The experience of motherhood is one of the most beautiful moments of life. However as in other health problems this moment needs hospitalization too and there are a number of expenses related to it. Some insurance companies in India have maternity policies to make this moment smooth and comfortable.

According to the maternity benefit act 1961 in India an expecting mother has to be allowed a leave of 12weeks, of which she can take the first six weeks before delivery and the next 6 weeks after the baby is born. Now according to this act some corporate and even public sectors do provide the leave but where the payment of dues is concerned, rarely is it settled before going on leave. Invariably professional woman have to show the required documents to encash the leave salary. This too takes time. It is here that the maternity policy can solve the problem of a mother to be.

Some insurance company’s like ‘MaxBupa Health Insurance’ cover maternity benefits, coverage for new born and bear vaccinations costs for children under the Special maternity policy. The policy is named ‘Heart beat family floater’ under which ‘maternity benefits’ up to two issues are provided. The benefit is available after both spouses are insured under this scheme for 24 months continuously. Under the ‘New born coverage’ all new born babies for whom the insurance company has paid the claims will automatically covered from birth until the next renewal of the policy. The new born babies also get the benefit under the ‘Vaccinations for Children’ for the first year.

Mediclaim policies in India such as maternity insurance are provided by insurance companies as a component of group insurance policies to corporate houses. The companies which offer insurance policies for pregnant women are: Apollo DVK, ICICI Lombard, United India Insurance, Cholamandalam General Insurance and Star Health.

ICICI Lombard covers the expenses prenatal examination and medical costs.

United India Insurance offers maternity insurance under its group policy. It covers the maternity expenditure on imbursement of an additional premium and also covers the expenses during hospitalization. Patient admitted to nursing homes is entitled to an amount of Rs.50000 or the some assured whichever is less.

Apollo DVK covers both day care and expenses before and after hospitalization.

There are some factors that influence the premium insurance policy of India. It depends on the company’s profile and related risk.

A globally portable International health insurance is essential for Indians who reside abroad and travel abroad very often. Health insurance coverage anywhere in the world assures comprehensive health protection.

Everyone has different needs and priorities for their health coverage. International health insurance a solution provider for insurance plans offers flexible plans to meet the requirements of expatriates living round the world. Their advisors help choose and tailor plans to meet the health coverage needs.

For example if a person has to travel to US or is residing there, insurance companies like –BUPA, Allianz, Aetna, Integra Global can provide the best plans for health insurance. Contrary to the US where 60% of the Americans get insurance coverage from their employers or the American government, in China expatriates have to depend on foreign insurance companies. It’s therefore advisable for an Indian to travel with an International insurance plan before leaving his/her country. Here not only the cost of a particular treatment has to be covered by the insurance companies but from time to time the Chinese government may order for test to be conducted on the entire population for any kind of infectious disease like bird flu etc. The cost of such test at times proves to be expensive which is provided by the insurance companies.

Medical insurance plans of different type’s like- individual, family and group can be availed by the insured which would travel with them abroad to meet their requirements and cover their medical expenses.

For claims to be processes there are particular claim departments in different countries. The claim support teams of the insurance companies help in negotiating with the claims and materializing them.

The insured can contact the insurer through emails or through Skype call which is cheap. At times some insurance companies have their own office or representatives to assist their customers or it is done to a third party like the solution provider. The benefits are same as provided in India.

With travel expenses increasing in our day to day life, the benefit of getting things done online is where technology has added an advantage to our lives. So to buying an insurance policies/plan and settling an insurance claim online has helped us from incurring unnecessary expenditure.

Now why buy an insurance policy online? This is because it saves the time of running after an agent to get a form manually and also processing the whole thing by your physical presence. Technology companies called ‘Lead Aggregators’ help us compare the plans of different companies and pass on our contacts to the insurance companies, who then service our purchase.

We can take the help of ‘online brokers’ who help us to choose and process the best plan. They are licensed by the government of India (IRDA). Once contacted they send the proposal form to fulfill the entire process. They however cannot help in processing claims.

