Health insurance is a type of insurance coverage that typically pays for medical, surgical, prescription drug and sometimes dental expenses incurred by the insured. Health insurance can reimburse the insured for expenses incurred from illness or injury, or pay the care provider directly.
Health insurance protects you from unexpected, high medical costs. You pay less for covered in-network health care, even before you meet your deductible. You get free preventive care, like vaccines, screenings, and some check-ups, even before you meet your deductible.
The main purpose of medical insurance is to receive the best medical care without any strain on your finances. Health insurance plans offer protection against high medical costs. It covers hospitalization expenses, day care procedures, domiciliary expenses, and ambulance charges, besides many others.
Health insurance covers the following:
Cashless treatment: When you possess insurance, you become eligible for cashless treatments at one of the various hospital networks your insurer has collaborated with.
Pre & post hospitalization cost coverage: Health insurance policies provide coverage for pre & post hospitalization expenses for a specific number of days. Learn that the number of days covered depends on the type of plan purchased.
Ambulance expenses: One of the benefits of having health insurance by side is that it covers you for ambulance expenses incurred on the transportation of insured. Thus, the need for arranging a vehicle during an emergency situation gets eliminated.
No Claim Discount: No claim bonus or NCD is a health insurance element paid to the insurer if he or she does not file any claim for any treatment in a previous year.
Free Medical Checkups: When you choose health insurance, as per your plan type, you become eligible for health checkups from some providers. Please note that free health checkups are also provided by some insurers on the basis of your previous NCDs.
Room rent: Most insurance policies provide coverage for hospital room expenses based on the premium paid by the insured individual.
Alternative treatment: Many insurance companies provide coverage for alternative treatment such as Ayurveda, Homeopathic, Yoga and others. On buying a policy that covers this element, you will be able to make the most of the offered treatment without bearing expenses on your own.
Organ donor expenses: A health insurance policy helps you secure from the worry of medical expenses that come with the procedure of undergoing organ transplant surgery. If not a regular part of your basic health insurance, this element may be offered to you as an add-on benefit.
Domiciliary treatment: If your policy provides domiciliary treatment, you would be covered for availing treatment at home under medical supervision.
Daily hospital cash allowance: This daily cash allowance feature is one of the hidden benefits of health insurance (if featured in the policy) that lets you take care of your additional expenses like food, travel and others during hospitalization.
Apart from the above-mentioned benefits of health insurance, you may be eligible to avail benefits such as dental treatment, bariatric surgery, attendance allowance and others. However, note that you will be able to benefit from these specific features if only your policy covers them. The above benefits & covers differs from providers and also the plans your opt.