GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

A health insurance policy is meant to save you from the financial impact of a sudden illness, accidental injuries, and critical diseases. It also works as a legal contract between you and the health insurance provider to bear the costs of hospitalization, doctor’s fee, and other medical expenses.

But, there are many unique provisions of general insurance in india that can be difficult for a layperson to grasp. But thanks to the internet, it's simpler now to understand many confusing concepts.

You can explore and browse through YouTube videos that lucidly explain every important term at your own convenience.

If you're left wondering which videos to watch, here are our top five picks:

1. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=W4ZWXBQRO-I

This is a video from Indianmoney.com, where they explain the best methods to find a suitable health insurance plan. The video tells you how to look for the maximum coverage on your insurance policy and how add-ons can help you in the future.

They also inform you about other important things like clarifying with your insurer about coverage for certain pre-existing diseases when taking a policy with a lesser waiting period to ensure you go in completely informed while buying your first policy.

2. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=X86NLVV6ERE

This link from My Insurance Club talks about the different types of health insurance policies available to us. It broadly divides all health insurance policies into two and then further talks about plans specific to your needs such as critical illness plans.

The video explains the type of policies with the help of examples that relate to real-life scenarios.

3. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=DBTMNM8D-84

This video from Consumer Reports explains the costs related to health insurance. Here, they explain deductibles, premiums and out-of-pocket maximums which are applicable to various health insurance plans.

You must have read or heard about these terms with regard to medical insurance policies. In this video, you can understand them better with in-depth explanations and visuals. It helps you to make better sense of health insurance in India and how your plan helps you.

4. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=9H-VSFU_B_Q

This is a YouTube video from Consumer Reports which is a quick guide to picking the right health insurance for you. The video tells you factors to look for while looking for health insurance. These may include services such as OPD or even ambulance fees. 

5. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=ZZAYPKW6W-G

This video from My Insurance Club talks about the major benefits of buying health insurance. These include cashless services, hospitalisation coverage etc. Check out this video to make sure that you are making the best of your plan.

These are some of the best YouTube videos related to various concepts of health insurance. Go through them to know your options better when choosing a plan for you and your family. 

Given the problems we still face as adults today, educating your kids about being responsible consumers is always a great idea. If you prepare your child with good planning skills now, they’ll be better prepared to face financial challenges in their adulthood.

So, here are some facts about health insurance policies for families that you can use to help your child understand what health insurance truly stands for.

1. Health insurance is essential for everyone

Who could need health insurance? The answer is every individual on this planet. Hence, it is extremely important for your child to know that the benefit of health insurance is invaluable at any stage of your life. No matter what your age is, the future remains unpredictable. This is an important lesson in itself which must be impressed upon your child.

2. The types of health insurance

Getting health insurance should always be an informed decision. In order for that to happen, one must be aware of the options available to them. These options could range from individual and family floater plans to special covers available such as critical illness and maternity care. The idea is to familiarise your child with these for when they do have to make the choice for themselves.

3. The plan can be updated with needs

When it comes to health insurance, many people tend to set it and forget it. And some think that the plan is set in stone - once you've bought it, you're stuck with it. But that's not true. It's important to teach your child that they can and should customise the policy according to their evolving needs. These may include risks that come with age or including your new family in the plan.

4. The importance of reading the policy wordings

Before signing up for any kind of insurance, you must be familiar with what all you are getting with it. No one likes to go through heavy and technical information but it helps you make informed decisions later. So it's important that you encourage your child not to ignore the policy wordings as it'd tell them about their policy's coverage as well as terms and conditions.

5. Health insurance is a necessary expense

In a world with rising expenses, how is one to determine what is worth investing in? Teach your child that health insurance might seem expensive while purchasing but helps you save more than that in the long run. With the rising cost of medical care, having health insurance would be even more important in the future.

Before your child grows up, it is crucial to prepare them with the best knowledge and resources.

Health insurance is one of the most significant things you can teach your child about to ensure a safer future for them.

Health insurance in India is a necessity in contemporary times as it takes care of your finances in case of any health emergency with the help of a single policy. That being said, even the most comprehensive plans come with some exclusions. These are mentioned in your policy document and are often standard for all insurance providers.

You can make the best of your policy only if you know its coverage as well as exclusions. So, here are some you should definitely know of before you sign up for a new plan:

Waiting period

The only risks your health insurance covers from day one are injury/ hospitalisation claims due to an accident. Other than that, all other medical conditions have a waiting period after which you can make a claim. For common ailments, the waiting period is between one to three months from the inception of the policy, whereas the more serious diseases are excluded from coverage for as long as the first year.

