Health Insurance For Women

 

The Importance of Health Insurance for Women

Women today are multitasking and have no or little time to take care of themselves. Their effort to contribute economically to the family is taking a toll on their health. Stress, pollution, lifestyle, etc., are impacting their health in a great way. Chronic issues occur during childbirth,  menopause, and at various stages of life, which need unique health care. The other reasons why insurance for women is a must are:

• Cashless Hospitalisation
  

  Whether women are living independently or have a family, they are bound to have a financial crisis during medical emergencies. With the best insurance for women, they can avail of quality treatment without having to worry about the expenses. No upfront payments are necessary as the hospital coordinates with the insurance provider directly to get the approval for expenses incurred and makes the payment directly to them.

• Cover Pre and Post-Hospitalisation Expenses
  

  Pre-hospitalisation expenses like lab tests, screenings, etc, can drill a hole in your pocket. Insurance for women provides hospitalisation expenses coverage. Hospitalisation expenses include doctor’s consultations, room rent, nursing and surgery charges, medical therapies, lab tests, screenings, diagnosis, prescription medicines, ambulance services, etc. It also provides coverage for pregnancy-related disorders as well as accidental miscarriage coverage. You can either avail of the cashless facility or claim for a reimbursement of the expenses. You can focus on the treatment and recovery without having to fund them if you have health insurance for women.

• Cover for Recurring Costs
  

  Women after a certain age and generally after 40 experience several issues due to hormonal imbalance in the body. They may also be diagnosed with critical illnesses that require consistent treatments and therapies. Health insurance for women will take care of the expenses incurred for these regular treatments and provide access to quality treatments without them having to worry about arranging for funds.

• Annual Health Check-Up
  

  With regular checkups, women can keep track of their health. After 40 it is recommended to go for an annual health checkup to keep fit and to be aware of any health issues in the initial stages and get an intervention early. Coverage for women’s preventive care is available under women’s health insurance for this annual health checkup.

• Maternity Cover
  

  Motherhood makes a woman feel complete. This is the most satisfying phase for every woman. However, the expenses incurred for pre and post-natal care can be overwhelming. With maternity insurance, you can relax as coverage is available for pre and post-natal expenses, including normal and cesarean delivery, post-delivery recovery treatments and vaccinations. 

• Future Security
  

  During medical emergencies, you go through a financial crisis if you do not have sufficient savings and at times, you may have to depend on others for funding the treatment expenses. With women-specific health insurance, women, whether dependent or not, need not depend on others to fund the treatment. The insurance will take care of all the health-related expenses and give access to the best treatment and they can proactively take care of their health. 

• Tax Benefit
  

  The premiums paid for the women’s health insurance are eligible for tax deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act 1961. This is extended to the premiums paid towards insurance for self, spouse, dependent parents, and children. Working women can avail of this benefit. A deduction up to Rs. 50000/- is permitted and it depends on the income and age of the assessee. This will reduce the taxable income.
  It must be noted that while Section 80C does not cover health insurance premiums, it provides deductions on various savings and investment instruments. These can be used to save on taxes and create financial flexibility to pay for health insurance premiums under Section 80D.

Factors that Affect Health Insurance for Women

Health insurance for women is crucial due to diverse health challenges like gynaecological conditions (PCOS, fibroids), critical illnesses (cancer), and mental health issues (menopause). Coverage includes cancer cover for women, which takes care of costly cancer treatments and newborn baby cover is for post-natal care for newborns, including vaccinations and pediatric treatments. Early purchase is cost-effective, as premiums are influenced by the following factors:

• Age
  

  Age is the primary factor that impacts the premiums of health insurance for women. The premiums for younger women are generally less than the premiums for older women. The reason is younger women are less likely to have health issues or need any expensive treatments. Women face various health issues as they grow old and may need persistent healthcare.  

• Health profile
  

  Family history and past medical history are important factors in determining the premiums for the best health insurance for women. Pre-existing conditions like diabetes and existing conditions like obesity can lead to higher premium costs. Insurance providers insist on analysing health profiles to assess the associated risk. Women with pre-existing conditions are classified as higher risk, resulting in elevated premiums.
  When buying women’s health insurance plans, considering these factors is essential. Early planning or buying insurance plans at a younger age can mitigate the cost factor. Understanding these dynamics helps in making an informed decision about comprehensive health coverage that addresses potential medical challenges at different stages of life.

• Lifestyle
  

  Lifestyle habits like alcohol consumption and smoking significantly affect health and are closely scrutinised while purchasing health insurance for women or any individual with these habits. These habits can lead to respiratory, heart, and liver diseases, increasing the risk of needing medical care. The result is elevated premiums. Also, obtaining insurance for women with these habits can be challenging, with potential rejections, higher costs, and restrictions on coverage. Understanding these implications will help in making informed choices to maintain health and secure appropriate insurance coverage.

• Type of policy
  

  The cost and coverage for health insurance for women also depend on the type of policy. If the insurance for women is an individual policy, the premium will be different from that charged for a family floater. In a family floater, the sum insured is divided among the members included in the policy and the coverage also may vary.
  You can get women-specific coverage in an individual policy, but the premium will be higher. However, if coverage is required for all the members, the family floater will be more cost-effective than buying individual policies.

Benefits of Buying Women's Health Insurance

The benefits of comprehensive health insurance for women abound. Some of them are:

• Better coverage than GMC
  

  The Group Medical Coverage provided by the employer is beneficial, but the coverage is limited. Another disadvantage is it exists as long you are employed with the organisation. A better bet for financial security during medical emergencies is to parallelly have individual health insurance for women which will expand the coverage range. 

