Coverfox.com
  • Insurance
    • Car
      • Car Insurance
      • Companies
      • Third party car insurance
      • Comprehensive car insurance
      • Car insurance calculator
      • New car insurance
      • Zero Dep Car Insurance
      • Buy Car Insurance
      • Compare Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Articles
      • Cashless Garages
    • Bike
      • Two Wheeler Insurance
      • Two Wheeler Insurance Companies
      • Two Wheeler Insurance Claim
      • Two Wheeler premium Calculator
      • Third party Bike insurance
      • Multiyear Bike Insurance
      • Bike Insurance Articles
    • Health
      • Health Insurance
      • Companies
      • Mediclaim Policy
      • Individual Health Insurance plans
      • Critical illness insurance
      • Senior citizen health insurance
      • Arogya sanjeevani policy
      • Health Insurance Articles
      • Network Hospitals
    • Term
      • Term Insurance
      • Companies
      • Life insurance
      • Life Insurance calculator
      • Term Insurance calculator
      • Life Insurance Plans
      • 1 crore term insurance
      • Compare Term Insurance
      • Buy Term Insurance
      • Term Insurance Renewals
      • Term Insurance Articles
      • Life Insurance Articles
  • About Coverfox
    • About us
    • Insurance Blog
  • Claims
  • Contact us
  • Login
image title
HEALTH INSURANCE

Secret to Low-Cost and Effective Health Insurance Coverage

Aniket Thakkar Aniket Thakkar 11 December 2015

Basically there are 3 ways in which you can handle your planned and unplanned health care expenses:

Health Insurance Coverage

(Photo Credits: Sturant Pilbrow)

Most of us can afford to pay for the treatment of minor medical problems ourselves, but are scared of the huge medical bills that come with serious diseases. Did you know that there are health insurance plans in India that are tailor-made for such situations?

So now the question is how to plan your health Insurance coverage such that it is cost effective and cheaper.

Basically there are 3 ways in which you can handle your planned and unplanned health care expenses:

1. TAP into your savings: Not recommended at all. For minor ailments – maybe yes, but definitely breaking the bank for heavier expenses is not the smartest way to go about it.

2. Group Health cover by employees: If you’re working at an organization, which offers health insurance coverage for employees, that’s awesome. As there is some protection there. But mostly it’s never enough. Employer provided health insurance in India, can be quite restrictive. And it’s not in your control.

3. Get yourself a health insurance cover: This would be the most feasible option of the three. Complete control on your healthcare. That’s what we are looking for, aren’t we?

The question is – how do I get cheaper health Insurance coverage if already have some health coverage from my employer or can manage to pay up to a certain limit (say Rs. 1-2 Lacs) in case of a health scare.

So here is a secret, a hidden gem - on how to save upto 40% on your Health Insurance. Read on…

TOP UP PLANS:

If you have a car, you would know the risk of driving without a spare tyre. A top up health cover works on the similar principle playing the similar role as that of a stepney to your base insurance (your own or offered by your employer) after you exhaust the sum insured limit.

A regular policy usually reimburses hospital bills up to the sum insured while on the other hand a health insurance top up plan covers costs after a certain threshold is reached.

Such policies are much cheaper than normal policies.

You pay the first one or two lakhs yourself (called the threshold limit or deductible) and if the hospital bill exceeds, then the insurance company pays the rest.

NOTE: You could bust the limit on your base health insurance for 2 reasons -

  1. Your actual expenses were higher than your allowed cover or sum assured. Implying that if you had a higher cover, it would get paid. In this case a top-up pays for the balance

  2. You underwent treatments which your base health insurance does not allow. OR you went to a premium very expensive hospital and your policy had some limits on how premium can you go – In this case your top-up will not help.

Top-ups work like your base policy. If something is restricted in your base, it will also be restricted in your top-up. So, it doesn't offer more benefits –it offers a higher limit on the same benefits. Specific restrictions remain the same.

TOP UP Vs REGULAR HEALTH INSURANCE COVER:

A top-up health insurance covers once the “threshold” limit is already used.

Let’s take an example. Assume that one has top up health cover plan of Rs 10 lacs sum assured with the threshold limit of 5 lacs, in this case the policy will cover expenses beyond Rs 5 lacs only.

Tip: The difference between normal mediclaim and top up plan is the deductible amount. Policy holder has to opt for deductible amount (shown as the threshold) at the time of buying the fresh plan.

Also, in the top up policies, most insurers do not ask for medical check-ups up to the age of 55 years. In basic plans, this is usually 45 years.

You need to buy a top up plan to bridge the gap between existing policies and actual costs. Your actual cover could be low and you need to adjust it to meet rising health care expense. That’s when a top-up works the best.

How cheap is a top-up health insurance cover?

Now, why wouldn't you simply raise the sum assured on your base plan? Because that would cost you around 40% more and our whole idea is to make your health insurance coverage cheaper.

Ok, let us see how can you save your hard earned money?

See the difference? You could save up to 40% !

Quickly now, a bit on TYPES OF TOP UPS, so you get it just right

Basic Top-up:

With a basic plan, the cover kicks in only when the deductible amount is exhausted within a single hospital visit.

Let’s check it out with an example -

5 Lac basic health insurance – 10 Lac top-up with 5 Lac threshold or deductible.

In the same year if you incur expenses twice due to hospitalization

1st time – Rs.3 Lacs

2nd Time – Rs. 4 Lacs

You have bust your cover. In a year you have spent 7 lacs on a basic health insurance of Rs. 5 lacs. But the balance 2 Lacs won’t be paid by the top-up plan.

