Things To Keep In Mind When Buying Health Insurance For Women
3 min readThe health concerns related to women have been rising over the last decade. Women with diabetes are at a higher risk of heart attack as compared to men.
Considering the healthcare facility system of India, most medical expenses are out-of-pocket and are paid by the patient. Because of this, women in Indian families tend to prioritise the health of the working male members over their own. Therefore, it has become imperative to design a health insurance policy specific to women medical needs.
So, if you are planning to buy health insurance for a woman, here’s what you need to keep in mind.
- Check the coverage for pre-existing ailments
As women tend to suffer from a wide range of life-threatening diseases in their lifetime, it is best to have a health insurance policy that covers these ailments. Some of the most standard health concerns that should be covered in the health insurance policy for women include the following –
- Cancer
- diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Acne
- Hormonal disorders such as thyroid, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), etc
The treatment expenses for such diseases are expensive. Therefore, it is imperative to buy a health insurance policy for women with extensive coverage for pre-existing ailments.
- The waiting and survival period of the health plan
The waiting period is nothing but the time the insured has to wait for until certain health conditions are covered in the health insurance policy. Any claims made before the completion of the waiting period for the enlisted diseases will be rejected.
On the other hand, the survival period is the number of days the insured survives after being diagnosed with the life-threatening disease. If the insured dies before the survival period is over, the dependents will not get any benefits.
Hence, it is necessary to know the waiting and survival periods of a health insurance plan. Also, it is recommended to buy health insurance at an early age as the waiting and survival period will be over by the time the insured starts suffering from any health concerns.
- Maternity Cover
Since we are talking about buying health insurance for women, the policy must cover maternity days. While most insurers provide maternity cover in their basic health insurance plan, a few offer it as an add-on or a standalone policy. Most maternity covers have a waiting period, so be mindful of the same when purchasing health insurance for women.
- Be aware of the limitations and exclusions of the health insurance policy
Lastly, no matter whether you are buying health insurance for men or women, it is essential that you go through the policy limitations and exclusions extensively. Any claims made on things that are not covered in the health plan will lead to rejection of the claim requests. If you have any doubts regarding any health insurance clause or exclusion, get it resolved from your insurer before buying the policy.
Also, it is best to know the factors that influence your health insurance premiums. These include your age, income, health conditions, BMI, lifestyle habits, etc. If you are concerned about how to calculate your BMI, you can use the BMI calculator for women. Having all the information necessary to pick the right health insurance policy for women will make the task of protecting the important women in your life easier.