Buy Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Online in India
It’s great that you’ve taken the wise step of securing a health insurance plan in advance for emergencies. But are you sure it covers all the benefits you might need? 🫤
A basic plan may provide coverage, but gaps in protection can lead to unexpected expenses. That’s where a comprehensive health insurance plan becomes essential.
In today’s fast-paced world, medical costs are rising, and unforeseen health crises can strike any time. A well-rounded, comprehensive plan ensures not just hospitalization coverage but also preventive care, daycare expenses and even post-hospitalization support. Let’s discuss how and why a comprehensive health insurance plan is important.
What is a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan?
A comprehensive health insurance plan is one that provides all-encompassing coverage under a single policy, meaning that you don’t have to buy a number of different types of health insurance plans to cover a wide range of medical expenses.
And, unlike basic health insurance plans, comprehensive policies tend to cover high-cost procedures like organ transplants and alternative forms of treatment.
Understanding Comprehensive Health Insurance with Example
Meet Mr. Ajay, a 40-year-old professional who had a basic health insurance plan that covered hospitalization costs. However, when he was diagnosed with a critical illness, he realized that his plan didn’t cover expensive treatments, pre- and post-hospitalization care, or ambulance charges.
The financial strain was overwhelming. Fortunately, he upgraded to a comprehensive health insurance plan covering his medical bills and providing doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, and even post-treatment recovery support.
Why is a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Important?
The saying "health is wealth" may be familiar to you. 🙂
Our health is being neglected more often than we would like in today's hectic world. In addition to the rise in stress, more individuals are adopting sedentary lifestyles, which only cause the body to deteriorate.
Hence, purchasing a comprehensive health insurance policy is the easiest solution to cover excessive medical costs in such a scenario.
Here are some reasons why a health insurance plan is important:
A comprehensive health insurance policy includes more coverage. It covers hospitalization costs, daycare operations, road ambulance services, organ donation, and hospital stays at home. After a waiting period, maternity costs may also be reimbursed under certain policies.
In India, most comprehensive health insurance plans cover the whole family. The same policy that covers you can also cover your spouse and kids. Either an individual or floater basis may be offered for the sum insured by a comprehensive plan.
Health insurance companies offer individuals the option to renew their plan for a lifetime, with extra benefits such as a No-Claim Bonus. The policyholder is free to keep their health plan for as long as they like.
What Does the Best Comprehensive Health Insurance Cover?
A Comprehensive health insurance plan provides extensive coverage to the policyholder. It can cover you, your spouse, your children and even your old age parents, depending on your policy. Here is a list of coverage provided under a comprehensive health insurance plan.
NOTE: Currently, at Digit, we only provide the consumable cover add-on option.
Is Your Health Insurance Really Worth It?
Eligibility Criteria for Buying a Comprehensive Health Insurance Policy
Everyone in India who is 18 years of age or older is eligible for health insurance. At this age, people may also begin purchasing health insurance. However, the eligibility criteria for buying comprehensive medical insurance are as follows:
Benefits of Having Comprehensive Health Insurance
Having comprehensive health insurance isn’t just about covering hospital bills; it’s about securing peace of mind. It ensures that you and your loved ones receive the best possible treatment without financial stress.
It goes beyond the basic health insurance coverage, offering several benefits such as:
Wide Coverage
Comprehensive plans come with a wide range of coverage for all kinds of health issues, such as unfortunate accidents, hospitalization expenses, day care procedures, and treatment for life-threatening critical illnesses, among many others.
Protection from Medical Expenses
The extensive coverage means that comprehensive insurance plans tend to cover a wider majority of medical expenses. This includes expenses that may not be covered under basic plans, such as pre and post-hospitalization, home hospitalization, medicines, etc.
Additional Coverages
With a comprehensive health plan, you will also be able to get more benefits that are not available with other health insurance plans. This includes things like a refill sum insured, where your SI will get replenished if you exhaust it during the policy period, or having no room rent capping (i.e. no maximum room rent limit) in your policy.
