What is the first thing you look for when searching for a health plan? If you said a low premium, you’ve made the same mistake most people do. People often find their insurance plan based on its affordability. Once they have found it, only then do they look at what the plan covers, with most of them choosing the most basic plan.

Answer this - when you’re in a restaurant, do you first look at the price of a dish or do you choose a dish that’s appetizing and then check if it fits your budget?

The same logic can apply to choosing a suitable health insurance plan. It’s important to first check if it covers all your needs. Even if it means paying a little bit more premium.

The coverage amount of your health insurance plan is what makes or breaks your choice. The right cover will cater to all financial and medical needs, and help in case of any emergency. Less expensive does not mean a better deal.

Coverage Amount – How much do you need?

If you couldn’t already tell, your health insurance coverage is the most essential factor in choosing the right plan. Your coverage amount ensures that all your medical needs are taken care of at any given point.

So, do you know how much cover you need?

No need to crack your head trying to figure that out, we’ve developed the SahiCover Calculator to help you accurately understand just how much health insurance cover you will require.

You must be wondering – “Why do I need a calculator for this? I can just do it myself.”. That’s a very valid point, but the problem is that most people often neglect the actual amount of coverage they need and don’t know how to estimate the gap.

Coverage Calculator – Sahi Cover, Discover

There are many calculators that help calculate the amount of premium you would require to pay for your plan. But in the sector of health insurance, calculators to help identify your cover are scarce.

As an industry breakthrough, our SahiCover Calculator is a revolutionary tool to help you choose the right cover for all your needs. It takes into account all aspects of your current lifestyle, from your health habits, exercise frequency, smoking/drinking habits, and your age to your family history and location. We’ll accurately analyze everything before suggesting the best coverage amount for you.

Follow the right approach, calculate your coverage amount and choose the plan that suits you best.

So, what are you waiting for?

Wondering about the tangible benefits of using the calculator? There are various benefits of health insurance coverage calculators including the following:

• You may not always be sure of the suitable health insurance coverage that you require. Using this calculator will help you calculate the right amount of coverage that you require.
• This calculator take all aspects of your current lifestyle and circumstances into account before the final calculation.
• From your health habits, exercise frequency, smoking/drinking habits and your age to your family history and location, everything is analyzed before suggesting the right coverage amount.
• You also get access to recommended healthcare insurance products in order to meet the coverage gap.
• This helps you decide whether you require full coverage health insurance plans or any add-ons for instance. You get more information and confidence with regard to choosing the right insurance plan.
• You also get an idea of the costs of suitable healthcare coverage.
• You can learn about the ideal coverage at any stage and juncture in life and make sure that you are secured accordingly

Introducing ManipalCigna Health 360 Rider that strengthens and gives you a 360-degree health insurance coverage. With the comprehensive range of ManipalCigna’s Health 360 riders, you get additional coverage that not just eases off your financial woes but also gives you and your family the complete protection. The rider comes in 3 variants:

So you have a very good health insurance policy in place for your family. But there are still some benefits not getting covered and you are spending from your pocket for medical expenses. How do you fix that?

ManipalCigna Health 360 is here for you! Introducing a range of riders to strengthen your health insurance policy coverage and give your family 360-degree health coverage. With the comprehensive range of ManipalCigna’s Health 360 riders, you get additional financial security that not just eases off your financial woes but also gives you and your family the complete protection.

Make your health insurance a complete Health Insurance with cashless OPD COVERAGE. Protect your finances from everyday healthcare expenses like doctor consultation, prescribed diagnostics & pharmacy expenses because health issues don’t escalate to hospital every time.