This is done by another section of online brokers called ‘Specialized online brokers’. They provide integrated service to the customers, right from expert advisory service in selecting and buying the best mediclaim plans. Technology powered services and healthcare knowledge powered claims assistance. Such companies provide a one stop specialized service.

For those who do not have the time to speak to a policy seller in person can check and compare the quotes online which would save a lot of time.

More over one can avail easy comparison as the website of a dedicated insurance broker provides all the details on one page and the customer need not search different insurance company’s website to analyze the plans and coverage.

Health insurance claims can also be managed online through different online claim assistance provider.

The special features of this various online mediclaim websites are:

1. Encounters the patients’ data and submits claim online even before the patient leaves offices.

2. Accelerates payment from the insurance company.

3. Features Electronic Health Records.

4. Saves money on claim form.

Mediclaim policy provides cover an individual and his family in case of sudden medical contingency. Having a health care protection is important because it provides monetary protection in case unforeseen health condition. Medical insurance is therefore the most costly than other insurances. It therefore becomes very important to choose a mediclaim policy that is affordable and has got the best plans.

Tips to choose the right and best plan for a health insurance:

1. It is essential to consider the different types of health insurance plans because each plan has got different covers. Some plans provide fees for service facility on the selection of specified doctor. Some plans have both HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans. HMO is definitely a cheaper easier plan because that the doctors and hospitals are within the network of the insurance company. However PPO provides the facility of selecting doctors.

2. Choose the family doctor under PPO if possible. This will make you feel more comfortable as the family doctor knows your health history.

3. Choose the mediclaim plan that offers free health check up, 0% EMI option, double benefit claim etc. For example ‘Star Health’ provides health and life insurance together in one plan

4. The medical insurance cost is different by location and insurance company. Therefore try to find out a cheap plan.

5. A family floater mediclaim would be the cheapest health insurance policy. This is because for a yearly premium of Rs.20, 000 you get Rs.5lak as sum insured.

6. Always check the coverage offered under the mediclaim policy because sometimes the coverage can be shortened or may be included in an exclusion part.

7. Since mediclaim premium are always high the premium is the key factor. It varies from company to company and may also differ according to the age of the insured. Presently Apollo DVK offers a health insurance with the least premium. It is less than Rs.1500 for persons in their 30s and not more than Rs 2000 for senior citizen.

8. To avail quality benefits it’s always important to take an overview on available mediclaim policies in the market. Some leading insurance companies offering mediclaim are- National Insurance Company, United India Insurance, New India Assurance, Apollo Munich, ICICI Lombard etc.

9. The best insurance policy always provides your health care needs. Online tools can be helpful.

India has the highest number to diabetic patient in the world. The disease is very painful and costly too. Hence there are different companies that offer exclusive diabetes policy solution to meet the cost of treatment and hospitalization. Mediclaim is such a company that offers solution to choose the best insurers that offer various policies related to the information provided by the insured or the patient.

This insurance is for persons who already suffer from diabetes. The diabetic condition can be categories according to the complications that the patient may develop with time. They are:

1. Diabetic Retinopathy

2. Diabetic Nephropathy

3. Diabetic foot ulcer.

Any person between the age of 25 and 65 can avail this insurance and according to health insurance of India, renewals are accepted uptil the age of 70.

The policy responds by paying for the cost of:

1. Laser treatment to treat Diabetic Retinopathy

2. Diabetic Nephropathy which may lead to renal failure.

3. Micro vascular surgical correction required for diabetic ulcer.

Hospitalization cover: This would protect the insured person for in-patient hospitalization for a minimum of 24 hours. However in the case the patient has to undergo dialysis or laser treatment this minimum 24hours will not apply.

The other expenses that the insurance company will cover are;

· Boarding and room charges at 2% the sum insured subject to a maximum of Rs.2500 per day in ‘A’ class cities and Rs.1250 per day at other locations.

