Friday, May 9, 2008

Health Insurance for Senior Citizens in India

Health Insurance for my pa and ma!
Our parents took all pains and sacrifices to cover us from all difficulties and made us what we are today. We would always want our parents illness [god forbid] to be treated at the best hospital possible in our city. How do we do it? We do it by buying a Smart Insurance Policy or start preparing to save unlimited money for such an eventuality.

This Insurance cover if ignored, least said could result in huge financial instability in the future. Health Costs are rocketing through the roof and it is increasingly becoming difficult to cover Senior Citizens and People above 45 for Health Insurance or Mediclaim. Everyday we at InsuranceMall.in hear a company coming out with new restrictions OR increasing the price of Senior Citizen Products.

Remember, now buying a Health Insurance for your Sr. Citizen parents, dependant or working would give you an additional Rs. 20000 of Income Tax u/s 80D rebate, over and above Rs. 15000 for you, your spouse and kids that you can take rebate for.

Myths which need to be broken:
1. My Office covers my parents - so I dont need to cover them:
Yes, your office covers them, but what if you leave your job and join a new company where they dont cover your parents. Parents would not be covered after age 70 under Group Medical Insurance taken by corporates, what after that?

2. I will buy it when they turn older. Currently my Office Insurance is enough. There are Insurance Companies which will cover them later.
This would be very difficult year after year, as your parents grow older. If your parents would have BP, Diabetes - this is restricted for first 3 years. So the earlier you take the cover, the cover on Major/Critical Illnesses like Heart Attack etc. would be covered.

3. I have a 1.50 Lakh cover for my parents. It is good enough.
Most of the major costs including surgeries in quality hospitals with good doctors could cost more than Rs. 3 Lakhs. Rs. 1.50 Lakhs is definitely not enough.

4. My Father has Diabetes and Mother has BP. I will buy when an Insurance Company will cover such illnesses/Health Conditions from Day 1.
This is not possible. Please understand that Insurance Companies are for-profit organisations. To cover existing illnesses at the time of proposal, would be just impossible for a good Insurance Company.

Important Points to check when buying a Health Insurance for your parents:
1. Check for Important Exclusions if any in the policy wordings - Call for Policy Wordings of your shortlisted product.
2. Check Capping on Room Rent. There are some companies which have a 2% capping on the room rent. Room Rent above this would have to be paid by you.
3. Check Maximum Renewal Ceasing Age. Most Companies stop renewals from 70 to 75.

Best Health Insurance Floater for Parents below age 60:
Among options currently available in the market, our analysis says the best and most reliable floater product for parents in the age span of 45 to 60 would be Apollo DKV Easy Health Standard.

Highlights:
1. Life Long renewal
2. Good Background of DKV. DKV is one of the largest Health Insurance Companies in the world.
3. Free Health Assessment every year
CLICK HERE TO BUY ONLINE
Best Senior Citizen Health Insurance Product:
From our analysis, the best Senior Citizen Product in the market would be Bajaj Silver Health.
Bajaj Silver Health from Bajaj Allianz, though an expensive product, is the best you can give to your parents.
CLICK below TO BUY ONLINE https://www.insurancemall.in/Forms/frm_G_Health_Insurance.aspx

Highlights:
1. Pre-Existing covered after 1 year for 50% of Total Sum Insured.
2. Cashless Hospitalisation till age 75
3. Covers Pre-existing from Year 2.
4. Covers Domicialiary Hospitalisation
5. 20% Co-payment at non-network hospitals.
6. Family Discount of 5%
7. Good Claims Record
CLICK HERE TO BUY ONLINE: https://www.insurancemall.in/Forms/frm_G_Health_Insurance.aspx

Negatives:
1. Bajaj is very strict on Medical Results. If the results are very negative, they could reject the proposal at inception itself.
2. Joint Replacement Surgery [other than accidental] excluded for 4 years.
3. Life Time Limit of Three Times the Sum Insured. So if you have taken a cover of Rs. 3 Lakhs, the maximum that one can claim in the lifetime is 9 lakhs per policy.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Dummies Guide for Car Insurance

A] Motor Insurance- Significance
Traffic injuries and fatalities Road accidents take a toll of 1.2 million people every year and injure about 35 million a year. Thus, Indian government has made it mandatory to have motor insurance, if you are riding on Indian roads.

