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Health insurance for women in India is an essential financial shield that can address their unique healthcare challenges in the face of rising medical costs. It is comprehensive and flexible for individual financial requirements.
Women in India delicately face daily life challenges, embodying strength and determination in every stage of their life. They are indispensable for every family’s well-being and happiness.
Considering their family and professional obligations, women generally tend to forsake their health issues. However, it is certainly not a good practice. Prolonged negligence can lead to serious illnesses and increase the financial burden for life.
Timely diagnosis and immediate medical attention can help secure their well-being and ensure a peaceful life. Bearing in mind the wide-ranging diseases and the increasing medical costs, health insurance for women is deemed necessary these days.
Here is an insight into health insurance for women in India!
Importance of Health Insurance for Women in India
Women in India are affected due to several minor or critical health issues and often neglect getting treated, considering their professional and personal life commitments.
Some of the crucial health concerns include:
- Obesity and anaemia - According to a report, the proportion of female adults who are obese increased from 20.6% in 2015-16 to 24.0% in 2019-21. Obesity can cause serious health disorders like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.
Furthermore, according to the same report, the percentage of non-pregnant women anaemic increased from 53.2 in 2015-16 to 57.2 in 2019-21. It indicates lifestyle changes and poor nutrition, causing a lack of essential nutrients, such as iron. - Critical illnesses - Critical illnesses such as cervical cancer and breast cancer are highly prevalent in women in India. It has led to higher mortality and morbidity rates in women.
- Gynaecological issues - Women encounter gynaecological issues, which can be due to early childbearing, multiple and frequent pregnancies, uterine fibroids, menopause, etc.
Timely detection, diagnosis, and treatment can help women recover from these health conditions. For this reason, health insurance for women has become essential in India. For the benefit of the economically weaker sections of Indian society, the government has provided access to low-cost and free health insurance for women in India.
What is Covered and Not Covered in a Health Insurance Plan for Women?
Women’s health insurance coverage can vary between the different insurance providers. Therefore, understanding the health insurance policy inclusions and exclusions during policy inception is essential.
In general, the coverage for health insurance plans for women is as follows:
Health Insurance For Women |
|
Inclusions |
Exclusions |
Maternity or pregnancy cover for pre and postnatal expenses. |
Cosmetic surgery expenses |
Pre and post-hospitalisation cover |
Medical procedures related to dental, hearing, and vision. |
Daycare treatments for minor procedures |
Sexually Transmitted Diseases |
Domiciliary hospitalisation, considering the immobility of the patient |
Congenital Diseases |
Benefits of Purchasing a Health Insurance Plan for Women
Financial protection
Health insurance plans for women can provide the necessary financial coverage to protect them from unexpected health problems affecting them at any stage. It can help them avail of timely treatment, pay for medical and hospitalisation expenses, and recover faster.
Shield against medical inflation
With the increase in demand for quality medical treatment, there is an increase in the cost of medical services, especially for critical illnesses. Health insurance plans with adequate coverage can secure women from such inflationary pressures.
Cashless claims
Women can get treated in any hospital in the network of hospitals provided by the insurance provider and avail of cashless claims. In such scenarios, the insurance provider will directly pay for the expenses. It is simple and hassle-free, considering the extensive documentation procedures.
Reimbursement claims
Women can also get treated in a hospital of their preference and get the cost reimbursed through their health insurance policy.
Tax* benefits
The premium paid towards a health insurance policy qualifies for a tax* deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act 1961.
No Claim Bonus (NCB)
Health insurance policyholders can avail of a discount on the premium for the current year if they have not availed of any claim benefits in the previous year.
Factors To Consider Before Buying Health Insurance For Women
Coverage offered
It is important to consider the coverage offered by the health insurance policy and check if it aligns with the requirements. For instance, the best health insurance for pregnant women should have adequate coverage for maternity expenses, pre and post-hospitalisation, etc.
Coverage for pre-existing illnesses
Health insurance plans may or may not cover pre-existing illnesses. And if they are covered, they might have a waiting period after which the benefits can be availed.
Network of hospitals
If the preference is towards availing cashless claim benefits, it is important to consider the network of hospitals for quality healthcare services.
Add-on covers
A standard health insurance policy benefits can be enhanced with add-on covers or riders^ for better protection and healthcare needs. Therefore, considering the add-on covers and the additional premium required is necessary.
Claim settlement ratio
While evaluating the different insurance providers, it is crucial to determine the claims settled against the claims registered to determine their claim settlement ratio. It will provide insight into their claim settlement processes and efficiency.
How to Choose the Best Health Insurance for Women?
Here are the essential steps for choosing the best health insurance for women:
- Find the required health insurance coverage - Women must analyse their health condition, pre-existing illnesses, financial condition, etc., and determine the required health insurance coverage. In addition, it should be based on the prevailing medical costs in their locality or city to afford the treatment.
- Research health insurance plans for women - Research, preferably online, the different health insurance providers and the plans offered to understand their features and benefits.
- Compare and choose the best health insurance plan - Compare them based on the factors to consider and the type of plan, inclusions and exclusions, affordable premium, customer reviews, claim settlement ratio, etc., and choose the best health insurance plan that will suffice for the specific requirements.
Conclusion
Women in India confront a range of health issues. Health insurance plans can provide financial security, shield them against medical inflation, and provide access to timely healthcare services. As there are wide-ranging options for health insurance plans in India, it is important to understand the policy inclusions and exclusions, benefits and other factors to consider to compare them to choose the best health insurance policy for women.
