How To Get Health Insurance For A Newborn Baby

What you need to know about insurance policy for new born baby in India?

The birth of your child is, without a doubt, one of the happiest moments of your life. After all, your family has a new cute little bundle of joy that is there to spread joy in your lives. But being a parent also entails various responsibilities which you must take care of. One of the most important responsibilities that you have as a parent is to ensure the health and wellbeing of your new-born baby under all circumstances. As the cost of quality healthcare has skyrocketed in the last few years, it has become imperative to subscribe to comprehensive health insurance for a new-born baby that caters to all aspects of the overall wellbeing of your baby.

Health Insurance for a new-born baby

You can never know when you might have to seek hospitalization for your new-born baby. Even thinking about such a situation is scary, but what is even scarier is to face such a situation without being prepared for it. The cost of medical care in present times is increasing every year, and any extended stay at a hospital can drain your savings in no time. This is why you must consider buying health insurance for your baby as soon as possible.

Presently, it is not possible to subscribe to individual health insurance for a baby; you need to include the name of your baby in your existing family health insurance plan. You can therefore extend the coverage of your existing family floater plan or a group health insurance plan to provide the insurance coverage to your baby.

This will allow you to be relieved of any worries pertaining to the costs included with any unforeseen hospitalization after your baby has been born. Depending on the guidelines followed by the insurance company, the premium might increase slightly on the addition of the name of your baby to your existing policy. But, in order to be able to add the name of the baby to a health insurance policy, most insurance companies require the baby to have attained the age of 90 days. So, you must check the same with your health insurance company and include the name of your baby as soon as he/she is eligible for the health insurance coverage.

Maternity Health Insurance Plans

In addition to the approach of adding the name of your baby to your family or group health insurance plan, you also have the option of opting for a maternity health insurance plan. Under this plan, the expenses related to pregnancy, pre-, and post-natal care, delivery charges, ambulance charges, and other expenses related to pregnancy are covered. Additionally, the typical maternity health insurance plan is combined with Newborn baby coverage which also provides health insurance coverage for a newborn baby for a specified period of time.

By opting for any of the available maternity health insurance plans, you can not only cover the cost of medical care related to the pregnancy but can also provide health insurance coverage for your newborn baby as well.

Why you need health insurance for a new-born baby?

New-born babies have no natural immunity against bacteria and viruses and, as such, are highly susceptible to a wide range of infections. Most of these infections have the potential to turn serious and might necessitate hospitalization, which is a costly affair and can exert significant strain on your finances.

While you would follow the suggestions and guidelines of the doctors in terms of vaccinations, it is still likely that your new-born baby might catch any infection that would require treatment in a hospital. In such situations, health insurance for new-born baby comes in extremely handy. You can provide the best treatment and care for your baby without exerting any unnecessary burden on your finances.

Benefits of health insurance for new-born baby

There are various benefits associated with health insurance for new-born baby which make it absolutely imperative for you to opt for the most suitable option for the health of your new-born baby: -

• Coverage for various health conditions: - A health insurance plan will take care of all the medical expenses that are to be incurred for treatment of any ailment that might affect your baby. This also includes pre- and post-hospitalization care as well as diagnostic tests. Hence, you are able to provide the best healthcare for your cute little bundle of joy without stressing your finances.
• Peace of mind: - Once you have subscribed to a family health insurance that also covers your baby, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Your focus should only be on enjoying your time with the baby and not on worrying about any unexpected healthcare expenses that might come up.
• Income Tax Benefits: - Under Sec 80D of the Income Tax Act 1962, you are eligible to claim a deduction for premiums paid for health insurance for new-born baby as well as your family up to the specified limit. Therefore, you are able to enjoy income tax benefits as well as significant peace of mind at the same time.

Cashless treatment: - Most health insurance companies offer the facility of cashless hospitalization against their health insurance for new-born baby. This way, you are relieved of the worries regarding arranging for cash when your entire focus should be on taking care of the needs of your baby and family members during such times.

Checklist for health insurance for newborn baby

In order to select the best health insurance for a new-born baby, there are some important factors that you need to consider. This will enable you to make an informed decision and provide the most suitable health insurance cover for the baby: -

• Premium: - The premium charged by the company for the inclusion of the name of your new-born baby in the health insurance policy is an extremely important factor. Most insurance companies offer this facility for free, while some charge a nominal premium for extending this facility. So, you must opt for health insurance for new-born baby whose premium is within your budget.
• Coverage: - Coverage of a health insurance policy differs across different insurance companies. Some policies might not cover serious health conditions and, as such, expose your child to an increased risk. Therefore, you need to identify the health insurance for new-born baby which offers coverage against maximum health conditions.
• Eligibility: - Usually, most insurance companies have basic eligibility criteria to add the name of a new-born baby to an existing family health insurance plan. This pertains to the age at the time of entry which can vary between 90-180 days. It is suggested to opt for a plan which starts the coverage as soon as possible.
• Existing policy: - In many cases, maternity health insurance plans provide health insurance coverage for a new-born baby up to a certain period. If you have already subscribed to a maternity health insurance plan that provides health insurance coverage to your baby till a certain age, you have some time at hand to make a decision.
• Customization: - Many online health insurance companies allow you to customize your health insurance cover as per your requirements. This lends you a significant degree of flexibility while deciding on a health insurance plan for your family after the birth of your baby.
• Exclusions: - In addition to the inclusions, you must also pay attention to the exclusions of the health insurance for new-born baby. Many insurance companies have different terms related to waiting periods and exclusions, so make sure you pay close attention to this aspect.

Conditions: - Do not make the mistake of overlooking the fine print of the policy documents as it contains all the important terms and conditions pertaining to the health insurance for new-born baby. Only after you are satisfied with the conditions laid therein should you make a final decision.