Motor Insurance protects your car and helps you in coping with the expense of accidents, damage or theft. While you are driving, you are not only responsible for yourself but also the safety of, your passengers, other drivers on the road, other people’s property and pedestrians on the road. The law mandates that every owner of a motor vehicle must have a motor insurance policy. The insurer’s liability is lower in private vehicles than in commercial vehicles, where the third party liability is huge.

The policy excludes mechanical breakdown, wear & tear, consequential loss, depreciation, deliberate accidental loss, intoxicated driving and any other contractual liablility. Your motor insurance cover allows use of your car for social, domestic and pleasure purposes, commuting to and from a permanent place of work and allows personal business use for you and your spouse. You are not covered to use your car for commercial travelling

There are two types of motor vehicle insurances - "Motor Policy A" (also known as third party risk) and "Motor Policy B" (also known as comprehensive insurance policy). Although legal requirement is met by Motor Policy A, it would be sensible on your part to go for comprehensive insurance policy.
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B] 1.Coverage under the Third Party Risk plan

Third Party risk policy covers risks required under the Motor Vehicles Act. It is mandatory that every car owner be covered against Act Risks under Section 146 of Motor Vehicles Act 1988.

The scope of cover is to pay compensation for death of or bodily injuries to third parties and damage to the property of third parties. While the Insured is treated as the first party and the Insurance Company second party, all others would be third parties. For private vehicles and cars, the 'Act Only Policy' covers third party property damages only upto Rs. 6000/-. Fire and theft risk can be covered by paying additional premium.

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B] 2.Coverage under the Comprehensive Risk plan

A comprehensive insurance policy includes, Third party cover, Loss / Damage to vehicle as a result of an accident, fire or theft, Risks against floods, earthquake, riots and strikes, Accessories like music system, air-conditioner, etc. can also be covered by paying additional premium and Risk of loss/damage while in transit by road, rail, watercraft, air, elevator, etc.

The insurance policy is valid for one year. It becomes effective when the payment of premium is received by the insurance company.

C] Calculating rates for Motor Insurance Policy
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Insurance companies utilize statistical history to determine the rates needed to cover any potential claims and business expenses. Several factors are used to determine your specific rate, including but not limited to, your age, the make and model of your car, your driving record, the car’s purpose, where your drive, where the car is garaged etc.

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The insurance premium depends on the car's value, the engine power, its seating capacity, type of vehicle, age of vehicle, city of registration, period of coverage, the value of other accessories like the air-conditioner, music system etc.
The Insured’s declared value of the vehicle is to be fixed on the basis of; Manufacturer’s listed selling price of the brand and model, The vehicle proposed for insurance at the commencement of insurance /renewal and Less depreciation for usage. The IDV of the vehicle reduces with age of vehicle.
The value of accessories is calculated on the on the basis of original cost of purchase of the accessory less depreciation for the usage. If your vehicle is fitted with anti theft devices, which is approved by the Automobile Research Association of India (ARAI), a discount on premium of 2.5% to a maximum of Rs 500 is allowed.
The rates vary depending on the insurance company as, an insurance company’s claim experience; the types of people they insure and cost for doing business vary from company to company and may cause rates to differ - even by hundreds of dollars. The city in which car is registered, affects the premium amount, irrespective of where its used and where the insurance is renewed.

D] Documents to be submitted for claims made under the plan

In case of an accident claim, following documents are to be submitted to the insurance company;
a) Proof of insurance-Policy,
b) Original and a Copy of Registration Book,
c) Original and a Copy of Motor Driving license of the person driving the vehicle at the material time,
d) FIR, in case of accident involving Third Party Injury or Damage,
e) Claim form along with the original estimate of repairs obtained from the workshop.

In case of car stolen, you need to inform about the theft to the:
a) Nearest police station
b) Your insurance company.
c) You also have to intimate about the stolen car and missing documents to the concerned registering authority where the car was initially registered.
d) Obtain a duplicate RC Book from the RTO office immediately.

In case of theft, the procedure for the insurance claim is similar to the accident claim, however, in case of theft the settlement of insurance claim takes longer as the RTO and the police is given a reasonable period of time to recover the stolen vehicle.


