Senior Citizen Health Insurance
Senior citizen health insurance is a necessity especially when you are planning to retire and live on pension or interest income from savings. A sudden medical emergency can result in a financial crisis. To avoid this, it is prudent to take a comprehensive senior citizen mediclaim policy.
According to the new guidelines by IRDA, every health insurance provider has to offer coverage to individuals’ upto 65 years of age. These new guidelines will not only help individuals get coverage at later stages of their life but will also allow them to shift insurers in case they are not satisfied with their current health insurance provider.
These senior citizen health insurance policies are for people aged between 65 years and 80 years. The points of senior citizen health insurance comparison can be max age at renewability, coverage of specific diseases and waiting periods.
For example Varistha Medicalim policy covers Hospitalization and Domiciliary Hospitalization Expenses as well as expenses for treatment of Critical Illness, if opted for. The Critical Illnesses’ covered are Coronary Artery Surgery, Cancer, Renal Failure and Stroke. The senior citizen mediclaim policy can be renewed upto 90 years of age.
Senior Citizen Health Insurance Plans in India
General insurance companies offer medical insurance for senior citizens in India and have niche products to cater to this segment in our society. Some of the senior citizen health insurance plans are Silver Health from Bajaj Allianz, Varistha Mediclaim offered by National Insurance, Red Carpet Health Insurance from Star Health Insurance, Optima Restore from Apollo Munich, Complete from ICICI Lombard and Gold from Max Bupa. These senior citizen mediclaim policies ensure that you are financially protected during your golden years and are able to keep pace with sky rocketing medical costs.
What does the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Plan cover?
A senior citizen health insurance plan covers the following:
• Hospitalization Cover: Expenses incurred as a patient after admission of more than 24 hrs. The expenses include room charges, doctor fees, nursing fees, cost of medicine and drugs, etc.
• Day care expenses which arise from use of special equipments or procedures like chemotherapy, dialysis, etc.
• Medical expenses prior and post of hospitalization, the number of days will vary across insurers.
• Ambulance charges for transporting the insured subject to maximum limit.
• Pre existing diseases are also covered subject to terms and conditions of the insurer.
Senior citizen health insurance comparison can be done online by comparing plans offering medical insurance for senior citizens in India at policybazaar.com and other health insurance websites.