Benefits of a health insurance plan Due to skyrocketing inflation, quality healthcare, hospitalization is becoming very expensive.  Large hospitalizations which cost lakhs of rupees can seriously burn a very big hole in one’s savings or worse, burden one with huge debt. Health Insurance plans help in spreading such a risk to larger no. of people, and hence bring the costs down per person.

How does a health insurance works? Health Insurance is generally an annual Insurance policy, renewable every year. The policy covers Hospitalization due to Sickness and Accidental Injury, subject to certain exclusions and waiting periods, which are explicitly mentioned in the policy wordings

Tips while buying the right insurance plans

• One needs to understand that there is no perfect plan. Understand your needs well, plan for the long term, and go for the closest suitable plan. Don’t wait for that perfect plan with everything covered to arrive and risk delaying your coverage. 
• Remember, you are buying an insurance for your old age. With healthcare inflation at 20%, do not go for a small sum insured of Rs. 1 lakh, if you can afford more. A premium of around 25% of your monthly salary is surely affordable. 
• Demand the policy wordings (where all terms and conditions of the policy are mentioned) of the product you are going to buy. Before you sign the dotted line. 
• Do not solely depend on health insurance from your employer. Employer sponsored coverage is changing every year according to claims experience and budgets of your employer. You may suddenly find yourself or your family with very low or no coverage. It is becoming more and more difficult to get insurance for people above 45 years or people who have an ailment or health condition like diabetes/thyroid/hypertension etc. 
• Check the maximum renewal ceasing age of the policy. This is the age when your policy will discontinue. Today, there are policies available which can be renewed for lifetime. Go for lifetime renewable policies. 
• Ensure you spend time in finalizing a good health insurance advisor, who would provide you unbiased advice across all leading insurance cos., as well as assist you for renewals and claims in the long term.