No, health insurance plans are designed to give you comprehensive protection from medical expenses. Besides hospitalization costs, a good plan will also cover pre- and post-hospitalization expenses (doctor’s consultations, tests, medicines) outpatient expenses, ambulance charges and much more!

Today, quite a few companies provide their employees with health insurance benefits. Still you do need an independent health insurance policy even if you have a corporate policy. There are several reasons for this. To begin with, the plan might not provide the coverage you need. Also, corporate protection ends the moments you quit the job. Last, buying an independent policy will become expensive and difficult after retirement.

In order to be eligible for a health insurance plan, the most important eligibility criterion is related to age. In order to buy a health insurance plan, the minimum entry age for a child is 91 days while for an adult is 18 years. Typically, individual health insurance policies allow coverage to a person up to 65 years of age. Some policies may allow coverage beyond 65 years of age with some conditions such as co-payment or restriction on Sum insured limit etc. Some health insurance policies may allow coverage for children of specific age only if at least one parent is covered along with them.
In terms of renewal policies, adults can renew the policies for the entire lifetime while for dependent children, most policies allow coverage up to 25 years of age.

Yes, there are a lot of health insurance companies with different policies and benefits, and you are allowed to procure more than one health insurance plan at the same time. The only condition is that you cannot claim a reimbursement for the same expense from different insurers. If the hospitalization expenses are too steep and exhaust the limit of the sum insured provided under one health insurance plan, you can claim the remaining un-covered expenses from your other health insurance policy. You can opt for a cashless claim or a reimbursement claim from any health insurance policy if you are covered under more than one policy.

Yes, one of the many benefits of a health insurance policy is that the health insurance plans cover the investigation and diagnostic charges including X-Ray, MRI, and ultrasound, etc for in-patient hospitalization. Generally, the diagnostic tests that are prescribed in the OPD are not covered under health insurance policy except when your health insurance plan also offers benefit under pre and post-hospitalization expenses, provided that such OPD expenditure is related to the covered illness/disease for which inpatient hospitalization was covered by the insurance company. There is a lot of confusion amongst individuals about health insurance coverage, so it is advisable to understand all the advantages and benefits of a policy before applying. The rest of it varies depending upon the plan. You can claim the amount if it’s mentioned and covered under your health plan.

The health insurance premiums can seem quite expensive in the beginning, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. Life is uncertain, and there will be times when you will need a health insurance policy. The following aspects will make you re-think your decision.

• Medical emergencies can knock on your door at any time. You can be surrounded by medical debts if you don’t opt for comprehensive health insurance.
• You can reduce your tax burden significantly if you choose the right health insurance plan for you and your family.
• You can easily find affordable premium plans that not only provide you with proper coverage but are also quite easy on the pocket.

Nowadays, you can easily buy health insurance plans online and choose from a variety of options. Most of these health insurance policies entitle you to claim tax deduction against your income tax. Under section 80D of the Income Tax Act, every taxpayer can avail tax deductions on the premium paid for the medical insurance of their spouse, parents, self, and dependent children. Deductions available are as follows:-

The total cost estimate for health coverage is usually calculated before you can actually have the coverage and the reimbursements of the expenses. Generally, your total cost can be calculated as,
Premium + Deductible + Out of pocket costs + any co-payments/ co-insurance – any discounts

The actual cost may vary slightly from the estimated amount. You can sit and discuss the formalities provided by the insurance company. Opt for the best health insurance policy that is crystal clear, and in case of any confusion, sit by the insurer and get it all sorted.

You can choose and buy health insurance plans online and find annual premium plans that suit your pocket from a variety of options as the coverage available varies between Rs. 2 lacs to Rs. 100 lacs. Factors that affect the health insurance cost for an individual are age, , plan features, sum insured, cover type (Floater or individual), city of residence, policy tenure, health status of the individual and optional covers. For instance, office premium for a policy cover of Rs. 10 lacs for an individual between 18-25 years will be around Rs. 5,550/- but for an individual between the age of 46-50 years, it will be Rs. 14,628/-.

You can find some of the best health insurance policies that are available at affordable premiums. health insurance cost for a month for a single person will depend on age, gender, plan, sum insured, cover type, zone of cover, policy tenure, health status of the individual and optional covers. For instance, office premium for a policy cover of Rs. 5 lacs for an individual between 18-25 years will be around Rs. 3,927/- per annum or Rs. 327.25/- per month but for an individual between the age of 36-40 years, it will be Rs. 5,977/- or Rs. 498/- per month.

Choosing the right insurance plan online might seem quite confusing initially. Some of these easy steps that will help you in making an informed choice are listed down below.
- Choose the right amount to be insured – Choose a plan that at least covers all your hospitalization expenses. If you are residing in a metropolitan state, an appropriate amount might range from Rs. 6 lakhs to Rs. 12 lakhs. A rural or a suburban resident might need less coverage amount. If you wish to include your family members, then approximately a health insurance of 15 lakhs would be sufficient.
- Affordability – If you are on a tight budget, you can find a health insurance policy with low premium plans.
- Wide hospital reach – Before finalizing a medical insurance online check-in with their network of hospitals. Look for good medical facilities that are available nearer to your residence. Remember, you will get the facility of cashless hospitalization only in the hospital that is on the panel of insurance company.

