Critical Illness Insurance: Buy Critical Illness Cover Online India

What is a Critical Illness Insurance Cover?

Millions of people are battling life-threatening health conditions, such as cancer, stroke, kidney failure, and cardiovascular diseases. For those diagnosed with such conditions, every day is a constant challenge on the health front. At the same time, there is also a subsequent financial burden on the family due to high treatment costs.

We offer critical illness insurance, an individual and family health indemnity cover, which is simple to buy and provides coverage to 32 critical illnesses pre-defined in the policy.

Features of Critical Illness Policy

With the coverage against life-threatening diseases, our critical illness cover has the below prominent features:

Coverage for 32 critical illnesses, including cancer, stroke, end-stage renal failure, and more
Psychiatric counseling for a speedy recovery
Comprehensive coverage at low premium
Pre and post hospitalization, organ donor cover, and dialysis cover
Hassle-free claim settlement
EMI Option to reduce the financial burden
Online availability in few clicks
24x7 customer support

Benefits of Critical Illness Insurance

Buying health insurance is essential to stay financially protected when there is a medical emergency. For people who face the risks of serious ailments, there is a greater need for a suitable health cover, which will cater to the specific costs arising from their medical treatment. A critical illness insurance plan rightly fulfills this requirement by offering adequate coverage for various medical expenses, thus ensuring financial security. Such health plans also enable you to access quality medical care at the best hospital without facing any hassle.

Some of the significant benefits of critical illness policy include:

Cover for expensive medical procedures
Cover for medical expenses beyond hospitalization
Cashless claim facility at network hospitals
Tax savings under Section 80D

What is Included in a Critical Illness Insurance?

The critical illness policy provides treatment cover for 32 critical illnesses. Some of the significant features include:

In-Patient Hospitalization Cover
Pre and Post Hospitalization Medical Expenses
Day Care Treatment
OPD Cover
Cover for ICU charges
Ambulance Cover
Organ Donor Cover
Cover for Alternative Treatments
Chemotherapy & Radiotherapy Cover
International Second Opinion
Lifelong Renewability
Annual Health Check-up

Who Should Purchase Critical Illness Policy?

A critical illness can happen to anyone. A critical illness insurance policy is a must-have insurance policy for anyone in this day and age, when the constant hectic lifestyle has increased risks of ailments, such as cancer, stroke, and heart attack.

When faced with such serious medical conditions, a family’s financial health also begins to suffer owing to the sudden rise in medical expenditures. Hence, this health policy serves as a vital financial backup in such scenarios. Getting the best critical illness insurance policy is advisable for everyone to stay financially secure in the wake of uncertainties. It especially beneficial for:

Individuals with a family history – If a critical illness runs in the family, it just increases the risk for you. Thus, a critical illness cover becomes an essential safety cover.
Those having financial responsibilities – Sole breadwinners of a family must think about their family’s financial security and get a critical illness early.
Women - The increasing cases of cancer in women are an alarming sign. Thus, investing in a critical illness policy is best advised if you are prone to such risks.
Individuals above a specific age bracket – Once you cross a certain age, usually 40, the risk of some critical ailments increases. So, staying prepared with a health cover will set the stage for a secure future.

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How Important is Critical Illness Insurance for Your Family?

While we desire a contented life without any obstacles, challenges come unexpectedly. Being diagnosed with a critical ailment is one example of the harsh side of life, with financial difficulties arising from frequent hospital visits & treatments. A regular health policy may prove beneficial any day, but getting a critical illness cover is a wiser approach to managing serious ailments.

A specialized insurance cover to meet hefty medical bills, the health insurance for critical illness will keep your family financially secure during such testing times. It proves beneficial in many ways:

A safety cover that shields you in the best way possible, this critical illness policy covers 32 critical ailments.
A high sum insured gives you complete protection as this indemnity-based critical illness plan covers various medical expenses you incur in a year.
You receive comprehensive financial protection for hospitalization and advanced medical procedures required for treatment, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

How to Select the Best Critical Illness Cover Online?

A clear assessment of healthcare needs is essential before opting for a health cover. You can now choose the best critical illness health insurance online without going through any elaborate procedures and hassles of paperwork.

Before getting critical illness insurance, using a comparison table to review premium costs will help you select the best affordable option, and you can get it online in few clicks. It enables the buyer to select the preferred sum insured, calculate the premium amount, and even make payments online. Choose a critical illness plan after considering your health condition and the treatment expenses involved, which is essential for making a clear decision.

Key Factors to Keep in Mind While Opting for a Critical Illness Policy

Critical ailments often require long-term treatment. Besides hereditary factors, a hectic lifestyle can also trigger the occurrences of such medical conditions. It is, therefore, advisable to be financially prepared for such unforeseen events. Opt for a critical illness insurance policy to protect your savings, and minimise the burden of expenditures involved in availing medical care. Some factors to keep in mind while opting for a critical illness policy are:

Check if that particular critical illness is covered in the policy
Estimate the medical care costs involved in the treatment to choose the sum insured
Know the waiting period that must be completed before you can get a claim
Select a critical illness cover that offers comprehensive cover with additional benefits like organ donor cover and alternative treatment

Exclusions in Critical Illness Insurance?

The critical illness insurance policy has an initial waiting period of 90 days. The policy does not provide coverage in case of diagnosis of an illness or any surgical procedure during this period.

