With the COVID 19 spreading so rapidly, the health and lives of people in the country are constantly at risk. The numbers of infected people are rising exponentially, and hospitalization is becoming imperative for all. The medical industry experts are predicting that numbers will increase and almost 60-70% of the population will be affected, which may include you too.
The question is; are you secured financially to cover those medical expenses?
Yes, you are if you already have a health insurance policy. Your existing policy, be it an individual health plan, family floater plan or a group policy, acts as your COVID 19 health insurance. Even if you purchased a policy before testing positive for coronavirus, you could avail the insurance benefits, as your health insurance is meant to cover the viral infections too.
Therefore, the medical expenses you incur for the treatment of coronavirus infection will be reimbursed by your insurance provider. However, if you purchase coronavirus insurance after getting tested positive for COVID 19, then you will not be covered for the treatment as the policy comes in effect only after a waiting period, like any other medical insurance in India.
You must note that only the necessary hospitalization expenses for coronavirus treatment are met under your health insurance policy, which includes ICU charges and diagnostic tests.
That said, some insurance providers are offering insurance for COVID 19 laced with enhanced and specific features, which you need to buy as a shield before you are tested positive.
The Key Aspects of Coronavirus Health Insurance Plans
- Waiting Period
Similar to most of the medical insurance plans, the coronavirus insurance plans propose a waiting period of 30 days. However, some insurance providers choose a variable, and they offer 14-16 days waiting period for coronavirus health insurance, for example, Star Health Insurance. We advise you to check the plans carefully for the waiting period clause before you buy your health insurance for coronavirus.
- Sum Insured
You always have an option to go for a higher sum insured by paying a little higher premium. With the current scenario, when COVID 19 is claiming many lives, it is always advisable to opt for maximum coverage to stay financially secure. When the insured is hospitalized for twenty-four hours, he/she is eligible to claim 100% of the sum. Moreover, while under the quarantine, the insured can claim up to 50% of the assured sum.
- Coverage
All coronavirus insurance plans cover the expenses of hospitalization, ICU room rents, OPD charges, and ambulance charges along with post-hospitalization care expenses.
Now you know how the insurance for COVID 19 gives you special coverages in contrast to nominal health insurance policies. Let us also take you through the best COVID-19 insurance policies available in the market to help you secure yourself in this time of crisis.
Best COVID-19 Health Insurance Policies
GoDigit Insurance offers coronavirus insurance plans to protect individuals afflicted by the virus. Upon filing the claim, the insured can receive an assured 100% of the sum when he/she tests positive for the coronavirus. Besides, the insured is eligible to procure 50% of the assured sum even the result turns out to be negative. People up to seventy-five years of age are eligible to avail of this insurance. The waiting period is fifteen days, and the sum insured is between INR 25,000 and INR 2,00,000.
ICICI Lombard Health Insurance
ICICI’s coronavirus insurance is designed particularly for those who have tested positive for the virus. It guarantees a 100% sum upon diagnosis. People between the age group of eighteen and seventy-five are eligible for this plan. It follows a waiting period protocol of 14 days, and the insured sum is INR 25,000.
Star Health Insurance Coronavirus Insurance
To those who have been tested positive for the virus and have been hospitalized, the Star Health Insurance Coronavirus Insurance assures a lump sum benefit. To claim the sum, the insured need not even undergo any medical testing or screening. It also offers you a free-look period of fifteen days. Those between the age group of eighteen and sixty-five are eligible to procure the offer. It proposes a waiting period of sixteen days, and the sum insured comes with two options of INR 21,000 and INR 42,000.
Another crucial aspect of insurance buying is to understand the inclusions and exclusions. Coronavirus health insurances also reflect the same.
Inclusions
- Inpatient Hospitalization
- Pre-hospitalization
- Accidental Hospitalization
- Daycare Procedures
- Ambulance
- ICU Room Rent
- Organ Donor Cover
- Daily Hospital Cash
- Home Hospitalization
- Post Hospitalization
- Recovery Benefit
You can also buy an add-on cover with your health insurance for COVID 19, which offers maternity benefit and newborn baby cover for corona positive.
Exclusions
- Quarantining at Home
- Non-listed or Non-recognized Quarantine Facility
- Pre-existing Diseases
- Pre and Post Natal Care
- Hospitalization without Doctor’s Prescription or Recommendation
Documents Needed to Avail Health Insurance for COVID 19
Age Proof: You can use your birth certificate, or voter’s ID or PAN card to produce a proof for your age
Photo Identify Proof: Your passport or Aadhar card or driving license would do as photo identity proof
Address Proof: Your ration card or electric bill would serve as your address proof
Income Proof: Use your salary slip or your employee certificate as proof of your income
Medical Reports: While buying coronavirus-specific, you would be asked to submit your previous medical reports
Take all these documents with you while availing your health insurance.
In case, if you are wondering about your existing insurances fending coverages for COVID-19, look into the following FAQ section and clear your doubts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About COVID-19 Health Insurance Policies
Q1. Are deaths under the COVID-19 infection covered in life insurance plans?
Life term insurance policyholders have clarified that deaths due to the novel coronavirus are covered under the life term policies. COVID-19 related deaths would be treated in par with general forms of death. Insured can avail the sum only if the insured was tested positive post the policy issuance and the culmination of the waiting period of one year. Nevertheless, COVID-19 deaths would not be funded by any special terms and conditions.
Q2. Do health insurance policies cover COVID-19 infections?
According to the guidelines stipulated by the IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), all funding claims concerning the COVID-19 are liable to be covered under all standard health plans. All the features you’ve procured under your regular health insurance policy would apply to your COVID-19 treatments as well. However, to fund your treatments with medical insurance, you should have at least been hospitalized for twenty-four hours, during which all your pre and post-hospitalization expenses would be covered.
Q3. Do insurances offer evacuation and repatriation benefits when taken down by the virus?
Yes, if you test positive for the virus and find it beyond you to procure treatments and facilities, your insurance service provider would supply you with evacuation and repatriation benefits.
Q4. Do coronavirus health insurance policies cover prevention costs?
No. Preventive medical assistance is not covered by the need-based COVID-19 insurances.
Q5. When tested positive for the virus, would individuals be covered for road ambulance charges?
Ideally, your insurance provider must cover the road ambulance charges. However, inclusions tend to vary from one service provider to the other. So, it would be best to ask your insurance provider about this.
Q6. Will the COVID-19 health insurance plan cover individuals during the evaluation period?
As per the IDP benefit, when under the quarantine, all your expenses would be covered for.
Q7. Can individuals avail tax benefits on COVID-19 insurance plans?
Under Section 80 C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, you can avail of tax benefits from coronavirus-specific insurance plans.
In Conclusion
Although nominal health, medical, and life term insurance providers are doing their best to cover COVID-19 related expenses, nothing compares to the unique features of the coronavirus health insurance policies.
During these times of crisis, protect you and your loved ones with COVID-19 health insurance by shaking hands with trusted insurance aggregators like Cover 360. We make sure you get the right policy perfectly suited to your needs.