Why? - you have to bust your limit in one instance of hospitalization - one visit, not in a year.

Is there a better option?

Super top up plan

A Super top cover on the other hand will consider TOTAL amount of bills in a year not just for a single instance. So in the above example, a super top-up would be a better product.

A LITTLE MORE TO KNOW

Now that you know about top up plans and super top up plans, here are some top-up plans available via leading Health Insurance Companies with their coverage amount and deductible.

WHILE BUYING A TOP UP PLAN

Consider the exact requirement for self or for the family.

The top-up plan's deductible should be less than or equal to the base policy sum insured.

Top-up plans provide dual benefits of low cost and higher sum insured.

For all those who have parents about to enter the senior citizen category, this would be the perfect product. As that is the time when the probability of falling ill is high and medical expenses are bound to increase.

For the salaried, who are covered under employer’s health insurance policy should also buy a top-up plan for higher protection.

Top-ups are one of the cheapest and best ways to enhance your coverage, without shelling out a lot of money. Build them into your healthcare planning. It’s simple, cheaper and effective.

Recommended Link: What is Health Insurance? How to Decide the Coverage Required?</b>

Get Low Cost Health Insurance.
Mediclaim Plans starting from 250*/month
Please enter your name and a valid phone number
Thanks! We will get back to you soon.
I hereby authorize Coverfox to communicate with me on the given number for my Insurance needs. I am aware that this authorization will override my registry under NDNC.
Coverage ranging from
2 lakhs to 1 crore
Save tax on 75,000/- under section 80D
Cashless hospitalization, Free Health Checkup
Get lump sum payout for
critical illness
Aniket Thakkar
Written by Aniket Thakkar
He lives off TV shows, movies, junk food, comics and sarcasm. When he is not working as a freelance imaginary friend to other beings like him, he works as VP of Marketing at Coverfox.
MUST READ
POPULAR OTHERS
Common Waterborne Diseases in Monsoon
Common Waterborne Diseases in Monsoon
Radiation Therapy Cost
Radiation Therapy Costs in India: Pre- and Post-Treatment Expenses
Common Monsoon Diseases and Infections
Common Monsoon Diseases and Infections: Symptoms & Prevention Tips
What is the Free Look Period in Insurance
What is the Free Look Period in Insurance & How Does It Work?
Insurance Ombudsman
Insurance Ombudsman - Meaning, Role, and Complaint Process
International Day of Yoga 2025
International Day of Yoga 2025
  • Popular Health Plans
  • Star Family Health Optima Plan
  • Bajaj Allianz Health Guard Family Floater Plan
  • New India Assurance - Asha Kiran Policy
  • Senior Citizen Red Carpet Plan
  • Religare Care Plan
  • Popular Health Pages
  • Mediclaim Policy
  • Senior Citizen Health Insurance
  • Health Insurance for Parents
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Cancer Insurance
  • Health Insurance Premium Calculator
  • Health Insurance Companies
  • National Health Insurance
  • New India Assurance Health Insurance
  • Max Bupa Health Insurance
  • Religare Health Insurance
  • Aditya Birla Health Insurance
  • Star Health Insurance
  • More From Tax
  • Income Tax
  • GST
  • eFiling Income Tax
  • Income Tax Calculator
  • Income Tax Slab
  • Income Tax Refund
  • GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANIES
  • National insurance
  • Oriental insurance
  • United India Insurance
  • Relience General Insurance
  • New India Assurance
  • TATA AIG General Insurance
  • Network hospitals
  • New India Assurance Network Hospitals
  • Tata AIG Network Hospitals
  • Oriental Network Hospitals
  • Bajaj Allianz Network Hospitals
  • Reliance Health Insurance Network Hospitals
  • HDFC ERGO Network Hospitals
  • Popular Health Plans
  • L & T Medisure Super Top Up
  • Max Bupa Health Companion
  • Religare Care Plan
  • Oriental Happy Family Floater
  • Star Mediclassic Insurance Plan
  • ManipalCigna ProHealth Plan
  • SEE ALL
icon Health Insurance icon Articles icon The Secret To Cheap And Effective Health Insurance Coverage
×

Get Lowest Rates for health Insurance

With Upto 60% Discount

  • Secure
  • Licensed By
  • Payment Options
  • Car Insurance
  • Bike Insurance
  • Motor Insurance
  • Car Insurance Premium Calculator
  • Family Health Insurance
  • Senior Citizens Insurance
  • Group Insurance
  • Corona Rakshak Policy
  • Corona Kavach Policy
  • Super Topup Plan
  • Term Insurance
  • ULIP
  • e-Term Plan
  • 1 Cr Term Insurance
  • कार इन्शुरन्स
  • टू व्हीलर इंश्योरेंस
  • टर्म इंश्योरेंस
  • हेल्थ इंश्योरेंस
  • मेडिक्लेम पॉलिसी
  • Learn About Insurance
  • Network Hospitals
  • Cashless Garages
  • Get Android App
  • Get iOS App
  • Learn
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Sitemap
  • FAQs
Connect with us
Become a Partner
Become a Coverdrive POS Agent

Coverfox Insurance Broking Pvt. Ltd. : C Wing, 6111-6118, 6th Floor, Oberoi Garden Estate, Chandivali Farm Road, Chandivali, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400072

Licence No. 478 , IRDA Direct Broker Code: IRDA/ DB 556/ 13 , Valid till: 26/12/2025, CIN: U66000MH2013PTC243810

  • Shipping & Delivery Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal Policies
  • Cancellation & Refund
  • Terms & Conditions
Copyright © 2025 Coverfox.com. All Rights Reserved