Cashless Claims
Comprehensive medical insurance policies also usually offer the facility of cashless claims, where your health insurer will take care of the bills directly with their network hospitals. Meaning you don’t need to pay any cash out of your own pocket (excluding any co-payments or deductibles).
Cumulative Bonus
Comprehensive health insurance policies come with a cumulative bonus benefit. Those who haven’t made any claims during the policy year will receive an increase in their sum insured amount in health insurance without charging an extra premium.
Lifetime Renewability
A comprehensive plan is one that offers lifetime renewability. So, as long as you pay your premium, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of the plan, irrespective of your age.
Tax Benefits
When you buy a health insurance policy for yourself or for your family members, you can claim tax benefits under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act on the premium amount. You can claim up to 50,000 if you have parents above age of 60 years.
How to Buy Digit’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Online?
Buying a health insurance policy online is the same as purchasing your favourite coffee. 🤩 With just a few clicks, you can compare different plans, customise your coverage, and secure your finances. For example, if you are planning to buy Digit’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan, you just need to follow a few simple steps! No lengthy paperwork and no middleman! 🙂 Here are the steps to buy a health insurance policy online through Digit’s website.
Step 1
Visit Digit’s Website
Visit the website, navigate to the health insurance policy section, and provide your phone number & PIN.
Step 2
Enter Details
Provide basic details like your age & family members to be covered and pre-existing diseases (if any).
Step 3
Choose Plan
Compare different plans, coverage, and add-ons to select the best one for you.
Step 4
Update Member Details
Next, enter the details of each family member to be covered, as well as their age and other information. Click ‘Pay Now' to complete the payment.
Step 5
Payment
After completing the details, click ‘Pay Now' to complete the payment and the mandatory KYC verification process.
Step 6
Policy Issuance
You’ll receive the policy document via email, SMS, WhatsApp, or Digit App.
Documents Required for Buying Comprehensive Health Insurance
When purchasing a health insurance policy, insurers typically require some basic documents for verification. Below is a list of essential documents that can be needed at the time of purchasing a policy:
Note: The required documents may vary based on the insurer and the chosen plan. However, additional documents may be requested based on individual circumstances, policy terms, and underwriting guidelines.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan
Finding comprehensive health policy coverage that is both reasonable and appropriate for your healthcare needs may be difficult with so many things to take into account.
Well, don't worry! Here are some crucial factors to think about:
Compare the different health insurance plans available online based on their coverage benefits and premiums before choosing the one that is most suitable for you.
Remember to read the terms and conditions of your health insurance policy to determine what is covered and not covered.
Pick the sum insured based on your healthcare needs and the number of people you’re covering in your health insurance policy.
Don’t hide any critical information or medical history from your insurance company.
If you can, customize your health insurance plan, with different add-ons for better coverage.
Buy your health insurance early in life, so you will have more reasonable premiums and get through waiting periods faster.
Go through the company’s customer reviews to know more about the services offered.
Examine the insurance provider's list of network hospitals that undergo cashless treatment without paying any cash.
You can learn what circumstances and treatments your insurance will not cover by carefully reading the policy's exclusions and limitations.
Examine the insurance company's claim settlement procedure and the speed at which they have previously handled and settled cases.
Tax Benefits of Buying a Comprehensive Health Insurance Policy
The Income Tax Act's Section 80D allows individuals to claim a deduction of up to ₹ 25,000 from their taxes for the health insurance paid within a particular fiscal year. However, the deductions vary for senior citizens.
The table below lists the section 80D tax benefits related to health insurance. It shows the maximum tax deductions for self, spouse, dependent children, and parents. The following deductions apply to all plans designated as 80D medical insurance:
Disclaimer: You can only claim these tax deductions under 80D with the Old Tax Regime. The New Tax Regime of FY 2023-2024 does not offer any tax deduction under 80D.