E] Claims made under the plan

On submission of documents the insurance company;
a) Appoints a surveyor, who inspects the damaged car and verifies the authenticity of the estimate of repairs.
b) The car can be repaired only after the insurance surveyor has inspected it.
c) Submit the final bill for damaged parts that have been replaced and the stamped receipt for payment made to the workshop.
d) Once the car has been repaired, you need to make the payment as per the final estimate
e) Submit the final estimate and stamped receipt to the insurance company for settlement of the claim.
f) The repaired car is surveyed again by an insurance surveyor and
g) Then you can take delivery of your car.

The costs that you have to bear at the time of claim are compulsory deductibles, salvage value and cost of depreciation.

F] Best Motor insurance for Indian Roads
Click here for quotes or to buy online
We would recommend comprehensive policy or an all inclusive policy. This form of insurance coverage is the one that pays for damages to your car that happen for reasons other than a collision, including theft, storm damage, fire and vandalism.

This coverage will have a deductible attached, and the rate of the car insurance coverage goes down as the deductible goes up. This type of insurance coverage will be required on any loan you may have on the vehicle.

G] Best Buy on http://www.insurancemall.in/

www.insurancemall.in, is a specialised insurance vendor who have sophisticated interface on the Web, which allow visitors to view brochures, compare policies and even buy the policies directly using a credit card. The site provides extensive listing of policies and has an “insurance comparison” tool that takes the user go through a set of questions before suggesting suitable policies that can be bought directly using a credit card..

Shop for the best Motor Insurance Policy on http://www.insurancemall.in/ and look for the best features and not just the cheapest price. The website currently offers 99 per cent of the complete Personal Lines range making it one of the most comprehensive website across the world.

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Travel Guide for Dummies

A] Travel Insurance- Significance
Health care costs in India are much less when compared to developed countries like the USA, Japan and Europe. In most of these countries medical care is not subsidized by the government, and medical bills can easily exceed thousands of dollars which patients have to pay by themselves. Most people in these countries have some form of health insurance, however these insurance policies are not available to visitors. So, to ensure that you have sufficient peace of mind during your overseas trip, travel insurance becomes a necessity as it covers you for accidents or sickness which happens unexpectedly and unintentionally while you are traveling abroad.
Compare & Buy Travel Insurance Online
Once your trip is confirmed, you can go ahead with the purchase of a travel insurance plan. You can select the coverage start date to coincide with the date of departure from your home country. Please keep in mind the time difference, since all the plans offered are according to east-coast (EST) times.

Its advisable to carry the policy when you are traveling. This would make it handy, just incase there is a need to claim.

B] Coverage under the plan

A comprehensive travel insurance plan covers for your trip, your property, your health and your life. i.e trip cancellation, trip delay, missed connection, terrorism, checked baggage loss, checked baggage delay, medical emergency, accidental death and dismemberment. Along with medical coverage, a travel insurance policy also covers for baggage loss, baggage delay, loss of passport etc. This policy does not cover planned Medical Expenses / Treatment overseas. Some of the travel insurance plans provide cover for personal liability (indemnifies against legal liability arising in your personal capacity during the stay abroad) and financial emergency (replace funds lost by the insured as a result of robbery or theft whilst overseas).
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In the event of checked baggage delay beyond 12 hours, the policy covers cost of emergency purchase of replacement items and in the case of total loss of checked baggage, there is a reimbursement of the total loss of checked baggage whilst in the custody of the carrier, excluding jewellery, cash etc.
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In case of loss of passport, the policy covers the necessary expenses incurred to facilitate the process of getting duplicate passport or a fresh passport. The maximum amount reimbursable per bag is 50% of the Sum Insured and the maximum value per article contained in any bag is 10% the Sum Insured. It does not cover valuables, perishables and consumables.

The Insurance Cover commences on the day specified in the Policy Schedule or the time you board the conveyance to leave for onward overseas journey or the Contracted Departure Date as per the policy, whichever is later.


C] Claims made under the plan

In case of any emergency, wherein you might need immediate medical care or assistance, you may call upon the TPA of the insurance company. Their contact details would be mentioned on the health/travel safe card provided with the policy. Just incase if you cannot call, TPA can be contacted by anyone within 48 hours, giving the details about the insured. Pls find each company’s TPA number and a list of cashless hospital on http://www.insurancemall.in/.

When claim arise, call the TPA-help line number, incase of health cashless claim, go to the nearest cashless hospital (the insurers representative would settle the claim directly with the hospital), incase of reimburse health claim (you will have to pay the hospital bill and get it reimbursed by your insurer), fill in the claim form and submit it with other documents required.

