policy.

Benefits of Super Top-Up Health Insurance

Here’s why super top-up health insurance is a smart choice:

• One-Time Deductible – You are required to pay the deductible only once a year, after which any medical expenses over and above that are covered.
• Cashless Treatment – In case you get admitted to a hospital that has a tie-up with us, then you don’t have to bother about making any upfront payments.
• Easy Online Purchase – You can buy and renew it online without any hassle.
• Covers COVID-19 Treatment – Many super top-up plans include coverage for COVID-19 hospital expenses.
• Pre- and Post-Hospitalisation Expenses – The expenses occurred during the period of 30 days prior to hospitalisation and after 60 days of discharge from the hospital.
• Family Coverage – Family can be covered under individual or floater plans according to the need.

Super Top-Up vs. Regular Health Insurance

Eligibility and Coverage Under Super Top-Up Health Insurance

Eligibility Criteria

To purchase super-top-up health insurance, you should: -

• Be above 18 years.
• Consider the age of the eldest insured person in family floater plans.
• Provide the residential address.
• Maintain a decent credit score (some insurers check this).

Coverage Inclusions

Hospitalisation for planned and emergency cases.

• Daycare treatment.
• Pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses.
• Expenses for organ donors.
• AYUSH treatment (Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga, Naturopathy, etc.).
• COVID-19 treatment.
• Costs for emergency evacuation.

How to Choose the Right Super Top-Up Plan

With so many options available, here’s what you should consider:

• Check the Deductible Amount – Opt for a deductible as per your base insurance policy so that you don’t pay from your pocket.
• Compare Premiums – Don’t buy a plan just because it is cheaper; compare benefits and coverage.
• Look at the Network Hospitals – Ensure that your preferred hospitals are in your insurer’s network.
• Review the Inclusions & Exclusions – Don’t forget to check what’s covered and what’s not before you buy.
• Choose a Family Floater if Required - If you are insuring family members then take a floater plan as it comes cheaper.

Super top-up health insurance coverage is a smart and economical way to broaden your medical coverage. Rather than increasing your base insurance (which can be expensive), a super top-up plan gives you higher coverage at a lower cost.

Whether you have a health insurance policy or not, with a super top-up plan, you can make sure that you and your family are always financially protected in the event of medical emergencies.

So, if you haven’t done it yet, do it now. Stay healthy and stay covered!