What Is a Health Insurance Policy And Their Types?
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Health insurance or medical insurance is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person incurring medical expenses. As with other types of insurance, there is a risk among many individuals.
Types of Health Insurance Policies
There are two basic types of health insurance policies:
1. Mediclaim Plans
Mediclaim or hospitalisation plans are the most basic type of health insurance plan. They cover the cost of treatment when you are admitted to the hospital. The payout is made on actual expenses incurred in the hospital by submitting original bills. Most of these plans cover the entire family up to a certain limit.
2. Critical Illness Insurance Plans
Critical Illness Insurance Plans cover specific life-threatening diseases. These diseases could require prolonged treatment or even a lifestyle change. Unlike hospitalisation plans, the payout is made on Critical Illness cover chosen by the customer and not on actual expenses incurred in the hospital. The cover gives the flexibility to use the money for changing lifestyle and medicines. Also, it's a substitute for income for the time you cannot resume work due to illness. Payouts under these plans are made on the diagnosis of the disease for which the original medical bills are not required.
Why do you need Health Insurance now?
No one plans to fall ill or get hurt, but a serious illness can strike anyone at any time. The cost of treating the illness can cause severe financial strain on the savings you have accumulated over time. This means that you might have to compromise on providing your child the best quality education or default on your home loan payments. Today, the cost of medical treatment is continuously rising.
Health insurance is a living benefit when you need money at the time of dire need. One disease can drain out all the savings you have made for your children's education, marriage, for buying a house or even retirement. You would not want your family's dreams to get shattered just because of an illness, especially when you could have protected yourself financially. It is beneficial to take a health insurance policy when you are young and healthy. As you get older, not only does your premium increase, but you also stand a chance of being denied health coverage by the insurance company.
How To Choose A Good Health Insurance Plan?
Anybody who has a health insurance policy will tell you that buying one is one of the smartest financial decisions by any earning individual. Now that you have decided to buy a health insurance policy, you need to know how to select a good health insurance plan that will take care of all your needs. Here is a list of benefits any good health insurance plan should offer you:
- Protection against a large number of critical illnesses
- Flexibility to choose your health cover
- No increase in premiums during the policy term even if your health condition changes
- Long-policy term that covers you even in your old age
- Large hospital network for easy access to medical treatment
Conclusion
A Mediclaim plan will either reimburse all your hospitalisation expenses or settle the hospital bills via a cashless facility. With a Critical Illness Insurance plan, you will receive a lump-sum payout on the detection of a critical illness. You don't have to be hospitalized for the same. If you are unable to work because of the illness, then you can use the amount as a substitute for your monthly income. You can even use the money to cover expenses for doctor visits, medicine purchases, medical tests, or any other expense that might arise during this time. That is why you need both – a Mediclaim plan to cover your hospitalisation expenses and a Critical Illness Insurance plan to cover your loss of income and other expenses that arise due to an illness.
Also read: How Good Is Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance?