Claims are settled in 30 days that is within a month after the completion of treatment. In the event of death, they can be settled after the repatriation of the person’s remains / burial.

D] Documents to be submitted for claims made under the plan

The original bills, vouchers and complete claim forms must be submitted along with all claims.1) Bills/ Prescriptions/vouchers/ reports/ discharge summary must contain the name of the person treated, the type of illness, details of the individual items of medical treatment, the dates of treatment, Prescriptions must clearly show the medicines prescribed, the price and the receipt stamp of the pharmacy. 2) For reimbursement of the extra costs of transporting the mortal remains to the Republic of India or of the costs of burial abroad, an official death certificate and a physician's statement giving the cause of death needs to be submitted.3) For reimbursement of extra expenses of transportation of Insured Person to the Republic of India, a medical statement indicating the cause of illness and the necessity of the transportation from a qualified doctor needs to be submitted.
4) In case of loss of baggage, Original document of policy, Airline Tickets, Receipt for the lost baggage if unavailable supply any other document which could assist, in giving proof of value, Original of all written reports from carrier, Copies of correspondence with the airline and a satisfactory proof of value for article above USD 100, needs to be submitted.5) For personal liability, proof of judicial decision rendered by a court of law, needs to be submitted.6) For personal Accident, bills/ vouchers/ reports/ discharge summary, Death Certificate, First Information Report, Post Mortem Report Legal Heir Certificate and such other documents as applicable.Also, any other document(s) that the Company requires from the Insured Person to process the claim needs to be submitted to the insurance company.


E] Choice of Travel Insurance and its Renewal

You can either choose a Single Trip or Multiple Trip policy. If you choose a Single Trip policy, the cover will be valid for the duration of the trip, from 7 days to 180 days. And if you choose a Multiple Trip policy, the cover will be valid for one year from the start date of the policy. The maximum duration per trip under this option can be either 30 days or 45 days.

If you have bought the policy from www.insurancemall.in, you can extend your Overseas Travel Insurance Policy online or you can also request the extension in writing while your original policy is still current. Please note that the total journey must not exceed 18 months
Compare & Buy Travel Insurance Online
F] Travelling safe after purchase of a travel insurance policy

a) Purchase the right priced and right featured travel insurance policy on http://www.insurancemall.in/.
b) Ensure you leave a copy of your passport, airline tickets and other travel documents with someone in case of an emergency.
c) Make sure you have the necessary visas for the countries you are visiting.
d) Never leave luggage unattended! Not only can your luggage be stolen but it could also be tampered with without your knowledge.
e) No one wants to spend their holidays in hospital so remember to get any necessary vaccinations before you depart.
f) When staying in hotels (even fancy ones), place all your valuables in the main safe deposit box.
g) Only carry limited amounts of traveller’s cheques and cash with you each day.

G] Easy , Simple & Safe purchase on http://www.insurancemall.in/

Hundreds, if not thousands of companies provide insurance of different kinds, ranging from very basic “emergency” policies to those with extensive and in-depth coverage. The length of coverage, premium, deductible payable, number of people covered, area of coverage (local, country-wide or global) also may vary from one provider to another.

www.insurancemall.in, is a specialised insurance vendor who have sophisticated interface on the Web, which allow visitors to view brochures, compare policies and even buy the policies directly using a credit card. The site provides extensive listing of policies and has an “insurance comparison” tool that takes the user go through a set of questions before suggesting suitable policies that can be bought directly using a credit card..

When you purchase travel insurance online on www.insurancemall.in, you will immediately receive a confirmatory email with details of the insurance. It is prudent to print this and to keep as a backup. You will also receive an insurance policy within 3-4 business days. This policy will have your name, policy number, insurance company's contact information such as the toll-free telephone number and the address where claims should be submitted.

H] Best Buy on http://www.insurancemall.in/

The website currently offers 99 per cent of the complete Personal Lines range making it one of the most comprehensive website across the world. The success of http://www.insurancemall.in/, reinforces the vision of industry watchers who predict the future of distribution in cost-effective modern channels. The power of internet is spreading across India. India is poised to set new global benchmarks in innovative customer service in Insurance. It is estimated that about 20 million homes will have access to broad band net connection by 2010. (Source: www.irda.org). With M-Commerce booming, 1 in every 5 people has a mobile and 1 in every 10 people have access to internet. This is not only an opportunity for Marketers but it’s a whole new ball game for people like you and me, We have access to the most latest, updated and happening news in the country. There’s a wonderful e-shopping experience awaiting you at http://www.insurancemall.in/.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Guide on Indian Health Insurance Cover

About Health Insurance objective of this 30 question guide is to give you as much information as possible about Health Insurance.

