Everybody goes through various phases in life. Some of them are hard and bad, the others are joyous and positive. One of the biggest phases that a woman may go through is pregnancy. It is the first step towards the trying yet joyful life of motherhood. As much of a happy occasion it is to know that you will have a child, it is also the time that you have to be most careful. In this condition, you might face many medical issues that act as hurdles and that’s when a health insurance plan with maternity coverage can be extremely helpful.
With health insurance in India offering a whole host of options, selecting the right policy is like find a needle in a haystack. Another complication that gets added to the process is having the right maternity benefits. Hence, if you are buying health insurance with maternity benefits for the first time, you should pay attention to the following factors while making the purchase:
- Inclusions
The expense on maternity starts right from the initial days of your pregnancy and last till the post-delivery stage. They include regular visits to the gynaecologist, medical tests, medications, and other pregnancy related items. Without, insurance coverage, all of these costs can be too much to bear. Hence, when you buy a policy with maternity benefits, make sure that all your projected expenses are included in the coverage and ensure is a policy that offers cashless health insurance. * Standard T&C Apply
- Sub-limits
Most health insurance policies that come with maternity benefits have some sub-limits. A sub-limit is essentially a condition or fixed amount of coverage you can use for a certain expense. In this case, having a maternity cover of lakhs of rupees cannot help. This is because the amount that you would receive would not be the full amount. The pay-out is made after considering all the exclusions and sub-limits of the policy.
Hence, if you want to go to a hospital that charges more than that amount, you will have to cover the extra amount beyond the sub-limit from your own pocket. Knowing the sub-limits at the time of purchase will help you avoid any hassles when it is time to file a claim. Ideally, you should look for a plan that has minimal sub-limits. * Standard T&C Apply
- Waiting period
A crucial factor to consider wile buying health insurance with maternity benefits is the waiting period. Usually, a policy with maternity coverage imposes a longer waiting period that the regular health insurance coverage. This waiting period can be between two to four years. During this waiting period, you cannot file a claim related to your maternity for up to four years of buying the policy. Hence, it is extremely important that you purchase maternity coverage long before you plan to have a baby. This way, nearly all the expenses will get covered under the policy.* Standard T&C Apply
- Premium Cost
The importance of premium cannot be undermined. While you may wish for a maternity insurance plan that offers maximum coverage, you would also want the premium to be affordable. Generally, most maternity insurance plans have a high premium. But. Knowing your exact needs and taking your time to research the different policies from different insurance companies can help you find the right maternity insurance in India.
These are some factors to keep in mind when buying maternity cover either as an individual policy or as part of your family health insurance. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.
