If there is a good time for getting health insurance, it is now! Insurance is not restricted to seasons. You may need it anytime and anywhere. And you don’t want to learn this the hard way!
Rather than waiting for getting health coverage, you should start reviewing and comparing policies. In particular, the beginning of the monsoon is a high-risk season and your health insurance policy should be in place before that.
Q. How Are You at Higher Risks During These Months?
1) Illnesses related to water borne diseases
June and July are the months when the impact of the monsoons is very strong. So, it means higher rate of rainfall, waterlogging, puddles, etc. The result is excessive growth of organisms and increase in infections. In particular, mosquitoes tend to thrive on accumulated water, leading to the breakout of life-threatening illnesses likes dengue and malaria.
God forbid, but you can also suffer from gastro or stomach infections like diarrhea during this season. Due to getting wet often, pulmonary or lung-related illnesses like pneumonia are also on the rise in June-July.
2) Road accidents and personal injuries
Another health concern is road accidents with June-July traditionally being the season of the highest road accidents. Wet roads remain one of the highest causes of accidents. Cars tend to skid when you apply breaks, leading to personal injuries. Your auto insurance will take care of your vehicle damage. But your health insurance will handle your medication and treatment requirements on the financial front.
3) Electrocution
Along with the above, comes the risk of electrocution. Often, open wires from junction boxes are also a major cause of electrocution and other fatalities. In particular, if you wade through water-logged streets – you are at a high risk.
Q. What Insurance Should You Opt For?
If you are considering health insurance, two popular and rather common options include independent cover and group insurance. The self-introductory individual insurance or cover takes care of your comprehensive health needs- ranging from cashless benefits to personal injuries.
The group insurance usually includes a health insurance scheme that covers a set of employees or workers. This includes coverage similar to the above, but lower premium benefits as you are getting group insurance. In some cases, family's/spouses of the insured are covered too for a minimal amount.
Along with the above two basic plans, there are other options like the family floater plan. Under this, all family members are covered under a comprehensive policy. Although premiums here will be higher than the group plan, the advantage of this health insurance policy is that you can use the total sum insured for an individual family member.
Q. What Will You be Covered For?
When choosing a health insurance plan you must consider the coverage and also service provider. Costs for pre and post-hospitalization, some day-care procedures, etc. should be covered, preferably cashless. Additionally, do work out on room rent capping, sub-limits on treatments and exclusions for smooth claim-settlement.
Disease-Specific Plan for Monsoons
Thankfully, there are many special add-on plans available with health insurance these days. So if you already have a regular health plan, you can get a monsoon-specific plan. This would take care of illnesses like cholera, malaria, dengue, hepatitis A, etc. In some plans, swine flu may be covered too. Along with the diseases, the plans also cover accidents and electrocution due to the rains too.
Your health insurance is like your financial umbrella during the monsoon period. Even though you are driving safely, avoiding outside food and water, etc., you remain at risk of getting hurt or falling sick.
Hence, compare and invest in sensible health insurance before the rainy season begins and safeguard your financial future.
