Generally, health insurance plans with high premiums raise financial fear amongst common people. But an affordable health insurance plan will secure your future medical expenses. Fortunately, most people are realising the need of a good health insurance plan. However, before you sign up for a health plan, it is important to understand that plans with “cheap premiums” only offer limited benefits. In order to have a wide coverage, the premium amount to be paid is fairly high.
Most employers provide group insurance to their employees. But what working professionals need to understand is the fact that it is just a temporary health plan. Once you leave the company, the insurance is invalid. In such cases, it is important to feed yourself the correct knowledge about health plans available for you. This way you can invest in a plan that suits your lifestyle and also enjoy its benefits.
Mentioned below are five things you should know before you finalize a health plan:
- Range of coverage: The first step before you buy a health plan is to read about its coverage scope. This means that, if your plan covers only your basic health expenses, then it’s not enough. Limited benefits are offered by cheap insurance plans. Expensive costs can only be tackled if you insure a sum large enough to cover them. A high premium is only needed if your requirements are high. For example, if you are required to take a family floater insurance, the size of your family and their medical history would matter.
- Room rent capping: Capping means the highest amount to be paid while availing a benefit. It is important to check the monetary upper limit of any benefit mentioned in your policy. Room rent is basically the benefit you get on a daily basis, when you’re hospitalized. Generally, the capping of hospital room rent is 1 or 2 percent of the insurance amount. Certain policies also give the option of ‘single private room’ or ‘no capping’. But, you are expected to pay a higher premium in these cases.
- Cashless hospital network: This particular benefit provided by insurance companies’ results in a convenient hospital experience. The reason being, the claim amount is directly settled by the insurance company with the hospital. The only limitation associated here is that not all hospitals will be partners with your insurance company. So, before you finalise your health insurance policy, make sure you go through the list of its partner hospitals. Select a plan which includes hospitals near your residence and offer the treatment you want.
- Claim process: Once you’ve got your treatment done and wish to file a health insurance claim, make sure the insurance company keeps the process transparent. Claim settlement record is an important document, which should not be skipped. Research and read reviews online and only then make a judgement. A consistent and promising insurance company will never disappoint you in claim returns.
- Co-payment: As the name suggests, this payment is partially made by you, along with your insurance company. A voluntary co-payment is the one where you pay if you wish to. Calculated as a percentage of insured amount, it reduces the cost of your premium. It is suggested that you take this option when you’re young and the chances of claiming are less. On the other hand, a compulsive co-payment is a mandatory payment. Make sure you read about the co-payment clause very carefully before signing on the dotted lines.
Compare health insurance policies and read through health insurance quotes thoroughly before you finalise the most suitable plan for yourself.