1) What is health insurance?
A health insurance policy will provide a cover to you and your family against sudden medical contingency or bodily injury arising from Physical condition, Psychological condition, Accident related, Occupational related, Environment related, Life style related and Travel related.
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2) Why health insurance?
Every human being is exposed to various health hazards. Medical emergency can strike anyone without pre-warning. Inadequate facilities in government hospitals, High expenses in Private hospitals, Rising cost of Medicines, Diagnostic charges and Specialists makes it necessary to have Health insurance.


3) What is the kind of medical emergency that can strike?
A medical emergency can be Medical illness, Injury / Accident, Major illness, Critical illness and Chronic illness.

4) What impact will a medical emergency have on you and your family?
A medical emergency can Burn a hole in your pocket, Immediate need for medical aid, Loss of quality life, Loss of career options / Income, Disruption in home life, Mental trauma and incapacitation.

5) What does a standard insurance policy cover?
A standard health insurance covers Room and boarding expenses provided by the hospital, Nursing expenses, Diagnostic and medicine expenses, Surgeon, Anesthetist, Medical Practitioner, Consultants, Specialist fees, Anesthesia, blood, oxygen, operation theatre expenses, cost of surgical appliances, medicines and drugs and similar expenses such as Pre-hospitalisation and post hospitalization expenses subject to conditions and limits.

6) What are the benefits of buying health insurance at a young age?
It is best to take medical insurance at a younger age, when the insurance seeker does not suffer from any ailments or sicknesses. This is important because as one ages, there is a greater likelihood of developing ailments and as such Health insurance premium tends to increase with age -- more the age, higher the premium. Existing ailments are not covered at the time of opting for medical insurance. Hence it would be prudent to opt for the insurance cover at an early age. Furthermore, taking a policy earlier can also save the trouble of undergoing a medical check up.

7) How is premium determined?
Premium depends on several factors such as Your age, Amount of coverage required, Number of family members covered, Other additional benefits, Your health condition and Your earnings.

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8) How does a health policy differ vis-Ã -vis a life insurance policy?
The health insurance plan is more comprehensive in its coverage. All expenses involved in hospitalization fall under its purview. Life insurers usually cover critical illness and hospital cash extensions (only room rent charges) on life policies, which do not include doctors fees, expenses incurred on buying medicine and surgery costs etc.

9) Why is it important to disclose health details when I buy a policy?
Mention of details is critical since insurance companies assess the policyholders risk profile on the basis of his/her health. An insurance contract works on the principal of utmost good faith, which implies that information furnished by a policyholder is true and correct. Moreover, non-disclosure can also lead to rejection of a claim.

10) What are the types of Health Insurance?
Group insurance: Group medical insurance offers insurance cover to a group with a common trait – it may be employees of a company, members of a club or an association or members of a co-operative society etc. Many employers now provide medical insurance as a perquisite to their employees.

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Individual insurance: Individual insurance caters to the specific needs of an individual. Premium for an individual insurance is higher than group insurance.

Floater: A floater is a unique plan wherein the value of sum insured opted can be used by all the members of the family or by a single-family member. Basically, the sum insured amount floats over all the members covered. For example: if the policy is bought for 3 lacs, then either all three members of the family can use Rs 1 lac each or one member can use the entire cover of 3 lacs.

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11) What are the benefits of Group Insurance?
Benefits of Group Insurance are Premium under group insurance is less than a stand-alone personal insurance policy, Discount offered depends of the size of the group, A quick and effective way to extend cover to a large chunk of population, Products can be customised to the size of the group and Group insurance is more flexible and provide more benefits.