The applicability of medical tests for subscribing to a health insurance policy is generally depend on the total sum insured and age of the insured person (s). Medical tests may be conducted if you are beyond the age of 45 years or opted for high sum insured plans as per the underwriting policy of the insurance companies. So, you must check with the respective insurance company to see if any medical tests are required to purchase a health insurance policy.

A health insurance plan is an insurance agreement that caters to the medical emergencies of the policyholder. You can choose from a variety of health insurance plans online that provide you with the best coverage of your expenses as per your financial background. You can opt for plans that cover your surgical expenses, hospitalization expenses, ambulance fee, and or critical illness. To avail quality healthcare services and medical aid at the right time, it is advisable that you should invest in a health insurance plan that caters to your rising or unexpected medical needs.

Indemnity Health Insurance Plan – The most basic health insurance plan that can cater to your medical expenses on both a cashless and reimbursement basis according to the sum insured. Herein you will be reimbursed for the actual hospitalization expenses incurred during the treatment up to the total policy sum insured amount. Indemnity type health insurance policy features health insurance plans for family, individuals, as well as COVID-19 plans.
Top-up Health Insurance plan – This insurance plan is an addition, an enhancement to your existing plan cover limit. If you wish to get wider coverage and enhance your existing sum insured for better financial security, then you can opt for a top-up health insurance plan. It will provide you with an additional sum insured that might cater to an unexpected medical emergency. You can contact insurance company directly and choose from a variety of options.
Fixed benefit health insurance plan – This is the ideal plan if you wish to combat a serious medical injury or illness, as it pays you in one go, a lump-sum amount. The indemnity and top up plans have benefits for paying the actual bills on a regular basis. The fixed benefit health plan will ensure wide coverage and can help you with medical expenses for serious ailments such as cancer, heart stroke, or paralysis that are generally not covered under Basic health insurance or Top up health insurance plan.

The best time to buy health insurance is now. With the ongoing pandemic (COVID-19) and increasing sedentary lifestyle, opting for a comprehensive health care plan is extremely vital. Some of the important documents that the company may ask for are duly filled and signed proposal form, the Aadhar Card, Pan Card, Passport size photo and medical test reports (if required.)

The coronavirus has really led us to unprecedented times, and availing of a health insurance plan has never been more important. Some of its key benefits are:
- Coverage of medical expenses incurred during hospitalization
- Patient’s transportation expenses (Ambulance fees)
- Cashless claim benefits and reimbursement
- Critical illness coverage
- Tax benefits
- Safe and secure future
- Financial security

There are different kinds of health insurance plans, and you can easily choose the best health insurance policy that caters to your specific needs and requirements. Some of the different kinds of plans that may suit you are:
- Individual Health Insurance plan
- Family floater Health Insurance plan
- Group Health Insurance cover (corporates)
- Senior citizen Health Insurance
- Critical illness Health cover
- Super top-up policy.

Selecting the right health insurance plan could be a daunting task, and some of the things that you must consider before buying one are:
- Select the right insurance amount
- Easy and simpler claim processes
- Maternity benefits
- Wider Cashless network of hospitals
- Pre/post-hospitalization
- Lifetime renewal
- Customer support service
- Minimum pre-existing disease waiting period
-No co-payment or any other co-sharing arrangement

Financial backup – We live in a fast-paced world that witnesses inflation now and then. In such challenging times, it is important to have a financial backup to cater to medical emergencies.
Unhealthy lifestyle and rising medical costs – If there is something that covid-19 has taught us, it’s the decreased level of hygiene and sanitization that our environment has. These tough times have led to an unhealthy lifestyle and deteriorating living standards. You need an insurance plan that covers your medical expenses the most right now to secure your future.
Tax benefits – Under Section 80D of Indian Income Tax Act, you can avail up to Rs. 25,000 as a deduction cost for yourself and your spouse and children.
The right age – The early you start, the easier it will be to stock up on a financial corpus. Include the premium in your daily expenditure.

A lot of experts have recommended that the perfect age and the best time to buy health insurance policy is when you turn 18. You are an adult, and because if you start early, you will be able to get the benefits of lower premiums, higher coverage, and opportunity to complete the waiting period before any illness strikes. However, the parents can also get cover for their new-born babies/dependent children starting from the age of 91 days to 30 years.

There is no standard policy that fits in with every situation. The right health insurance policy is the one that caters to your specific medical needs and requirements. It depends on your pocket and medical needs. From women-specific health insurance plans to critical illness insurance plans, senior citizen insurance plans, anything that fulfils your requirement is the best insurance policy for you. The key is to analyse your situation, family needs, and financial background and then choose a policy that checks all the criteria.

There are a lot of health insurance companies in India that you can choose from. You can choose a plan that has an affordable additional annual premium from NAVI Insurance. With easy plans and EMI premium options, NAVI offers convenience and affordability to its customers.