Pre-existing conditions

You must have been told repeatedly that making a full disclosure of your health status is essential to get the right coverage. The reason behind this is a standard exclusion which says that all pre-existing diseases have an exclusion period stated in the policy wordings. Falsifying or hiding critical information can render your policy void and will inevitably leave you hanging in the future.

Lifestyle diseases

While these have not always been a concern, the drastic change in our environment and daily routines have made this a necessary part of healthcare. Unless specified at the time of availing the policy, all lifestyle-related diseases arising from smoking, alcohol consumption or drug abuse are excluded from a health plan. You would either have to pay a higher premium or be denied coverage in cases involving such ailments.

Alternative remedies

Most insurance companies are only slowly warming up to the idea of alternative treatment options. Treatment systems such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Unani have conventionally been excluded from health covers due to a lack of support from the medical community, which makes it difficult for insurance companies to accommodate.

However, some insurance providers are beginning to recognise these treatments now and are providing optional benefits which you can opt for to get coverage for them.

Maternity and childbirth

Maternity benefits are an integral part of any family health plan. This includes the medical expenses incurred for childbirth, infertility treatment or even abortion. In most cases, you would have to opt for a specialised maternity plan which is subject to a waiting period. Hence, it is a great idea to keep your family's future in mind while picking your policy.

Cosmetic treatments

While your health insurance policy may mention coverage for all hospitalisation, treatments such as plastic surgery, laser treatments, weight loss programmes, liposuction, eye and dental procedures are excluded from this cover. The exception to this rule is cosmetic procedures after an accident as they are critical to the functioning and well-being of a person.

To conclude, when looking for the best health insurance policy in india , remember to get details of all exclusions and waiting periods from your insurance agent or the policy wordings available to you. After all, the unpleasantness of reading that massive policy document sure beats being caught in a lurch while making a claim.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has extended the privilege of porting health insurance to all policyholders since 2011. What this means for you is that at the time of renewing your policy, you have the option to change your insurance provider.

Wondering how that works? Keep reading to find answers to the most common concerns about porting insurance in India.

Can you port your policy without losing benefits?

Some of the advantages of porting your health insurance policy is finding affordable premiums or better policy features without compromising on the continuity benefits of your policy. In other words, it helps you in your journey to find the best health insurance policy in india .

For instance, say a medical condition wasn’t included in your health insurance policy for the first two years due to a waiting period of 3 years. In this case, the two years from the earlier policy will be reduced, and you’ll get the waiting period of one year on the new policy.

How much time do you need for porting?

Typically, you can port a health insurance policy within 45-60 days of the date of expiry. However, it may change from insurer to insurer. The rules of porting not only apply to the policyholder but the insurer as well. Hence, the new insurer should respond within 15 days of receiving your portability request.

What documents do you need for porting your health insurance?

If you do decide to switch your insurance provider, you will need the following documents:

1. The policy documents issued by your existing insurer

2. Information specific to the renewal of the policy

3. A self-declaration if no claims were made in the previous policy

4. For claim settlements, send discharge summary, investigation report, and other related documents as a proof

Why should you port your health insurance to Magma HDI?

The OneHealth insurance plan from Magma HDI is a comprehensive policy that offers you protection from the financial liabilities of healthcare, offers discount options for your premium and gives you the options of add-ons such as a critical illness cover to leave you completely worry-free!

Here are some other features offered by the policy:

1. 24x7 claim assistance

2. Cashless hospitalization across 4100+ hospitals

3. It also offers as many as 16 key benefits such as loss of income cover, maternity cover etc.

Process for porting your health insurance policy to Magma HDI

If you want to port your existing health insurance plan to Magma HDI, you should do it within 45 days before your policy's date of renewal. Given below is the process behind successfully porting your insurance-

1. Ask for a portability form from Magma HDI or fill the form online. Provide accurate details in this form. The company’s team of underwriters will cross check your details with your current insurer within 7 days from submission.

2. This information goes to IRDAI where your existing insurer will also give the details about your coverage and claims in a prescribed format.

3. With these details, the underwriting team at Magma HDI will have access to the history of your plan. They will make a proposal according to the company’s underwriting norms.

4. The team at Magma HDI will then send across the proposal to your existing insurer within 15 days. The last step is the acceptance of the proposal by your existing insurer.

So, this is how you can easily port your health insurance policy to Magma HDI. Check out their website for more information on their OneHealth policy.