• Tax benefits
  

  The best health insurance for women not only makes them financially independent and able to manage medical emergencies but also enables a reduction in taxable income. The premiums paid towards the insurance cover for women are eligible for tax deduction up to Rs. 50000/- depending on the age and income of the policyholder. 

• Financial independence
  

  A health insurance plan with coverage for women's specific medical expenses can give financial independence to them. They will not have to dig into their savings to manage medical expenses. Health insurance for women covers both pre and post-hospitalisation expenses and also manages preventive care expenses. Women can proactively manage their health with periodical health check-ups. While health insurance takes care of all the medical expenses, they can preserve their savings for other long-term financial goals. 

• Peace of mind
  

  With tailored health insurance for women, they can be rest assured that their medical expenses are covered and their savings are safe. With adequate insurance, they have access to top hospitals with state-of-the-art technology and experienced doctors. Timely intervention by professionals impacts the quality of treatment, diagnosis, and recovery.

Things to Think About When Purchasing Health Insurance for Women

To make an informed decision, you should keep the following in mind while buying health insurance for women:

• Wide-ranging Coverage
  

  The coverage available plays a vital role in deciding on insurance for women. Basic plans are available at low premiums but will provide coverage for minor ailments. You will then have to buy critical illness cover for women to address illnesses like heart and kidney diseases and cancer, for which the treatment costs are exorbitant. Instead, you can go for a comprehensive insurance plan that covers both basic as well as critical illnesses. Women can also opt for a critical illness rider along with your base term insurance plan for an enhanced financial cover.

• Dedicated Policy
  

  Even if you have ample coverage under the Group Medical Coverage provided by your employer, it is recommended that you have a dedicated policy for various reasons:
• The coverage will cease once you quit the job or retire.
• An individual policy can be customised for specific needs.
• If your group insurance has high deductibles and copays, the out-of-pocket expenses can drain your savings. Whereas having an individual plan with zero copays and zero deductibles parallelly will reduce your financial burden.

• Adequate Sum Insured
  

  The rising cost of technology, lifestyle, the increasing probability of chronic illness, etc, can affect medical costs. Going with the prediction it is recommended to have ample coverage to manage the medical expenses now and in the future. As a woman, you are more prone to critical ailments like breast, ovarian, or cervical cancer that demand adequate critical illness insurance to cover the expensive treatment costs. 

• Buy Early
  

  You can reap the benefits of health insurance with a lower premium if you purchase the policy early. The reason is, at a younger age, women are healthier, and there is less need for medical care. Women encounter major health issues like arthritis, osteoporosis, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, etc, as they age, for which the treatment costs are expensive. By buying the health insurance plan at an early age you can get cover for all these illnesses at a low premium.

• Smooth Claim Settlement
  

  IRDA publishes periodical claim settlement reports that reflect the efficacy and promptness of insurance providers in settling claims. Look for an insurance provider with a 95% claim settlement ratio for smooth claim settlements. Also, buying the policy from insurance companies with an online claim process and a 24/7 customer support team is recommended for seamless claim settlement.

What Does a Women's Health Insurance Policy Cover?

Health insurance for women covers the following:

• Pre and post-hospitalisation expenses like room rent, doctor’s fees, consultations, nurse and surgery charges, lab tests, ambulance service, prescription medicines, etc.
• Preventive health care measures like annual health check-ups.
• Cashless hospitalisation wherein no upfront payment is required. The hospital coordinates with the insurance provider directly for approved expenses and makes the payment directly.
• Zero copays where no out-of-pocket expenses arise.

What's Excluded From a Women's Health Insurance Policy?

Basic health insurance plans for women will not cover infertility/pregnancy-related complications like abortions. However, some maternity insurance plans cover these expenses. Before buying a policy, you should read the fine lines to ensure you get what you need.

Women's Health Insurance: Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for women’s health insurance and the premiums collected depend on the following:

• Age of the subscriber.
• Pre-existing health issues while purchasing the plan.
• Lifestyle habits like alcohol consumption and smoking.

Health Insurance for Women: Documents Required

The documents required for health insurance for women are:

• KYC documents like Aadhar.
• Reports of the medical tests conducted as a part of the application process.
• Any other documents required by the insurance provider for premium evaluation.

Summary

Unique health risks like critical illness, mental health challenges, and gynaecological issues that women face at different life stages highlight the need for health insurance for women. It helps them access timely and quality treatments without financial burden. Factors like pre-existing illness, age, and lifestyle habits like alcohol consumption and smoking impact the premium costs. These factors have to be considered for an informed decision while buying an insurance plan.

FAQs on Health Insurance For Women

Q. What is women's health insurance, and how does it work?

Women’s health insurance provides coverage for women-specific health issues. They get coverage for diagnosis, hospitalisation, treatment, prescription medicines, and pregnancy-related issues under the plan.

Q. Can I buy health insurance for women online?

Yes. You can buy health insurance for women online by accessing the official website of the insurance provider. You will have the advantage of comparing plans from different providers and choosing the one that suits your budget and requirements.

Q. What is the waiting period for women's health insurance?

The waiting period for women’s health insurance is the period when coverage for pre-existing illness is not provided. Most maternity insurance plans come with an initial waiting period of 30 days when no claims are entertained except for medical expenses due to accidental injuries.

Q. Is delivery covered in health insurance?

Yes. Maternity insurance covers pre and post-natal expenses and hospitalisation expenses. This plan also offers newborn baby cover.

Q. What is the right time to buy health insurance for women?

There is no right time to buy health insurance for women. However, if they buy the insurance early, the premiums are lower, and they get coverage for critical illnesses that may occur in the future at a low premium.