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12) What are the benefits of a Floater Plan?
Benefits of a floater plan are A single policy takes care of your entire family, Single premium for the entire family, The sum insured floats over the entire family, One single policy covers the details of entire family, No hassles of tracking renewals for different members.
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13) What is TPA?
TPA stands for Third Party Administrator. A TPA is a specialized health service provider rendering variety of services like networking with hospitals, arranging for hospitalization and claim processing and settlement. While the insured is benefited by quicker & better health service, insurers are benefited by reduction in their administrative costs, fraudulent claims and ultimately bringing down the claim ratios. An insurance company can have more than one TPA and a TPA can serve more than one insurance company.
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14) What are the scope of services of TPAs?
The scope of services of TPAs include: Maintain database of policyholders, Issue of identity card to all policyholders, Provide ambulance service, Provide information to policyholders about hospitals, Check various investigations, Provide Cashless service and Process claims.
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15) What should I keep in mind before obtaining services from TPA?
Don’t insist for admission to the hospital merely for investigation, evaluation or health check-up as these are not approved by TPAs, In case of cashless hospitalisation, ensure to seek pre-authorisation approval from the TPA, Don’t carry back any original documents at the time of discharge from the hospital, if the TPA approves your cashless claim, Don’t forget to sign the claim form, In case of emergency hospitalization at a non-network hospital, don’t forget to submit the claim form with your signature (or signature of the claimant) along with all the required documents to the nearest TPA office within 7 days from discharge.
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16) What is cashless hospitalization?
Cashless hospitalization is service provided by an insurer wherein you are not required to settle the hospitalization expenses at the time of discharge from hospital. The settlement is done directly by the insurance company. However, prior approval is required from the TPA before the patient is admitted into the hospital.
17) What are the types of cashless claims?
Planned: Where the insured is aware of the hospitalisation 2-3 days in advance.
Emergency: Where the insured or any covered family member meets with sudden accident or suffers from bout of illness that requires immediate hospitalisation.
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18) What do I do in case of planned / emergency hospitalisation?

In case of planned hospitalization: Contact the toll free help-line number, Fax / submit the required documents, Obtain approval from the TPA , Obtain authorisation for network / non-network hospitals, Avail health treatment.

In case of emergency hospitalization: Rush the patient to the hospital, Patient avails treatment, Family contacts toll free number provided by the insurer, Family submits required documents, Family obtains approval from the TPA, Family obtains authorization for network / non-network hospitals, Hospital bills are directly settled by the TPA.
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19) What are the documents required for filing a non-cashless claim?
The following documents are required:- Duly completed claim form, Xerox copy of the policy, Bills, receipts and discharge certificate/card from the hospital in originals, Bills from chemists supported by proper prescription, Receipt and pathological test reports from a pathologist, Medical practitioner / surgeon prescribing the test, Nature of operation performed and surgeon’s bill and receipt.

20) How can I prevent rejection of my claim?
Understand your policy in detail. Be informed about the ‘Fine print’, exclusions and details pertaining to depreciation and deductions, Do not hesitate to ask details of deductions or rejections, Read the list of coverage and exclusions in policy wordings, Ensure that you declare all the pre-existing diseases at the time of enrolment, Do not claim for any hospitalisation and diagnostic studies / investigation charges, which do not confirm existence of an illness or injury that requires hospitalization, After filing your claim, make sure that you maintain minutes of your interaction with the insurer in black and white.
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21) What is a Health Card?
A Health Card is an identity card, which will identify you as the insured and will provide you access to the network hospitals. You receive a health card along with your policy document.
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22) Explain network hospital and non-network hospitals?
Network hospitals form part of insurance company’s network i.e. the insurance company has a tie-up with such hospitals to provide cashless facility. While non-network hospitals do not form part of insurance company’s network list and do not provide cashless facility. However, a customer can avail medical treatment and can claim reimbursement from the insurance company on submission of relevant documents.

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23) What are the things to be read in Policy Wordings?
The list of coverage and exclusions under the policy, Additional benefits over and above basic coverage, Duration of pre-and post-hospitalization expenses, Number of network hospitals, No claim bonus (NCB) eligible under the policy.

Health Insurance:-

Healthcare is an integral and critical concern of any household. Your family means a lot to you and hence you want the best for them. Protecting your family against any untoward medical contingency is your top priority. Choosing between health plans is not as easy as it once was. Although there is no one "best" plan, there are some plans that will be better than others for you and your family's health needs. Plans differ, both in how much you have to pay and how easy it is to get the services you need. Although no plan will pay for all the costs associated with your medical care, some plans will cover more than others. However, with wide array of products available in the market, taking a decision becomes difficult.
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24) What are the points to be considered before buying a health policy?

a) Cost-benefit Ground: The cost of buying should justify the benefits covered under the policy. In other words, you have to strike a right balance between the cost and benefits available.