There is a famous saying "health is wealth," and it is indeed true in today's context. With people getting busy with their hectic life, there is a growing trend of unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. In the pursuit of money, health has been left far behind. Now, one cannot give up on his/her career, but they certainly can opt for a health insurance policy that offers protection against unexpected medical emergencies. Health insurance is ignored by people for many reasons, and this has led to India's problem of "under-insurance." Herein, people opt for an inadequate amount or rather do not opt for any health insurance thinking that no ailment can affect them. Another reason given by people is that the premium for health insurance is very high, and they cannot afford it. 

Affordable Health Insurance – is it a reality?

The excuse that health insurance is expensive is not true. Affordable health insurance is a reality and has benefitted many families for the past few years. With the rapid integration of technology in the insurance sector, many insurance companies are now offering their services online. You can easily purchase or renew health insurance online  in a few clicks. As most companies have taken their operations online, the cost of availing and renewing health insurance has gone down substantially.

If you are still unsure about the affordability of health insurance plans, here are some tips to help you select an affordable health insurance policy for yourself as well as your family:

Understand your requirements:  First of all, you need to understand yours and your family's health insurance requirements. Consider factors like the number of members, their age, existing conditions, family health history etc. This will help you understand the extent of coverage that you require. 

• Start early: Health insurance premium against a new policy for a young person of 25 years will be much lower than for a mature person of around 50 years of age. This is due to the risk involved for the insurer. So, you must subscribe to a. personal accident insurance online as soon as you start work, to enjoy the lowest premiums. Then gradually, keep on enhancing the coverage of your policy as your income rises. 
• Do some research: Several online insurance marketplaces have come-up, which allows you to compare policies from different insurers easily. As these marketplaces eliminate the agent from the transaction, the cost of the policy goes down substantially. By comparing the coverage of different policies, you can reduce your premium payments significantly. 
• Opt for a floater policy:  You can opt for a floater policy wherein one policy covers your entire family, including dependants. Instead of paying separate premiums, you only need to pay a single premium and will get insurance coverage for the whole family.
• Tax Benefits: You can claim an income tax deduction of up to Rs. 25,000 for the health insurance premiums paid in a financial year for yourself and your family. If you pay a health insurance premium of your parents, you can claim an additional tax deduction. Thereby, you can save substantially on your income tax liabilities. 
• Online renewal: When you renew health insurance online, through the insurance company's website or any online marketplace, you can enjoy lower premiums. As the companies do not need to pay any commissions, you can save a significant amount of money by opting to renew health insurance online.

The benefits offered by a health insurance plan are too good to be ignored just because you think health insurance is unaffordable. Do some research, and you will see that health insurance is indeed affordable and is rather a necessity for your family.

There is a false sense of security in most individuals, where one feels like they can never meet with an accident, but like as the saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. No one wants to experience an unfortunate incident, but whether due to your mistake or someone else’s mistake, you can meet with an accident anywhere and anytime. Although no one can control such situations, you can certainly prepare for it.

With the number of vehicles steadily rising, across the country, the possibility of a car-related tragedy also increases. In situations as such, you could be staring at high costing expenses on hospital bills, as well as a loss of income due to being bed-ridden. Having an individual accident policy will take care of all these emergency expenses.

What is a personal accident policy?

Personal accident policy offers insurance cover to policyholders in case of an accident or injury caused due to any given reason. The insurance company will reimburse the policyholder in cases of serious injuries, permanent disability, or death, accidentally caused, according to the terms and conditions of the policy. 

You can buy your personal accident insurance online as well as offline, as per your preference. 

Why should you have a personal accident policy?

There are various benefits offered by a personal accident policy, which make it necessary for you to have one, such as: 

• Reimbursement in case of disability: If you face an accident and suffer a temporary or permanent disability, you can claim compensation from the insurance company. The company will assess the nature of the injury or disability and give you compensation as per the guidelines of the policy. This will support you and your family financially during such tough times.
• Hospitalisation and other expenses are taken care of: All hospital bills and cost of treatment are covered under the policy. In case of death, the insurance company will pay for the repatriation, funeral, and ambulance charges. 
• Reimbursement for modifications: If the accident has left you wheelchair-bound, then you need to modify your home or vehicle to suit your needs. Any expenses incurred for such adjustments necessitated by the mishap can be reimbursed from the insurance company. 
• Payment of death benefit: If the mishap results in unfortunate death, then the insurance company will pay the death benefit amount, as per the policy terms and conditions, to your family members, offering them financial support.
• Transportation of family: If you are admitted to a hospital after an accident and the hospital is more than 150 km away from your home, the insurance company will pay for the transportation costs incurred by your family.

To avail such benefits in the time of emergency having personal accident insurance online or offline is imperative for the financial well-being of your family.