CHOOSE THE PACKAGE THAT BEST SUITS YOUR NEEDS:

1. Package 1 - Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000 in the multiples of Rs. 5,000 (Doctor Consultation)
2. Package 2 - Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 30,000 in the multiples of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000* in the multiples of Rs. 10,000 (Doctor Consultation & Prescribed Diagnostics)
3. Package 3 - Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000 in the multiples of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000* in the multiples of Rs. 10,000 (Doctor Consultation, Prescribed Diagnostics & Prescribed Pharmacy)

KEY FEATURES

1. Get OPD Consultations For Every Ailment Without Any Worry - Secure doctor consultation coverage including Dental and Vision consultations, through the Network Medical Practitioner, up to the Outpatient Sum Insured as opted under this rider.
2. Don’t Compromise On Diagnostics Tests - In addition to doctor consultation get covered for diagnostic tests including Dental and Vision diagnostics, wherever prescribed by the Network Medical Practitioner, up to the Outpatient Sum Insured as opted under this rider.
3. Medicines & Drugs Will No Longer Burn Hole In Your Pocket - In addition to doctor consultation, prescribed diagnostic get covered for expenses incurred for medicines prescribed by the Network Medical Practitioner for up to 20% of the Outpatient Sum Insured.

Disclaimer -OPD rider is available only on a cashless basis from the network providers of ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company Limited. Any unutilized amount under this benefit shall not be carried forward to subsequent policy year.

Key Features Of ManipalCigna Health 360 Rider

• Let go of the worry of paying for Non-Medical items - We’ve got your Non-Medical items covered up to the Sum Insured opted under the base policy, in case of In-patient Hospitalization and/or Day Care Treatment.
• Coverage for Durable Medical Equipment - You also get coverage for Durable Medical Equipment up to Rs.1 Lac in case, prescribed during hospitalization or within 30 days post-discharge.
• Get your Sum Insured restored every time - Advance restores upto 100% of sum insured unlimited times so you don’t fall short of coverage for both related and unrelated illnesses/ injuries. Applicable from second claim onwards.

Health insurance policies are primarily about securing financial coverage towards medical aid for yourself and your family. It is a smart and prudent way to prepare for unforeseen medical events. Health insurance not only protects your finances but more importantly, gives you access to quality healthcare when you need it the most. However, despite a range of benefits offered, people find the health insurance claim-process tiresome, giving the entire policy bad press.

The method of getting the cost of the medical services that you have availed, covered, constitutes the health insurance claim process. A few guidelines can explain to you how to claim health insurance money when the need arises.
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Reimbursement claims come into the picture when the hospital you are at is not a network hospital, or if the claim has been denied. In this case you need to ask for a copy of all the original documents from the hospital, because these same documents need to be submitted to the insurance company for their assessment. Post the assessment of the claim, the money will be transferred to your account.

In essence, the major difference between the two is that in case of a cashless claim, your savings and liquidity remains unaffected.

STEPS FOR REIMBURSEMENT HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS
Below are steps you need to follow to claim for reimbursement under your health insurance:

1. Contact the Insurer through Toll-Free Healthline - Like cashless treatment, here also you need to contact the insurance provider three days before the hospitalization so that the health-relationship manager can help you with the process. In case of emergency, contact the insurer within 24 hours of admission.
2. Hospitalization - Avail your treatment in the hospital and settle all the bills from your end. The costs levied during the period of admission can be claimed along with pre and post-hospitalization expenses. Collect all the necessary documents such as case papers, hospital bills, discharge summary, investigation reports, pharmacy bills etc.
3. Submit Your Claim - The duly filled claim form needs to be submitted along with the list of documents mentioned above. A copy of the form is included in the policy kit you receive at the inception of the term, or you can download it from the insurer’s website. Submit the claim form and all the documents to the corporate office of the insurer, or the nearest office. This needs to be done within 15 days from discharge.
4. Claim Assessment - By analyzing the information provided by you, the insurer accepts the request and processes the claim. In case of insufficient information or a lack of documents, the insurer asks you to provide the same. Failing to provide necessary documents within the given period may lead to claim rejection.
5. Claim Service Associate - On request from your end, the insurer can provide you with a claim service associate to navigate through the paperwork and other documents.
6. Claim Settlement - On approval of the claim from the insurer, you will receive the claimed amount to your bank account via NEFT or through DD/Cheque.
   

