The mental stress and the financial difficulty of dealing with a critical ailment can be daunting, and none of us want to be in that situation. We all desire the well-being of our loved ones. However, considering the life uncertainties, planning for any unexpected medical emergency in the future by investing in health insurance is the right decision. With a critical illness policy, one gets coverage for several life-threatening medical conditions and various benefits that enable a person to lead a life without financial worries.
Having a critical illness cover is crucial because most of the basic health plans do not cover these illnesses. Leading health insurers offer critical illness insurance plans, and the number of diseases covered varies from one insurer to another. For instance, CritiCare by Max Bupa provides cover for 20 major critical illnesses. Critical illness insurance by HDFC Ergo covers up to 15 critical illnesses. You can also consider Critical illness insurance by Care Health Insurance that covers 32 critical diseases. Care Health Insurance has an excellent track record with a claim settlement ratio of 92.3% in the financial year 2019-20.
Diseases covered by Critical Illness Insurance Plans
Critical illness insurance plans offer coverage for specific life-threatening diseases that help the policyholder deal with the expensive medical treatment and focus on recovery rather than think about the financial impact.
Some life-threatening diseases covered by critical illness policy include:
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Paralysis
- End-stage Renal Failure
- Multiple sclerosis
- Benign Brain Tumor
- End-stage Liver Disease
- Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Bacterial Meningitis
- Aplastic Anaemia
- Infective endocarditis
- Pulmonary Thromboembolism
- Primary (Idiopathic) Pulmonary Hypertension
A critical illness policy also offers coverage for life-threatening medical conditions, such as major burns and blindness. It covers various surgeries and medical procedures related to major organ transplant, heart valve replacement/ repair, implantation of pacemaker of the heart, coronary artery bypass graft, etc.
Why Should One Opt for Critical Illness Insurance Policy?
Critical illness insurance plans offer comprehensive treatment cover for life-threatening ailments. Moreover, they come with specific policy benefits that help the policyholder focus better on health care, thus getting closer to recovery. The key benefits of these plans are:
- Hospitalisation cover including room rent and ICU charges
- Cover for ambulance charges
- Coverage for medical bills during pre and post hospitalisation
- Daycare treatment cover
- Cover for organ donor expenses
- No claim bonus
- Dialysis cover
- Annual Health Check-up
Upon diagnosis of the critical ailment, the insured person can go ahead with the best treatment and claim the benefits. He or she can apply either for a reimbursement claim or avail of cashless hospitalisation, which is completely hassle-free. Cashless hospitalisation facility is available only at network hospitals empaneled with the insurer. Under this facility, the insurer settles the bills directly with the hospital, thus saving the policyholder from arranging cash for the medical bills.
Conclusion
Critical illnesses, such as cancer and heart diseases, can occur due to various factors, including hereditary and lifestyle factors. In the times we live, the health care costs are staggeringly high. Without a financial back-up, a family may have to undergo financial hardships when the treatment costs begin to go up. Therefore, one should plan for a financially secure future by opting for a critical illness policy.
