A Health Cover Women Should Go For

The policy offers comprehensive critical illness cover at an affordable price

- Rajalakshmi Nirmal

The woman of today is hard-pressed for time. With household chores at one end and professional duties on the other, her health often takes a back seat. There are increasing instances of health disorders, including hypertension and cardiac ailments, affecting young women, because of stress and lifestyle changes.

What is also worrying is that women are often not prepared to meet the medical expenses. In a survey done by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in 2016, it was found that only one in five women in the age group of 25-49 in India was covered by any form of health insurance. Remember, without sufficient insurance, you may have to use the savings that have been set aside for your retirement or child’s future.

Here, we review my: health Women Suraksha, a specialized critical illness (CI) health plan for women.

CI insurance basics

A CI policy is also a form of health insurance. How it’s different from regular health insurance covers, called Medi-claim plans, is that in CI plans, the benefit is fixed and defined.

At the first instance of the insured acquiring any of the listed illnesses under the policy, the entire sum insured (SI) is paid as a lump-sum irrespective of the cost of the treatment. Mediclaim policies, on the other hand, reimburse only to the extent of the hospital bill.

Serious ailments such as cancer, diabetes and heart conditions are covered under CI plans, which offer an SI that’s far higher than regular Medi-claim plans. The former are also more expensive but offer a broader comprehensive cover for serious ailments. The other advantage is that you can use the money from the CI plans to pay your nonmedical expenses or expenses that are not covered by medical plans, such as the cost of diagnostic tests and OPD treatment expenses.

What’s on offer