Conclusion

Do not get intimidated by the financial jargon in the insurance policy. By scrutinizing every line, one can easily claim and settle their dues with the insurer. Making health insurance claims has become more accessible; all you need to do is- read the steps carefully and take action accordingly.

Unforeseen medical events are uncertain, and you never know when you’ll meet any of them. The prudent way of facing such circumstances is to get a suitable health insurance policy that helps you obtain financial coverage towards medical aid. A Mediclaim backup gives you financial assurance. If you ignore it, you may suffer from a severe financial crunch. However, if the health insurance claim process is tiresome, the insured members lose interest, leading to not availing benefits.
Types of claim settlement

The health insurance claim process is getting reimbursement for the medical costs that have been incurred. Here are a few guidelines that can explain how to claim under the health insurance plan you have purchased when the need arises.

How does cashless health insurance works?

When you have cashless health insurance it means that you don’t have to pay cash at the network hospital of your insurer. Under cashless health insurance, your insurer is in direct negotiation with their network hospital to pay for the treatment you availed.

Why is it important to have cashless health insurance?

The demand for cashless health insurance is steadily growing. Below are the reasons why cashless health insurance is important to have:

• Cashless health insurance is highly helpful in the times of emergency as you might be cash strapped and not have immediate access to cash in emergency situations.
• Cashless health insurance is designed to do away with any forms of payment by cash.

Just ensure that the hospital you choose is present in the network hospitals of your insurer.

Steps for cashless claims

Below are the steps you must take to opt for a cashless claim:

• You can opt for cashless hospitalization when treated for an ailment. This means that the health insurance company will bear the cost of hospitalization. The policyholder will only have to pay those parts that the health insurance company is not covering as per the insurance regulations. The claim is approved basis on the Terms and Conditions of the health insurance plan. Also, the concerned hospital should be a part of the insurer’s network of healthcare providers.
• You need to fill a pre-authorization form submitted at the third-party administration (TPA) counter at the time of admission. Inform your insurance company beforehand as the TPA sends over the form for their final approval.
• The Third-Party Administration counter will take into submission any pertinent documents. This may include the cashless health care provided by your insurer. Also, for verification purposes, copies of certain KYC documents will be retained.
• By this time, the insurance company gives their cashless approval for your hospitalization. They keep an account of all the documents concerning your treatment and during your stay. It is advisable that individuals also obtain a copy of the same for record-keeping.
• The claims will be settled smoothly if you follow the guidelines mentioned above. Ensure that all medical reports, physiological tests, discharge bills, etc. are intact with you. All these documentations must be kept for future requirements or references.

To conclude

Earlier, the insurance buyers were intimidated by the financial jargon in the insurance policy; however, the situation is changing drastically. By scrutinizing every line, you can easily claim and settle their dues with the insurer. Claiming health insurance payouts by showing interest is easy, and needs just your attention.

Ever wondered why people say getting health insurance is one of the most important investments to make? In our latest episode of the Financial Vaccination podcast from ManipalCigna Health Insurance, we discuss this very topic with Author, Financial Coach and Co-Founder of jagoinvestor.com Nandish Desai on how health insurance can help you gain financial security and why a Rs. 1 Crore plan isn’t as far fetched as you may think!

Healthcare costs have gone up over the past few years, with the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of some diseases being unmanageably expensive. While the costs of hospitalization run in lakhs, post-hospitalization expenses at home are equally skyrocketing. Think of having to pay the entire sum from your pocket, and you will see your hard-earned savings hitting rock bottom. To avoid this, we must include health insurance while planning our finances. Opting for an affordable health plan should the foremost priority though the focus must be to choose an adequate health cover that would take care of all our medical expenses. Buying a health policy at an early stage means more cover at low premium charges along with better chances of navigating the waiting period seamlessly.