· Nursing expenses.

· Surgeon’s fee, consultant’s fee and Anesthetist fee.

· Cost of blood, oxygen, diagnostic expenses.

· Cost of medicine and drugs.

The policy covers the cost of treatment up to the limit provided. The insured sum may vary from Rs.50000 to Rs.500, 000 according to the age of a person and so too the premium rate. The premium rate varies in between Rs.800 to 10000.

Each insurance company also have their own terms and condition to which the insured has to adhere to avail the benefits of the policy. For example: A) every communication should be delivered in writing. B) Organ transplantation should satisfy the requirement ‘Transplantation of organ act 1994’. C) Premium should be paid in the official form. D) The insured person should furnish the original bills and document upon which a claim is based. E) A doctor authorized by the company should be allowed to examine the insured person.

With the health risk increasing in India and the sky rocketing price of treatment related to different disease, it has become essential for a health insurance and yet at an affordable price. This is because the maximum population of India or the so called common man cannot afford a exorbitant premium.

A lot of Insurance companies have launched health insurance policies at an affordable price. The government of India has especially launched a cheap health insurance plan ‘Nirmaya’ for ‘autism’ and mental patients and patient with multiple disabilities. In the cashless scheme of this insurance policy an insured patient need not pay a penny up to an expenditure of Rs.1lak if they are hospitalized. Even transportation arrangement would be made by for this purpose. The premium insurance scheme is paid by the ‘National Trust’ for the ‘below poverty line person’. The above poverty line person can avail this facility by paying a minimum premium.

Similarly Tata AIG health insurance offers a cover up to 27laks for a family floats policy for as less as Rs.59 a day. In addition below are list of insurance companies that offer a coverage at a low premium if not as low as ‘Nirmaya’. The table is for a 30 year old person.

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Some insurance companies like ‘Cholamandalam’ offer insurance coverage up to 1lak for senior citizen of India. For a basic coverage of Rs.50000, the insured has to pay a premium of Rs.1, 985. The term is for 1 year. The maximum age limit is 70years. The features under this policy are -1. General and eye examination. 2. Hospital daily allowance. Other benefits offered are- Cashless facility, Hospitalization expenses for 90 days, local ambulance service, income tax benefits, and family discount. Diseases that exist during the inception of the policy get coverage for treatment. Diseases like cataract, prostatic hypertrophy, hysterectomy for hernia or fibromyoma, fistula, piles are treated for the first year of insurance.

Claim assistance is a kind of help given by a third party to file the claims and materializing the benefits from the insurance company. The person assisting in filing the claim is a local representative of the insurance company. This representative is responsible for investigating the specific details of the insurance claim and negotiating the payment from the main insurers. After the claim is filed the insurance company sends out an investigator called an adjustor or appraiser. The appraiser evaluates the claims and determines if the repair estimates are even. The insurance companies accept the adjustor’s evaluation as the final word on the insurance claims. Insurance partners like the policy bazaar assist the insured to file claims and provide other services related to the claims, like downloading the claim forms for them and also encash it for them and at times provide door to door service.

While selecting assistance the customers has to ensure the reputation, the kind of solutions or assistance that the company is providing. Most of the companies providing claim assistance cover a broader spectrum than only providing assistance for health insurance. For example Mondial Assistance provide solutions or assistance in fertility problems, assistance for senior citizens who need a home or who stay at home and can’t move out, assistance for pets , buying a home etc.

Medimanage.com a comprehensive group health insurance service provider provides professional claim assistance cell to ensure the smoothest and fastest claim settlement. They provide dedicated cashless coordinating team to facilitate coordination between the hospital, patient/insured and insurance company. Their propriety analysis of claims helps the customer to extract the most cost effective plan. As they earn their brokerage from the insurance companies they do not charge the anything from the customers whom they assist.