b) Adequate Cover: Adequate cover refers to your need to cover your entire family (i.e.spouse, children and your dependent parents). Thus, you should opt for a policy, which covers your family at a minimal cost. Presently, there are floater policies available in the market, which would cover your entire family more efficiently.

c) Age Factor: Age is another critical factor that needs to be taken into account. In case of children as well as parents, the age factor becomes more important since beyond a particular age, coverage might not be possible. The required age for buying a policy would vary from insurer to insurer.
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25) How to choose the right insurance policy?
Be an informed customer, Do proper research on companies and products, Read the fine print carefully, Purchase a medical insurance policy with basic health care coverage, Buy a policy at a young age to avail benefits, Keep your family health history in mind before opting for add-ons, Try to cover your entire family and Review your policy every year.
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26) How much you should invest in health insurance policy?
- If you are a student: Individual health insurance policy with basic coverage, up to Rs 1 lac is recommended.
- If your are a 25-35 years with 1 child, Comprehensive health insurance coverage for the entire family without maternity benefit. Either 3 individual policies or a floater cover along with investment of 50% of one months salary in health insurance is recommended.
- If you are a 35-45 years with 2 child, Comprehensive health policy without maternity benefit. Four individual policies or floater cover for the entire family along with investment of 10-20% of your annual income in health insurance is recommended.
- If you are a 45-55 years with 2 child, Increase your health insurance cover. Individual cover for yourself and your spouse preferably, then investment of 25-30% of your annual income in health insurance is recommended.
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27) How to identify your needs before selecting a life insurance insurance cover?
Before considering any kind of purchase, it becomes imperative that individuals first identify their needs. An individual is single and earning but has no financial dependants, then he may not really need life insurance. This stems from the fact that nobody is going to be 'financially hurt' in the absence of the insured (i.e. the individual in question).
On the other hand, we can consider a married individual who has family members dependent on him. He also happens to be the sole earning member in the family. Such an individual obviously needs life insurance. This stems from the fact that his entire family is dependant on him for financial support and in his absence, their lifestyle would be severely impaired. Such individuals should have adequate life cover as early as possible.
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28) How much insurance do you need?After having identified the need to buy insurance, the next step is to ascertain the amount of cover needed. The concept of human life value (HLV) can help in deciding how much life cover an individual should opt for. The HLV takes factors like the individual's annual income and expenses along with the inflation rate into consideration while calculating the value.
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29) How to choose between various companies plans?
Its vital to compare policies across companies. Before zeroing in on an insurance plan from any company, individuals should compare policies across insurance companies. This will help them in evaluating which insurance plan is best suited to their needs. One way of doing this is by contacting the insurance agent and asking him for a comparative analysis of insurance plans. Another way is by visiting the websites of different companies and scouting for relevant information. And the easiest way is to simply logging in at http://www.insurancemall.in/ and comparing plane of various companies over best features and best prices.

30) What makes http://www.insurancemall.in/ so unique?
It is India’s first compare-buy portal developed by Bonsai Team. It not only allows one to compare, buy and print policy online but it also educates one with the following:
- General information about insurance
- Frequently asked questions about insurance
- Accurate information about Claims Assistance
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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Reliance Healthwise - Product Review

Name : Reliance Healthwise Gold
Category : Regular Health Insurance/Mediclaim
Product Rating : **** [4.0/5]
Service and Response Record: *** [2.5/5]
Claims Record : Not measurable, as relatively new product

In a blink:

Maximum Cover : Rs. 5 Lakhs
Maximum Entry Age : 55 Years in Gold, 60 in Silver.
Policy ceasing age : 75 years
No. of Network Hospitals : 3000+
Room Rent Limit : No Limit
Ambulance Charges : Covered till Rs. 1000
Pre/Post Hospitalization : 60/90 days

If you are less than 55 and having no illness/health complaint and looking out for a good Family Floater policy, then Reliance Healthwise GOLD is the best value for money you can get. If you are younger than 45 then it is all the more easier!

