Waiting Period in Maternity Insurance

Why is the Waiting Period in Pregnancy Insurance Helpful?

The maternity insurance waiting period enables insurance service providers to handle risks and provide extensive benefits to policyholders. It encourages policyholders to plan their pregnancies and secure coverage early, ensuring economic readiness and minimising overhead costs.

• Financial planning for policyholders: The waiting period for maternity insurance encourages couples to buy the policy in advance, assisting them in preparing economically for forthcoming maternity costs.
• Enables comprehensive protection: Policies with waiting periods usually provide wider benefits, such as delivery, prenatal, newborn, etc, that ensure full support during the maternity period.
• Discourages adverse selection: Without this clause, individuals might only buy Care Health Insurance maternity cover when they are already pregnant or likely to conceive soon, with the sole intent of covering immediate expenses. This would undermine the long-term nature of insurance and disproportionately increase claims for the insurer, leading to higher premiums for everyone.
• Facilitates reasonable premiums: By addressing risks, insurance service providers can offer more affordable premiums for maternity insurance, making it accessible to a wider range of individuals.
• Risk Management for Insurers: The maternity cover waiting period is a mechanism that enables insurance providers to manage risks associated with maternity coverage and ensure they can provide comprehensive coverage to policyholders in a sustainable manner.

How Does the Waiting Period in Maternity Insurance Work?

To get the most out of your maternity insurance, it's essential to plan and buy it in advance. The maternity health insurance waiting period ranges from 9 to 24 months, depending on the plan. It means you can claim the policy only once the waiting period ends. None of the claims is admissible during the waiting period. For instance, if you plan to start a family next year, consider getting pregnancy insurance in advance to reap its benefits.

Types of Waiting Periods in Maternity Health Insurance

There are mainly four significant types of waiting periods for maternity insurance. Take a look at them below:

• Maternity waiting period: Health insurance policies often provide basic coverage for the delivery, and specific policies go the extra mile to cover additional hospital costs. The common theme, however, is the waiting period, which varies based on policy. It is hard to find health insurance for pregnancy with no waiting period.  Consider getting maternity insurance in advance when planning a family.
• Initial Waiting Period: The initial waiting period defines the number of days an individual must wait after purchasing the policy to become eligible to claim the insured amount. Generally, any illness contracted within the first 30 days after the insurance coverage begins is not covered, except for accidental claims.
• Pre-existing condition waiting period: The pre-existing waiting period is the time span during which expenses related to any illness, disease, injury, or medical condition that existed before the policy’s start date will not be covered by the insurer. At Care Health Insurance, the waiting period is 36 months, after which the coverage for those conditions becomes available under the policy. Ailment-specific waiting period: Every insurance company has a list of specified diseases that are not covered during the first 24 months from the policy start date. Reading the fine print and knowing the waiting periods for various illnesses is essential to choosing the right policy.

Does Maternity Insurance with No Waiting Period Exist?

The answer is no. A health insurance for pregnancy with no waiting period doesn’t exist in India. Most insurers offer a waiting period ranging from nine months to four years. In India, it is not possible to get pregnancy health insurance with no waiting period. Hence, planning for pregnancy is hugely beneficial and necessary when signing up for a maternity policy.

How to Choose the Best Maternity Insurance?

Choosing the best maternity insurance waiting period depends on timely planning and certain factors:

• Short Waiting Period: If you are pregnant and planning to buy maternity insurance, choose plans with minimal waiting time.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Before purchasing the policy, ensure it offers extensive coverage, including prenatal, delivery, and newborn care.
• Affordable Premiums: Choose a policy that offers reasonable premiums with the offered benefits.
• Early Investment: If you plan to purchase maternity insurance, early investment is a better option to overcome waiting period restrictions.
• Compare Plans: Before purchasing maternity insurance, explore the market and compare plans offered by various insurance companies.

There is no maternity insurance coverage with a no waiting period in India. Typically, the waiting period ranges from 9 months to 24 months.

Can the Waiting Period be Reduced?

Pregnancy is a crucial phase in a woman’s life; planning ahead is the best way to start a healthy motherhood. Since finding pregnancy health insurance with a no-waiting-period policy may not be possible, it is essential to plan well in advance.

Yes, the waiting period for pre-existing conditions can be reduced by paying a higher premium in your individual health insurance or family floater plan. However, it is better to invest early to avoid any hassle when it comes to maternity policies.

Since getting maternity insurance for already pregnant Indian women is difficult, early financial planning is the only way to prevent any financial crisis during parenthood. It is a crucial step everyone should take for their family’s well-being. The maternity health insurance, which does not have a waiting period, will provide the insured with quality maternity care, including benefits such as cashless hospitalisation, newborn baby coverage, and Section 80D tax benefits.

^^Number of Cashless Healthcare Providers till Feb 2025.