Documents required for health insurance for newborn baby

To get the name of your baby added to your health insurance policy, you will be required to submit various documents to the insurance company. It is therefore important that you keep all these documents ready with you to avoid any unnecessary delays.

• Birth Certificate issued by the local municipal authority.
• Completed and signed application form.
• Hospital discharge card (maternity)
• Any health reports specifying the existing medical conditions.

Other documents as required.

Steps to get health insurance for new-born baby

After you have made a decision regarding the best health insurance for a new-born baby, you must start the signing-up process as soon as possible. Mentioned below are some of the steps which you will be required to follow to complete this process successfully: -

- Intimate the insurance company: - First of all, you must intimate the insurance company using any of the authorized communications channels. You can use a phone call, email, or a letter to inform the insurance company regarding the need to add the name of your newborn baby to the health insurance plan. The insurer will then inform you regarding the documents required and the premium payable by you.

- Collect the documents: - Arrange for all the documents that have been specified by the insurer. Once you have collected all the documents, scan them using your phone or computer and keep their soft copy ready.

- Submit the application and pay the premium: - If the insurance company supports the feature of the online application, you can conveniently complete the application form online. This includes entering all the details in the online form, uploading all the documents, and payment of the premium.

Download the policy documents: - While the cashless hospitalization cards will be mailed to your registered address, you can download the health insurance for new-born baby policy document after the payment of the premium. You must download the policy document and store it safely. Remember that the coverage of the policy will start right after you have paid the premium.

How many members can be added to a Family Floater Policy?

If you do not have an existing maternity health insurance plan or a group insurance plan, then the only option available to you is to get the name of your new-born baby added to your family floater health insurance plan. Most floater plans offer insurance cover for multiple family members, including self, spouse, parents, and dependent children. So, you can easily extend the coverage of the same policy to your new-born baby and enjoy your peace of mind.

It is important for you to note that in most cases, the coverage for a new-born baby starts after 90 days of being born, and the premium for your family floater plan might or might not change after the inclusion of your new-born baby.

How to manage the situation before the insurance cover commences?

As discussed above that the health insurance cover for a new-born baby commences only after the age of 90 days; in between this period, your baby is still at risk of falling sick and requiring hospitalization. Therefore, you must not be caught unprepared in such a situation as it could lead to a plethora of other problems. Here are some tips to help you manage the situation during this period: -

- Follow all precautions: - To keep the baby safe from falling sick, you must follow all the precautions suggested by doctors. This includes suggestions regarding what to eat, what not to eat, what to do and what not to do etc. Make sure you do not venture outside the baby unnecessarily to avoid exposure to germs.

- Basic medicines: - Pediatricians always recommend some basic medicines for simple ailments like fever or cold. Keep these medicines ready and administer them as per the recommendations of the doctor in the specified quantities.

- Emergency fund: - In order to be able to pay for the expenses to be incurred during treatment, you must maintain an emergency fund. This will offer you some peace of mind and be fully prepared for any crisis that may occur.

Discuss: - Do not keep everything to yourself. Make your spouse and other family members aware of the situation and keep them in the loop. This will help reduce your stress as well as prepare others for any urgency.

Important things to remember for health insurance for new-born baby

Here are some of the most important aspects of health insurance for new-born baby which you must be through with to avoid any unwanted eventualities: -

- Your dependent child will be covered under the family floater plan till the age specified by the insurer. Afterward, he/she must get an independent health insurance policy.

- There are some health insurance plans that offer coverage for a newborn baby right after birth.

- Opting for online health insurance for new-born baby allows you better control over the features of the policy as well as the benefit of enjoying lower premiums.

- Getting a health insurance for a new-born baby will allow your child to enjoy the benefits of lower premiums and higher coverage for the entire life.

- Income tax benefit under Sec 80D for the health insurance for new-born baby is available only to the individual from whose account the payment has been made.

- You always have the option to increase the sum insured for the health insurance for new-born baby at the time of policy renewal.

- You get the benefit of a no-claim bonus for every claim-free year of the policy.

With the steadily rising cost of quality healthcare, subscribing to health insurance for new-born baby is extremely important for you. This will not only help you ensure the availability of the best healthcare facilities for your child but also save you from financial distress faced during medical emergencies. But make sure that you check all the aspects of the health insurance policy and only then make an informed decision.

FAQs

1. How do you get insurance for a newborn?

As an individual insurance policy is not available for a newborn baby, the options available for offering medical insurance to a newborn are as a part of a family floater plan and group insurance. A maternity insurance plan is also an available option.

2. Are newborns covered by health insurance?

Yes, newborns can be covered by health insurance subject to the conditions of the insurance company. Most insurance companies offer coverage for babies after they attain the age of 91 days.

3. Which insurance policy is best for a newborn baby?

Family floater health plans offering coverage to new-born baby from the date of birth are the best for a new-born baby as the coverage is available around three months after being born. Moreover, the documentation required in this case is less, and the coverage available is higher.

4. How long does a mother's insurance cover a new-born?

It depends on the particular health insurance policy. Maternity health insurance may offer coverage till 90 days from the date of birth, while most family floater plans offer coverage for dependent children till the age of 23-25 years and in some cases till 30 years as well.

5. Do new-borns automatically get medical insurance?

No, in order to extend the coverage of a family floater plan or a group insurance plan to a new-born baby, you need to intimate the insurance company, submit the application form opting for new-born baby coverage and pay the premium to start the insurance coverage.

6. What is the best health insurance for babies?

There are various factors that you need to consider in order to understand which health insurance policy is the best for babies. The most important factors that you must consider are the premium, policy coverage, exclusions, and eligibility.