Buying a comprehensive health insurance policy is one of the best investments one can make. Since it provides all-round protection, you can save money by not having to buy many different covers separately. It will also help protect your savings and get the best treatment without worrying about the hospital bills.
There are many different types of health insurance plans available today, such as individual health insurance, family floater health insurance, personal accident insurance, and more. Thus, it is important to pick the right plan that suits your and your family’s requirements.
FAQs about Comprehensive Health Insurance
What does comprehensive health insurance mean?
A comprehensive health insurance plan is one that provides a wide range of healthcare coverage, including hospitalization expenses, ambulance costs, daycare procedures, regular health checkups, critical illness, cashless treatment in network hospitals, alternative treatment options, pre and post-hospitalization, and pre-existing diseases after a specific waiting period.
What's the difference between comprehensive and regular health insurance?
Both types of plans will offer coverage for basic hospitalization expenses during medical emergencies. However, regular health insurance plans might not cover certain conditions or have other limits. On the other hand, comprehensive health insurance has more extensive coverage, including everything.
Is comprehensive health insurance good or bad?
In general, comprehensive health insurance is an excellent choice because it offers broad coverage, which gives you comfort in the event of an emergency. It may cost more than standard insurance but has excellent options and coverage.
How much does comprehensive health insurance cost?
The price of comprehensive health insurance is determined by a number of variables, including your age and health status, the extent of coverage, extra benefits offered by the plan, etc.
Does a comprehensive health plan provide 100% coverage?
Comprehensive health insurance coverage typically does not cover everything, even while they do cover a lot. You must evaluate health insurance plans because each one's characteristics dictate which policyholders are free from deductibles, co-payments, and coverage limits.
What happens if I don't disclose my health status when I buy a comprehensive policy?
When obtaining comprehensive insurance, failing to disclose one's current health state could have major repercussions, including the denial of claims, cancellation of the policy, or exclusion from coverage for pre-existing conditions. You must provide current medical information for your insurer to cover your medical bills.
When buying comprehensive health insurance coverage, what important considerations should I consider?
When searching for health insurance, there are several things to consider. When selecting an insurance policy, it is crucial to consider the following factors:
- The policy's waiting periods
- The network of hospitals
- The cost and affordability of premiums
- The ease of resolving claims
- Limitations & exclusions
- Options for policy renewal
- Customer service
- The insurer's ratings and reviews
What is covered under pre- and post-hospitalization expenses?
Pre-hospitalization expenses include medical costs, such as diagnostic tests and consultations, before hospital admission. Post-hospitalization expenses cover follow-up treatments, medications, and therapies required after discharge.
Are pre-existing conditions covered under comprehensive health insurance plans?
Coverage for pre-existing conditions varies by insurer. Some comprehensive plans may cover pre-existing conditions after a waiting period, while others may exclude them. It's important to check the policy terms for specific details.
What is domiciliary care in health insurance?
Domiciliary care refers to medical treatment provided at home when hospitalization is not possible due to the patient's condition or lack of hospital beds. Comprehensive health insurance plans often cover domiciliary care expenses.
How do comprehensive health insurance plans handle critical illnesses?
Many comprehensive plans include coverage for critical illnesses, providing a lump sum benefit upon diagnosis of specified conditions like cancer, heart attack, or stroke. This benefit can be used for treatment, recovery, or other expenses.
Can I add family members to my comprehensive health insurance plan?
Yes, many comprehensive health insurance plans offer family floater options, allowing you to cover multiple family members under a single policy. This can include your spouse, children, and sometimes parents.
What are the benefits of wellness programs in comprehensive health insurance plans?
Wellness programs may include benefits like health check-ups, fitness discounts, nutrition counselling, and smoking cessation programs. These programs aim to promote overall health and prevent illnesses.
Are there any tax benefits associated with comprehensive health insurance plans?
Yes, premiums paid for comprehensive health insurance plans are eligible for tax deductions under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act in India. This includes premiums paid for self, spouse, children, and parents. You can claim up to INR 50,000 if your parents are above 60 years old.