COVID-19 Group Health Plan For Contractual Workers or Employees

Coronavirus disease or COVID-19 has created havoc in the lives of people across the globe. Several countries, including India, has been under lockdown for several weeks in an attempt to combat the spread of the virus. As India entered its Lockdown 3.0 on 4 May 2020, businesses and work activities in less infected areas have been permitted to resume operations with complete adherence to social distancing norms. As more people rejoin work, they fall under the risk of contracting the coronavirus disease.

In the light of the same, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) mandated all organisations and employers to provide health insurance coverage to their employees, laborers and contractual workers against the risk of the coronavirus disease. Only when this condition will be met, the organisation and businesses will be allowed to begin their operations.

While several companies cover their employees under the group health insurance, lower pay workers with a salary of RS 21,000 or less are covered by the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

As a result, group health insurance for COVID-19 is the perfect mediclaim policy to protect laborers, contract workers and employees, who are not qualified for medical insurance under the ESIC, from the risk of the coronavirus pandemic.

Features of Group Health Insurance for Coronavirus

The group health insurance for COVID-19 is different from the regular group health insurance policy offered by insurance companies in India. Take a look at some of the most attractive features of COVID-19 group health plan:

• Individual Cover - This policy is available as an individual cover. This means that all members of the groups will get individual coverage up to the sum insured amount.
• Ideal for Laborers and Contract Workers - This COVID-19 insurance for employees is ideal to cover laborers and contractual employees working for an organisation or business.
• Optional floater cover - Few insurance companies offer floater cover to the insured under this coronavirus insurance for labor. However, the employer will have to opt for this cover at the time of buying this policy.

Comparisons between COVID-19 Group Health Plans by Insurance Companies in India

The following table shows the various features of different coronavirus insurance for contract workers and laborers offered by insurance providers in India:

Benefits of Group Health Insurance for COVID-19

Buying coronavirus insurance for contract workers is quite beneficial for both the employers as well as their contractual workers, laborers and employees. Here are some of the benefits of buying a group health insurance for coronavirus:

• Mandatory by IRDA – As per a directive issued by IRDA in April 2020, all employers and businesses must compulsorily cover its employees, laborers and contractual workers under a valid group health insurance for coronavirus. You cannot start your business operations until all your staff and laborers are covered under a COVID -19 insurance for contract workers.
• Protection to the Employees – If you purchase this covid policy for employess your laborers and contractual workers, it will protect them in case they get infected with COVID-19. Being insured under this policy will enable them to work without any fear of the disease and up to their maximum potential.
• Builds Employee Loyalty - Buying coronavirus insurance for employees and workers can help to build their loyalty for your business or organisation. They will feel valued and believe that you care about their well-being. As a result, there would continue working to you and not think about changing their jobs.

COVID-19 Group Health Plan Inclusions

The coronavirus insurance for contract workers provides coverage for the following expenses:

• In-patient hospitalization – This plan covers any in-patient hospitalization expenses incurred by the contractual worker/ labor during the treatment of COVID-19. It includes the charges of the hospital room.
• Pre & Post Hospitalization – It provides coverage for any pre-hospitalization or post-hospitalization expenses incurred for the treatment of coronavirus. While pre-hospitalization expenses are covered for 30 days, post-hospitalization expenses are covered by 30/ 60 days.
• Road Ambulance Charges – In case the insured worker/ labor had to use road ambulance service for hospitalization, the expenses incurred will be covered by your policy.
• Day Care Treatment – COVID-19 insurance for employees and laborers will cover the cost of any day care treatment undertaken by the insured.
• Air Ambulance – Some insurance companies also cover the charges of air ambulance services taken by the insured worker/ labor to reach a hospital during an emergency.
• Second Medical Opinion – This COVID -19 insurance for employees and workers also covers the cost of obtaining a second medical opinion on the treatment.

Add-on Covers for Group Health Insurance for COVID-19:

Add-on covers are the additional coverage that the employer can purchase for his contract workers and laborers paying a higher amount of premium. Some of the add-on covers available under coronavirus insurance for labor are:

• Patient Care – It covers the charges for obtaining patient care services for the insured worker/ labor during his treatment for the disease.
• Hospital Cash – Under this cover, the insurer pays a daily hospital cash allowance to the insured labor/ worker to take care of any day-to-day expenses incurred at the hospital.

COVID-19 Group Health Plan Exclusions

The COVID -19 insurance for labor comes with the following list of exclusions:

• Pre-Existing Diseases – It does not cover the treatment cost of any pre-existing diseases that the insured worker/ labor suffers from.
• Initial Waiting Period – Some health insurance companies will not administer any claims under the coronavirus insurance for employees/ contract workers during the initial waiting period, even if it is for COVID-19 treatment. While some policies have an initial waiting period of 15 days, others may have a waiting period of 30 days.
• Specific Diseases’ Waiting Period – This insurance does not cover any claims arising out of specific diseases until a waiting period of 1/ 2 years gets over.
• Maternity Expenses – Most COVID -19 insurance for labor excludes any maternity expenses incurred by the insured.
• Newborn Baby Cover – It does not cover any medical expenses incurred on a newborn baby even though his mother is insured under this policy.
• Healthcare Staff – Group health insurance for coronavirus does not provide coverage to any healthcare personnel who have been in direct contact with a COVID-19 infected person or suspect.

How to File a Claim Under Group Health Insurance for COVID-19?

To register a claim with your health insurance company under the coronavirus insurance for labor or contract worker, follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Intimate your health insurer about the disease detection or emergency hospitalization
• Fill up the claim form
• Arrange all the documents required to be submitted
• Send the claim form along with the required documents to the insurer
• The insurer will evaluate your claim documents along with your policy coverage
• After the successful evaluation, the claim amount will be paid to the insured labor/ worker

Documents Required to Make a COVID-19 Group Health Claim

Following are the list of documents that the insured worker or labor will have to submit at the time of filing a claim:

• Claim form, filled by the insured
• Doctor’s diagnosis and the suggested line of treatment
• Medical reports, including test reports, investigation results, etc.
• Doctor’s prescription and medicine bills
• Hospital bill and payment receipts
• Discharge card issued by the hospital

How to Buy Group Health Insurance for Coronavirus?

The entire world is living in uncertainty ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease. Countries are under lockdown leading to major economic losses in a bid to curb COVID-19 and its resultant fatalities. This makes it very important to keep your business manpower, including laborers and contractual workers, protected from the disease.

Buying group health insurance for COVID-19 is one of the best ways to keep your staff and workers safe. You can easily buy the policy online without the need of stepping out of your premises and risk exposing yourself to the disease. Following are the steps that you can follow to buy COVID -19 insurance for contract workers or laborers:

• Scroll to the top of the page to find a form
• Enter the required details about your organisation, such as the company’s name, city, contact number, etc.
• Select the plan you want to select for your workers’ safety
• Upload any documents required to be submitted (if any)
• Provide any other information needed
• Select the add-on cover that you want to include in your coverage (if any)
• Pay the insurance premium amount online
• COVID -19 insurance for labor/ contract worker will be issued upon successful payment