In modern times, various lifestyle-related ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, depression, obesity, etc. have started affecting people from a young age. Due to 24*7 use of smartphones, unhealthy eating habits, and a lack of physical exercise, more and more people are getting affected by these lifestyle diseases. While you may have thebest health insurance policy in india , you need to engage in regular physical exercise to stay fit and healthy. There are various forms of exercises that you can indulge in, but the benefits of daily cycling are too good to be ignored. 

Cycling is regarded as one of the best ways to stay away from lifestyle conditions and reduce the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Additionally, it is one of the cheapest, enjoyable, and useful physical workouts. If you are still unsure about the benefits of daily cycling, here are the health benefits of regular cycling:

• Fewer chances of injury: Cycling hardly causes any strain and can be enjoyed by people of all age groups. There are minimum chances of injuries while cycling, as compared to other forms of exercise.
• Time-efficient: Cycling is one of the most time-efficient exercises you can engage in. Not only does it offer you several health benefits, but it can also be used as a means of transport. It will help you get rid of your inactive lifestyle and save your travelling expenses as well.
• Easy to learn: Even if you do not know how to cycle, it will only take you a few hours to get the hang of it. There is no need for strong physical skills, and it does not need a lot of practice to learn it; it is one of the easiest exercises to learn. You can start from low-intensity mode and increase as you get used to it.
• Boosts your stamina: Cycling engages several muscles in your body and thereby helps boost your stamina over time. It also improves your lower body strength as well as aerobic fitness. 
• Reduces stress levels: Going for cycling in the morning helps you come closer to nature. The fresh morning air acts as stress-buster and enables you to feel relaxed and rejuvenated. 
• Freedom from obesity: Cycling is one of the most useful workouts to help you get rid of excess fat from your body. It boosts the metabolism rate and helps build muscles. Within a few weeks of cycling, you would start witnessing a reduction in your weight; and would feel active and fit.
• Reduces the risk of specific cancers: Research has proven that regular cycling reduces the risk of various types of cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and bowel cancer.

With various health benefits on offer, cycling is undoubtedly one of the most useful forms of physical exercises available. To enjoy good health and freedom from health-related stress, it is essential that you eat a healthy diet, engage in regular physical activity, and subscribe to the best health insurance policy in India.

Financial security is a priority for any family and having health insurance is one of the first steps towards keeping your family secure during health emergencies. But, what about other emergencies which are beyond the coverage of any health insurance policy?

Zeenat, a single parent of a 6-year-old daughter, takes as many precautions for her daughter's well being as she can. She has saved enough for daughter’s future in forms of fixed deposits and mutual funds. She has also taken health insurance for both to secure against any health emergencies. The planning seems perfect for a family of two people except for a loophole, not having an accident cover that could put all in vain if something goes wrong.

According to a report by the TOI, In India alone, about 1.49 lakh people lost their lives by road accidents in 2018. Personal accident insurance is an answer to such life-threatening situations, as a family gets shattered just by the news of an accident, let alone the future consequences that might bring substantial financial burden. However, before you go for a personal accident insurance plan, here are some things that you must know:

1. What is personal accident insurance?

A personal accident insurance policy gives you a cover against accidents. It could be a road accident, a sudden fall, or any situation that leads to a disability or even death. Having personal accident insurance will save your expenses during such an emergency, and the insured amount would also take care of the loss of income that occurred during this period.

2. What does a personal accident insurance plan offer you?

Personal accident insurance generally envelops accidental death, permanent total disablement, permanent partial disablement and temporary total disablement.

But one thing that worries a person is what if the medical expense goes beyond what his policy can cover? With Magma HDI's Individual Accident Policy cover, a person can opt for Medical Expense Extension and Hospital Confinement Allowance.

3. What does the personal accident policy not cover?

It does not cover natural death due to drug addiction or alcoholism, adventurous sport, a breach of law with criminal intent, suicide-attempt, pregnancy, war, civil war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, revolution, insurrection or mutiny, pregnancy, participation in any naval, military or air force operations, curative treatments or interventions.

4. What is the need for personal accident insurance?

The need arises from the gap that health insurance and a life insurance policy will not cover. While, health insurance mainly covers the severe ailments and any other health emergencies, a life insurance policy pays compensation only in case of death. A personal accident insurance policy, on the other, is equally important for your insurance portfolio, which covers the policyholder in case of hospitalization or even in case of death due to an accident.

5. What is the ideal personal accident insurance?

The ideal personal accident insurance depends on individual exposure to situations and risks. For example, if your profession requires extensive travel, opt a plan that covers your international travel.

Go for the best personal accident insurance plan that ensures the maximum coverage and financial stability in the event of any accident.