Companies like Bajaj Alliance have a special website called ACAP especially for the insured to find a claim assistance professional state wise and also anywhere in the country. Even if an insured does not get claim assistance in his state he can hire from some other state as their professionals work all over the country. The main purpose of this website is to assist patients and their families to locate professionals who can help with health insurance related problems and questions.

Briefly claim assistance professionals assist families and individual to manage medical claims. This include: documenting, submitting and monitoring the progress of insurance claim.

Medical or health insurance helps our family from falling into any financial crisis due to medical emergency. These policies cover the medical and hospitalization expenses of the insured person during the treatment period and his dependents after his death. Accordingly there are different procedures to claim the expenses.

1. Cashless claim: To obtain this facility one needs to know the list of network hospitals that offer the medical services the insured requires. This list should be enclosed in the purchased policy.

Once this is done during any medical treatment or hospitalization the insured only needs to sign the bill and the concerned hospital would settle the amount with the insurance company with which it has tied up and from where the patient has his/her policy.

Cashless claims are of two types, planned claim and emergency claim. In planned claims the doctor at the hospital with which the insurance company has tied up has to be consulted and the required expenses for the treatment has to be put in a particular format and forwarded through the hospital authorities with the assigned doctor’s signature. This has to be done at least 48 hours prior to the date of hospitalization to avoid any kind payment in the form of security by the patient or his family.

In case of emergency claim, when an insured meets with a sudden accident or has to be hospitalized immediately, he/she may approach the nearest hospital or one of the network hospitals and inform the insurance company immediately. After the treatment the insured signs the medical expenses bill which is settled by the insurance company on behalf of the patient or the hospital can claim the amount from the insurance company. For both the above procedures most of the insurance companies provide a cashless card which helps the insured from unnecessary hassles through insurance agents.

Reimbursement procedure is the second type of settlement process. In the process the insured has to avail treatment from one of the network hospitals and settles the hospital bills. Then call on the insurance company or third party and inform them about the hospitalization and submit all the documents required to claim the amount. Once this is done the insurance company will settle the amount within a couple of days. In this process it is important for the patient to have the original copies of bills, report and document for verification.

Health expenses have become a concern for most Indian families now- a-days. This is because at times it covers 75% of annual income. This is the reason insurance companies in India and also the Indian government has been promoting health coverage/ Health Insurance. Mediclaim is the expenses covered or meted out by the government or insurance companies for the treatment or a coverage given after the death of the patient that is it covers the life risk amount.

To avail such facility, there are different policies called mediclaim policies that provide coverage to unexpected health expenses that may lead to hardship. With growing health insurances it becomes difficult to choose the right kind of policy. Most mediclaim policies are for duration of 1 to 2 years. It is framed by evaluating the overall health expenses and the monthly premium to be paid. These policies can be purchased individually or in groups that is a whole family can buy a single policy called group policy.

An Individual policy plan means a separate policy for each member of the family. For example in a family of three covering a policy of Rs.200,000 each then eligible hospitalization expenses for each individual will be reimbursed up to that limit. Whereas if a family has taken a floater policy of Rs.400, 000 and one of the individual has incurred a medical expense of Rs.300, 000 then the entire amount will be reimbursed by the insurance company. So the family or group policy is more beneficial. The premium to be paid for a family floater is often much less than an individual policy.

Health insurance or medical insurance cover the following benefits:

1. Room and boarding expenses varying according to the company.

2. Ambulance charges, which is normally up till Rs. 1000

3. ICU charges, doctor, anesthetist, surgery expenses and other diagnostic expenses are covered.

4. Day care expenses like chemotherapy, dialysis, radiotherapy etc.

5. Pre and post hospitalization expenses like 30 days before hospitalization and 60 days after release from the hospital.

6. Cashless hospitalization is offered by almost all non-life Insurer.

Before buying a policy make sure about the exclusions and limitations in various covers of the policy. One should ensure the number of hospitals covered to get a cashless and hassle free claim. Any disease incurred before buying the policy should be disclosed to know if the insurer covers them.