If you are still unsure of why you must include health insurance in your everyday financial planning, let us look at the following reasons that explain the importance and efficacy of having a health policy in the first place.

Sudden medical emergencies: Sedentary lifestyle has taken over the active living pace of our forefathers. Lifestyle health problems are galore. There is no reason why we must deem ourselves exempt from unexpected health exigencies. To pay for this unforeseen emergency like situation, we must have health insurance, lest it affects our prolonged savings. The health cover amount pays for the bills towards treatment and at-home recovery expenses, thus, enabling the insured to afford necessary treatment.

Regular care: Diagnosis is the precursor to seeking treatment or getting hospitalized for specialized medical care. It involves lots of tests that cost money. Similar is the case for post-hospitalization or at-home care that requisites expenses on medicines, in-patient care, and yearly health checkups. Paying for all this may hurt your savings and investment plans. Replace this with a health plan that only requires you to pay moderate premiums and takes care of your entire medical budget.

Tax exemption: What if we told you that having health insurance could avail you of tax benefits too? Under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, you can claim an exemption up to Rs 25000 on the premiums bought on health policies covering yourself, your spouse, and your children. If you are paying towards premiums for health plans purchased for parents aged less than 60 years, you can claim an added exemption of Rs 25000. Like premiums paid towards health policies bought for parents aged above 60, you can claim exemption up to Rs 50000 for the year you purchased the policy.

Lifetime renewability: There is a misconception that health plans serve you only for a year. But, most health insurance plans come with a lifelong renewability feature. That means that you can renew the health insurance plans for yourself and your loved ones lifelong sans any maximum renewal age limit. Since the aged are more prone to deteriorating health problems, necessitating treatment, a health plan serves best to meet the medical expenses otherwise borne from one's pocket.

In this podcast from the Financial Vaccination series hosted by ManipalCigna Health Insurance, Mr. Amit Chhabra, Business Head at Policybazaar.com—instrumental in showcasing an impressive turnaround for the health insurance business unit and making Policybazaar.com a one-stop-shop destination for all online health insurance needs—speaks on the many benefits of holding a health insurance policy.

Introduction

At some point in life, most people would need medical care. Even if you are in fine health right now, health insurance can come to your rescue when you most need it. Unforeseen medical emergencies such as injuries, diagnosis of an illness, accidents — don't come with warnings. Hence, having health insurance not only preserves your health but also secures your financial position.

Mr. Amit Chhabra gives you an insider look into the many benefits of having a health insurance policy, critical to upholding your health, treating illnesses and accidents.

Finding and purchasing health insurance plans can be a tricky matter if you are unaware of what goes into it. In our second podcast of the financial vaccination series, Mahavir Chopra, founder and CEO of Beshak.org, informs on some of the simple do's and don'ts when buying, renewing and filing claims on a health insurance policy.

As a product that covers your medical expenses, health insurance is crucial and a must. Some policies also offer you the benefit of covering preventive care, but not all policies cover 100% of your costs. Mahavir Chopra breaks down the jargon and evaluates the fine print you need to consider when looking into health plans. Let's look at the list of do's and don'ts he offers.

There are many benefits to group health coverage provided by your employer. But certain circumstances may require you to purchase your own health insurance plan. In our fifth podcast of the Financial Vaccination series, Mrin Agarwal, financial educator, licensed financial advisor and founder of Finsafe, highlights the need for having individual health coverage in addition to your employer group plan.

Understanding Employer Health Insurance Coverage

Group health insurance is a cover provided by the employer. Insurance providers typically offer companies group policies at a very nominal premium. This way, an employer can afford to take one large cover for all its employees.

How Group Health Insurance Differs from Individual Health Insurance

Individual health insurance: This coverage is purchased by a single individual either for themselves or their family based on their employment status, medical history, financial standing and age.

Group health insurance: This form of employee coverage is explicitly designed by organizations to be purchased for their employees. A group health insurance plan is provided based on an employer's financial strength and is valid for an employee only until his/her employment.