Domiciliary hospitalization in health insurance is a unique benefit where the insurance company covers the cost of home treatment provided the insured cannot be transferred to a hospital. Buying a health insurance policy with the domiciliary hospitalization benefit is recommended to ensure comprehensive coverage.
*All savings are provided by the insurer as per the IRDAI approved insurance plan. Standard T&C Apply
*Tax benefit is subject to changes in tax laws. Standard T&C Apply
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Domiciliary hospitalization refers to home-based treatment where the insured gets hospital-like treatment and care at home. This benefit is recommended in a situation where the insured is in urgent need of hospitalization but cannot be shifted to a hospital. When the insured undergoes treatment & other hospital facilities at home, it is considered as domiciliary hospitalization.
Most health insurance plans in India come with domiciliary hospitalization cover. However, an insurance company will cover the domiciliary hospitalization costs only in the following cases:
Let's understand domiciliary hospitalization better with the help of an example -
Rajan is a clerk who is suffering from dementia. Even though Rajan is undergoing medical treatment, he finds it challenging to do his daily chores. One day while standing in the kitchen, Rajan lost his balance, fell, and broke his arm. He also bumped his head, sprained his neck and fell unconscious. He was alone at home at the time of the incident and therefore, the first aid and treatment got delayed causing swelling and blood clots.
Since Rajan’s condition was critical, the doctor figured that moving him to the hospital would be too difficult and he should undergo treatment at home. All the necessary medical equipments were installed at home and then the treatment was initiated to normalize his condition. It took around five days for his swelling to reduce and the plaster was put in place to stabilize his arm bone.
Once Rajan started feeling better, he decided to claim the medical expenses under his health insurance policy of Rs 15 lakh. Since his medical insurance policy covered domiciliary hospitalization for up to 10% of the sum insured, his insurer paid Rs 1.5 lakh i.e. 10% of Rs 15 lakh as compensation for his domiciliary treatment.
The domiciliary hospitalization cover is not available under the following situations:
Medical treatments are expensive today, whether you take them at a hospital or at home. But if you bring the hospital home and create a hospital-like set-up at home, then you will have to shell out a lot of money. This is why paying for domiciliary treatment can be expensive and therefore, having a health insurance policy with domiciliary hospitalization cover is essential these days. If your health insurance policy offers coverage for domiciliary hospitalization, then your insurer will compensate you for the medical expenses incurred on the home treatment provided a qualified doctor has approved it and shifting to a hospital is not advisable. The insurer will compensate a percentage of the sum insured or up to the maximum capping as specified in the policy. It will not only provide you with financial support for the treatment but will also save your family’s money spent on travelling to the hospital.
Check out seven things that you must know about the domiciliary hospitalization cover:
Here are a few things that you need to remember before availing a domiciliary hospitalization benefit:
Bottom Line
No illness or accident comes with prior notice. All you can do is stay cautious and remain financially prepared. The domiciliary hospitalization cover helps you to avail coverage for home treatment when getting admitted to a hospital is not possible. Therefore, make sure to invest in a health insurance policy with the domiciliary hospitalization benefit. You can conveniently buy health insurance online in India on websites like Policybazaar.com.