Health Insurance Waiting Period

How Does the Waiting Period in Health Insurance Work?

The waiting period allows the policyholder to use insurance for planned or pre-existing treatments. During this time, the insurance service provider will not offer coverage for medical expenses linked to conditions under the waiting period clause. Here are some of the key aspects highlighting how the waiting period in health insurance works:

• The waiting period clause is applicable from the day the policy commences.
• The period differs for diverse conditions and policies.
• The policyholder can file a claim for covered treatments after the insurance waiting period.
• Emergency treatments not related to pre-existing illness are also treated with a defined waiting period.

Types of Waiting Periods in Health Insurance

Insurance companies execute diverse waiting periods depending on the type of medical conditions and treatment. Here are the types of insurance waiting periods:

• Initial waiting period: The standard period is around 30 days after purchasing the policy, excluding incidental injuries.
• Pre-existing illnesses waiting period: It usually ranges from 1 to 3 years for conditions such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, etc.
• Specific disease waiting period: This offers coverage for slow-growing diseases like knee replacements, cataracts, hernia, etc., with a waiting period of 1-2 years.
• Maternity waiting period: This type of waiting period varies from 9 months to 2 years and offers coverage for pregnancy and childbirth costs.
• Newborn Baby Inclusion: 90 days from the day a baby is born.
• Accidental Hospitalisation: No waiting period is applicable.

Common Conditions and Treatment with Waiting Period

Have a look at the below-mentioned health conditions with their defined waiting period for claiming health insurance. However, the waiting period for pre-existing illness may vary from insurer to insurer:

*For complete list of illnesses kindly refer to the policy document

How to Reduce the Waiting Period for Health Insurance?

Some insurance service providers like Care Health Insurance enable policyholders to decrease their waiting periods in the policy through additional premiums or riders. Here are some ways to reduce the waiting period:

• While purchasing the policy, choose an add-on for a waiting period reduction by paying an additional premium.
• The policyholder can choose corporate health insurance, which might provide decreased or no waiting periods.

Don't forget to compare several policies before buying. Select a plan with fewer waiting periods.Always maintain continuous renewal. Ensure the policies are  renewed without gaps, as sometimes this might help reduce the waiting period.

Why Do Health Insurance Policies Have Waiting Periods?

Waiting periods in health insurance safeguard insurance service providers from deceitful claims and guarantee the policy's sustainability. Here's why insurance policies have waiting periods:

• Immediate Claims Prevention: A minimum waiting period in health insurance helps bypass policy abuse by policyholders buying insurance only when they need treatment.
• Insurance plan sustainability: A waiting period makes it easier for insurance service providers to uphold economic steadiness.
• Supports long-term coverage: A waiting period in health insurance encourages policyholders to resume their insurance and not purchase it for short-term benefits.
• Managing risks: Waiting periods also cover unpredictable clinical needs or planned treatments.

What is the Survival Period in Health Insurance?

The survival period in health insurance refers to the lowest duration a policyholder must outlive when diagnosed with a critical disease to qualify for claim benefits. Unlike waiting periods, which limit a policyholder's applicability, the survival period is applicable after diagnosis. It usually differs from a month to 180 days, depending on the insurance service provider and the coverage for medical conditions.

What is the Difference Between the Survival Period and the Waiting Period?

Here is the tabular presentation of differentiating between the survival period and the waiting period: