You might have noticed that lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac conditions and kidney failures are rising. Even more surprising is the increase of these diseases among young people. Experts point to our modern unhealthy lifestyle as the cause of this surge.
The costs of medicines, treatments, tests, procedures and room rents within hospitals have risen steadily over the years. This phenomenon is called medical inflation. Even a single unplanned hospitalisation can set your finances off in such a way that they might take years to recover.
A comprehensive health insurance policy aims to shield your finances from sudden medical expenses. You can protect yourself and your dependent family members with it. The option to include your family under one policy is called the family floater option.
Here are comprehensive health insurance policies that stand out:
- Star Comprehensive
- Niva Bupa Health Companion Variant 1
- ICICI Lombard Health Shield Plus
All three policies are designed keeping in mind your and your family’s overall health and wellness needs.
Let’s look at their benefits in detail:
| Benefits | Star Comprehensive | Niva Bupa Health Companion Variant 1 | ICICI Lombard Health Shield Plus |
| Outpatient Department (OPD) or daycare | Covered including Dental and Ophthalmic cover on OPD basis | All Day Care Treatmentscovered | Day Care Procedure Medical expenses for daycare procedures where such procedures are undertaken by an Insured Person as an In-patient in a Hospital for a continuous period of fewer than 24 hours |
| Pre-hospitalisation | Covered up to 60 days before admission in the hospital | Covered up to 30 days before admission in the hospital | Covered up to 30 days before admission in the hospital |
| Post-hospitalisation | Covered up to 90 days after discharge from the hospital | Covered up to 90 days after discharge from the hospital | Covered up to 90 days after discharge from the hospital |
| Room Rent Cap | No Capping on room rent treatment at Private Single AC Room | Covered for rooms (except suites or above) for the sum insured ₹5 lakhs and above | No capping on room rent |
| Health Checkup | Cost of Health checkup covered for every claim-free year | Pick tests based on your needs and avail cashless health check-ups | A complimentary health check-up coupon to each insured for every policy year, and two coupons per year for floater policies |
| No Claims Bonus | Available | Get 20% more sum insured at renewal for each claim-free year; maximum up to 100% | Available If no claims have been paid in the expiring Policy year and the policy is being renewed without any break-in period, the Insured person will be given a Super no claim bonus viz. 50% increase in the Sum insured for each completed year Super No claim Bonus available only for the Sum Insured options ₹5 Lakhs and above |
| Alternate Medicine | AYUSH Treatment: Inpatient Hospitalisation expenses incurred on treatment under Ayurveda, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathy systems of medicines in a Government Hospital or any institute recognised by the government or accredited by the Quality Council of India/National Accreditation Board on Health as an inpatient is payable up to the limits mentioned in the Schedule of Benefits | Cover for Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy treatments | AYUSH treatment expenses for in-patient treatment under Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) treatment only when undergone in a government hospital or any institute recognised by the government or accredited by the Quality Council of India/National Accreditation Board on Health |
Emergency Ambulance | Road Ambulance charges for emergency transportation to hospital as per specified limits | The policy covers the cost of an ambulance up to ₹3000/-. These expenses are paid once we have accepted the in-patient claim | Cover available as an optional rider |
Here are the highlights of each plan:
Star Comprehensive
- Care beyond Cover: Disease management programme for a healthy life through Wellness. Attractive premium discounts
- Extra cover: Air Ambulance assistance, second medical opinion, Domiciliary hospitalisation, Organ donor expenses, Ayush treatment are covered
- Cover for maternity: Cover for maternity (normal and Caesarean delivery) and newborn baby
- Automatic restoration: Automatic restoration by 100% for subsequent hospitalisation even for illness/disease for which claim(s) were made
- Personal accident cover: Personal accident cover against Death and Permanent total disablement (equal to the Health Insurance cover) at no additional cost
- Buy Back Pre-existing disease: Reduction in the waiting period for Pre-existing diseases
- Covers complex medical procedures: Covers medical expenses incurred on Bariatric surgical procedures and their complications
- Midterm Inclusion: Midterm Inclusion of newly married/wedded spouse and a newborn baby is permissible on paying additional premium
Niva Bupa Health Companion Variant 1
- Refill Benefit: In case of exhaustion of the base sum insured, get 100% of your base sum insured as a refill for a different illness
- Direct Claim Settlement: There are no third-party agents involved. Get your claims processed painlessly by the customer service team directly
- Renewal For Life: The policy assures you renewability for life with no extra loadings based on your claim history
- No Claim Bonus: Get 20% more sum insured at renewal for each claim-free year; max up to 100%
- Any Age Enrolment: Get health insurance at any age. Newborn (at least 91 days) can also be added to your plan at the time of renewal
- Domiciliary Hospitalisation: The policy will reimburse you for the medical treatment taken at home on account of the unavailability of a hospital bed or the doctor’s advice
- Organ Transplant: Medical expenses for an organ donor’s inpatient treatment for the harvesting of the organ donated is also covered
ICICI Lombard Health Shield Plus
- Wellness program: Wellness program intends to promote, incentivise and reward You for Your healthy behaviour through various wellness services
- Domiciliary hospitalisation: Medical treatment for an illness/disease/injury which in the normal course would require care and treatment at a hospital but is taken while confined at home
Go through the above comparison carefully. Before that, understand your and your family’s specific needs, and choose a comprehensive health insurance policy for yourself and your family as per your and your family’s specific medical needs.
Read about Comparative Analysis of Niva Bupa ReAssure, ICICI Health Shield and HDFC Ergo my: Health Suraksha Gold by clicking here