Coronavirus Health Insurance: What is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about Coronavirus or COVID-19? It is fear and anxiety about catching the infection of the virus. We have to accept that we are living in difficult times and rather than being worried, it is important to keep ourselves prepared for the future.
A few of the things that we still need to practice in the post COVID-19 world is social distancing and proper hygiene. As per a report by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), more than half the Indian population will be affected by COVID-19 by the end of December, 2020 (Source). This looks scary in the beginning but the good part is that more than 90 percent of the infections would be asymptomatic in nature.
It is a known fact that senior citizens and people with prior medical conditions such as diabetes, heart ailments, etc. are vulnerable to catching the infection. What can you do to protect them so that in case a situation arises, you are best prepared for the same? The first thing that you can do is opt for good health insurance. Not many people know that Coronavirus Health Insurance is also available in countries like India and it is very easy to get the same.
It is time that we do not treat health insurance as any other income tax saving tool as there are long term benefits of good health insurance plan. The financial burden can be huge if you or any of your members are admitted to a hospital. In times where the entire world is going through a recession, mounting hospitalization expenses can lead to exhaustion of your hard-earned savings.
Royal Sundaram General Insurance is one such insurance company that offers health insurance plans for individuals, as well as, family members. Hence, people have the option to choose between individual plans and family plans. Pre and post hospitalization expenses are covered under the plan. Their plan offers cashless hospitalization in more than 5000+ hospitals across India.
Professionals should view health insurance plans as a long-term investment which will be useful during the time of crisis i.e. when you or any of your members are admitted for some ailments. You can also avail of tax benefits under the 80(D) section of the Income Tax Act. Getting back to Coronavirus which has taken the world by storm, it is time that you keep a tab on the costs associated with COVID-19 treatment.
All over the world, hospitals are overwhelmed with a large number of COVID-19 cases. The situation is no different in a country like India, which is now the 7th most-affected country due to Coronavirus in the world (Source). Coronavirus health insurance can come to the rescue as common hospitals in India may not have the capacity to admit new patients.
A single diagnostic test for COVID-19 costs Rs. 4500 in a private hospital. This is not a huge sum of money but considering that Coronavirus is a viral disease it can spread like wildfire in your family and the neighborhood. This can really amplify your medical expenses. This reason is enough to choose a good Coronavirus health insurance policy.
On top of it, the treatment cost is Rs. 10,000 per individual in a private hospital. IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority) has issued specific instructions to insurance policyholders and insurance companies regarding the handling of COVID-19 treatment cost settlement. IRDAI has instructed the health insurance companies to expect the settlement of COVID-19 claims.
Insurance companies have been advised to handle COVID-19 claims as per the same guidelines required for a regular medical insurance claim. The good news is that existing policyholders can easily opt for Coronavirus health insurance with their existing policy. This is the right time for new policyholders to step in and get into the gamut of health insurance.
Costs associated with quarantine, pre & post hospitalization, and medical expenses as per the regular health insurance policy are covered. Certain preconditions have to be fulfilled to ensure that the patient battling COVID-19 gets complete coverage, some of these are below:
The patient who is detected to be COVID-19 positive should be in a hospital for a minimum duration of 24 hours. As per the policy guidelines, in-hospitalization expenses will be covered, whereas out hospital-charges will not be covered. If a patient has already planned for a prior respiration-related treatment and is tested COVID-19 positive, before or after purchasing the policy, then the health insurance will not hold good.
Coronavirus is not going away soon,all we can do is wait for the vaccine (as and when it is released in the future). In the meanwhile, each one of us has to play our parts by staying fit & health by following a proper diet and practicing social distancing. With only 44 percent of the Indians covered under any health insurance policy, it is time that they wake up and get themselves & their family members insured under good Coronavirus health insurance plan.
Being worried is good but finding a solution to your worry is always better. Health insurance is the only thing that can help you in such unprecedented times. COVID-19 treatment can literally burn a hole in your pockets and expenses will multiply with the size of your family. Would close this blog with a simple note
Better Safe than Sorry!