Before opting for the best critical illness insurance policy, it is essential to read the policy documents carefully to know the exclusions, i.e., the cases where the policyholder cannot get a claim. Permanent exclusions include claims arising due to:

Act of self-inflicted injury attempted suicide or suicide
Any illness related directly to the consumption of alcohol/ tobacco/cigarettes, etc.
HIV or any other sexually transmitted disease
Cosmetic or plastic surgeries or related treatment
Pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, maternity including C- section, abortion, or complications of any of these
All the hazardous activities
Damage caused by a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack or weapons
Illness or injuries caused due to any breach of law by the insured with any criminal intent

Critical Illness Cover vs Health Insurance

Having a health insurance plan ensures a safety cushion that will protect financial savings during medical emergencies. The health insurance plan offers comprehensive coverage for various expenses that go beyond hospitalization.

Many people believe that having a health insurance plan is enough to meet the medical expenses arising from any illness. However, the fact is that there are certain critical illnesses for which an existing health insurance policy may not be sufficient, so buying a critical illness policy is essential. Here are some significant differences between a critical illness plan and health insurance.

Factors	Critical Illness Insurance	Health Insurance
Coverage	It is designed to cover life-threatening critical illnesses that require immediate treatment and long-term medication.	It provides comprehensive coverage for various diseases, including hospitalization and treatment expenses.
Benefits	It offers a wide range of benefits such as pre and post-hospitalization, organ donor cover, dialysis cover, and psychiatric counseling, etc., that help patients with a speedy recovery.	It offers several benefits such as in-patient hospitalization, pre and post-hospitalization, daycare treatments, ICU charges, and more.
Number of illnesses	It covers 32 critical illnesses, including cancer, end-stage renal failure, benign brain tumor, etc.	It covers different types of chronic diseases, medical treatments, and procedures.
Waiting Period	It has 90 days initial waiting period and ranges to 48 months for pre-existing diseases.	It has 30 days initial waiting period and ranges to 48 months for pre-existing diseases.

FAQs on Critical Illness Insurance

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Q.Why should one buy a Critical Illness Cover?

Buying a critical illness cover will help you prepare yourself financially against medical expenses arising due to the treatment of critical ailments. Healthcare has advanced in India, and there is a cure available for several chronic diseases. However, medical treatment is expensive. Critical illness insurance plans help you deal with costly treatment without any worry. Mentioned below are the significant benefits:

In-Patient Hospitalisation Cover
Day Care Treatment Cover
Pre and Post Hospitalization Medical Expenses Cover
Cover for medical procedures including dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy up to sum insured
Organ Donor Cover

Moreover, critical illness plan by Care Health Insurance (formerly known as Religare Health Insurance Company Limited) enables the insured to avail health services like Quick Recovery Counselling with a fixed amount per session, cover for OPD expenses, option to have Doctor on Call and access to Health Portal as well as Global Coverage.

Q. How does Critical Illness Insurance Work?

Critical Illness Insurance provides coverage for the treatment of a range of critical illnesses, as listed in the policy document. The insured is required to make payment of a pre-decided amount called the premium to the insurer to avail the coverage.

The insured person can opt for medical treatment at any network hospital and avail of the cashless facility. In this feature, the insurer would directly settle the medical bills, including those for surgical procedures, with the healthcare centre subject to policy terms and conditions. Using a health card, the insured can easily approach a network hospital and opt for treatment without any hassle. It saves a lot of crucial time, especially during medical emergencies.

It is hugely beneficial for policyholders as they do not have to take the burden of paying from their pockets. At the time of buying a policy, policyholders must check the list of network hospitals.

On the other hand, if the policyholders choose a non-network hospital and plan to pay the bills themselves, they can later get the expenses reimbursed from the insurer.

Critical Illness Insurance offers financial security, which is vital in times when healthcare costs in the country are rising.

Q. Is it Necessary to Get a Medical Check-up Before Buying a Critical Illness Policy?

The critical illness insurance plan covers the treatment expenses for any 32 critical illnesses, as listed in the policy document. The policy will be issued based on tele underwriter, and in few cases insured may be asked to undergo a medical check-up.

Q. Is There Any Eligibility Criteria for Purchasing Critical Illness Plan?

Yes. The eligibility criteria include minimum entry age for a child of 91 days to 4 years with at least 1 member of 18 years or above or 5 years on an individual basis. Please refer to the policy T&C.

Q. Can I Make Multiple Claims for Same or Any Other Listed Critical Illness?

A critical illness policy is an indemnity cover, and the insured can make multiple claims in a policy year. However, all claims made will be processed subject to the policy terms and conditions. The admissibility of any claim under the Critical Illness policy will be subject to the purview of coverage under the policy. Please refer to the policy T&C.

Q. Does Critical Illness Policy Offer Tax Benefits?

Just like other health insurance policies, a critical illness insurance policy also offers tax benefits to the policyholders on the premium paid. The policyholder is eligible for a tax deduction on the premium paid towards the policy under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961, as applicable. These tax benefits are subject to changes in the tax laws in India.

Q. How should one decide on insurance for Critical Illness coverage?

When buying Critical illness cover, it is essential to consider various factors such as the medical condition, treatment costs, and the waiting period to complete before getting a claim for your expenses. Additional benefits such as organ donor cover and alternative treatment cover should also be kept in mind when availing of a policy.

Q.Is it worth it to get Critical Illness Insurance?

Getting a critical illness cover does not require you to pay a high premium. You can now get an affordable critical illness plan by Care Health Insurance that provides you with higher sum insured options with wide-ranging policy benefits.

Disclaimer: The information above is just for reference. Kindly read T & C of the policy thoroughly. Do refer to IRDAI guidelines for tax exemption conditions.
*Source: IBAI Claims Handbook for FY 19-20 and *number of claims settled as on June 30, 2020