Health insurance is not optional but a necessity for the wellbeing of you and your family. With rising healthcare costs, comprehensive health plans can be your source of peace of mind. But with the uncertainty of future medical expenses and any unanticipated problem with your family’s health, basic health coverage may not be sufficient. For this reason, it is a good idea to opt for add-on health insurance as per your unique needs.

Here is the information on different add-on covers available with health insurance.

Top-Up Plan

Many insurance companies offer the option to choose a top-up cover to further strengthen your base plan. If you feel that you need more coverage offered by a comprehensive policy then you can simply opt for a top-up cover instead of buying an entirely new policy.

When buying a top-up cover, check the benefits of the plan. Many companies offer top-up covers with benefits such as no increase in the premium amount post 61 years of age, or no requirement for medical tests till the age of 55. The benefits can differ for each insurance company. So, carefully check the top-up plans offered by an insurance company before buying your basic health policy. This way you won’t need to buy a new policy from a different insurer if your current one doesn’t offer any top-up plans.

Maternity Cover

Maternity cover is one of the most useful add-on covers offered by Health Insurance Companies. If you are planning to start a family soon then you can buy this add-on cover as part of your base or comprehensive plan.

If you are considering buying a maternity add-on cover then inquire about the waiting period associated with it. You may need to wait for a period of 48 months or so before you can claim your maternity cover benefits. So, it is best to buy it a few years before you plan to start a family.

Look for benefits such as cover for normal and C-section delivery, pre and post natal care expenses, and cover for your newborn baby for at least 90 days after birth. Only getting cover for normal delivery or just one or two expenses doesn’t make sense when buying a maternity cover. So, choose an insurance company that offers not only excellent basic health coverage but also the kind of maternity cover that actually makes sense for you.

Room Rent Waiver

Many companies offer a waiver of hospital room rent as an add-on cover with a base plan. With high room rent costs, especially in hospitals offering world class services, this type of add-on cover can ensure the comfort of your family. You won’t need to compromise on your loved ones’ care due to the high room rent in the hospitals.

You can inquire about this add-on cover at the time of buying a comprehensive family or individual health cover. Before paying for room rent waiver add-on cover, confirm if the hospital network of the insurance company is vast enough.

Alternate Treatment Cover

You will not find many companies offering covers for treatments that do not fall under conventional medical fields. But there are some companies that offer covers for Ayurvedic, Sidha, Unani, and Homeopathy treatments.

If you or anyone in your family prefers or requires alternative health treatments on a regular basis then this type of add-on cover is worth checking out before buying a basic policy. Often, people seek alternate health therapies to support their conventional medical treatment. So, if this is the case with you, then buying alternate treatment add-on cover can offer you significant cost benefits.

Pre-Existing Diseases Cover

If you wish to opt for an insurance plan offering you cover for pre-existing conditions then inquire about the waiting period of the policy. You may need to wait for a period of three years or more before you can claim benefits for pre-existing diseases.

If you have heart disease, lifestyle disease such as diabetes, or any other condition then it can be helpful for you to buy insurance offering add-on cover for your specific health needs. When buying such an add-on cover, check the list of pre-existing conditions covered by an insurance company. It can vary for different insurance companies. Ideally, inquire about pre-existing diseases cover before buying a basic health cover. Check if the benefits offered by both the base plan and the add-on cover fulfil the health needs of you and your family.

Critical Illness Cover

Life is uncertain. One day you might feel healthy and the next day you may find yourself diagnosed with a critical illness. You may not suspect it too, if such a disease doesn’t run in your family. If you buy an add-on cover for critical illnesses, you can pay for your care without having to worry about any additional financial strain.

When buying such covers, check if the insurance company pays a lump sum amount or not for the medical expenses. If not then it can get very tedious to care for critical illnesses, which require multiple hospital visits and extensive treatment often lasting for months. So carry out a little bit of research and compare policies and add-ons before you take the plunge.

In a Nutshell

Always choose a company that offers real benefits to policyholders in terms of not only basic health plans but also add-on covers. Carefully analyze the cost benefits of each add-on cover before paying extra premium for it.