Here’s a Brief Review on the product:

Unique Features:
The product provides some unique features at fantastic unheard costs

1. Double Critical Illness Cover:
This is one of the highlights of the product. For 10 listed Critical/Major illnesses, your cover automatically becomes double of the normal cover you have taken.
So if Mr. Kumar has taken a policy of Rs. 3 Lakhs for his family, and he is diagnosed with paralysis, his cover for treatment of paralysis will be Rs. 6 Lakhs

The illnesses that are covered are:
a. Cancer
b. Coronary artery bypass surgery
c. First Heart Attack
d. Kidney Failure
e. Multiple Sclerosis
f. Major Organ Transplant
g. Stroke
h. Aorta Graft Surgery
i. Paralysis
Primary Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

2. Instant issuance of Health Cards:
Health Cards are issued instantly on purchase of the policy. The same are activated within 2 working days of receipt of the proposal form.



3. Instant Other Good features:

1. Daily Allowance from 4th day of Hospitalization
2. Nurse Allowance when recommended by licensed doctor.
3. Recovery Benefit: Lump sum benefit when hospitalized for more than 10 days.
4. Expenses of accompanying person.

4. Attractive Pricing:

When you compare the prices you will realize that the pricing of Reliance products [in spite being the best feature product in the market] is the lowest.
This combo makes it a great deal, unheard of in the Indian Health Insurance Industry.

Negatives:

1. The underwriter/company is selective to proposals, and has a record of rejecting most cases with pre-existing conditions.
2. It is relatively a new product, and has very low claims experience, so the claim payment record is still not assessed completely.

Claim Record:

We have experienced a few claims on Reliance Healthwise and found the process to be quite responsive. We would rate it at 3/5 for Claims processing.

Exclusions:
Click here to view exclusions.


Common Questions?

1. Why is it so cheap compared to other plans?

Every Company is free to have its own pricing philosophy.
Reliance as a group has always been associated with mass selling, market share grabbing, price driven marketing tactics. This is one of them. So enjoy!

2. Though it is mentioned that Pre-existing is covered after 2 years, you say proposal would be rejected if there is mention of any pre-existing illness/condition? Is this not contradictory?

What this means is that, if the proposal is accepted, pre-existing would be covered from third year. At the same time we would clearly inform you that in 99% of cases we have observed that such proposals are rejected.








What is the procedure to buy Reliance Healthwise?

The following is the process, once you have placed the order through the order link:

Below 45 Cases:

We would send you the Health Cards by courier in 2 working days from the payment day.
There would also be enclosed a filled in form. You need to Sign the attached proposal form at 2 places and courier to it in the self addressed envelope sent along with the Health Kit. The Parcel comprises of 2 forms – one pre-filled and one blank, as back up in case you have any changes to make.
Kits would be activated in 2 working days from the date of receipt of the signed proposal form
Insurance Schedule and Income Tax Certificate will be sent within 15 working days from the day of receiving the signed proposal form


Above 45 Cases:

1. Customer Care would send you a proposal form and a self addressed stamped envelope.
2. You need to fill and sign the proposal form
3. Submit the following Health Test Reports:
a. Blood Sugar Fasting & Post Prandial (Random Sugar Report will Not Suffice)
b. Urine Sugar Fasting & Post Prandial
c. Urine Routine Report
d. ECG with clear remarks from doctor
e. Questionnaire as attached duly filled in & signed in by doctor.
Please Note:
[Any Diversions/Abnormality observed in the above Health Test reports, may reject the proposal at Reliance, as per their revised guidelines.]

4. Payment Options:
a. Payment through Secured Payment Link from where you can make the payment: https://www.insurancemall.in/forms/frm_T_Pay_Insurancemall.aspx
b. You could also send us a cheque favoring Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd. with the courier mentioned above.
5. Post/Courier the same in the envelope provided
6. Email us once you have completed Step 1 to 5
7. We would send you the Health Cards in 7 working days from the day the courier is received by us.
8. Insurance Schedule and Income Tax Certificate will be sent within 15 working days.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Apollo DKV ties up with InsuranceMall.in

New Delhi, 08 April ’08: Apollo DKV, with its vision, “To provide affordable and innovative health insurance solutions to every citizen of India and become their first-choice partner in positive health”, today announced its tie-up with Bonsai Insurance Broking Pvt. Ltd., a leading Insurance Broker in the General Insurance segment for online insurance shopping through its website www.Insurancemall.in. The tie-up would offer customers a comprehensive solution for purchasing health insurance products over the internet.
In its continuing endeavor to make healthcare accessible to the people of India, Apollo DKV’s strategic plan is to bring world-class insurance experience to consumers across India. This tie-up is yet another step towards offering unparalleled product range and value to its customers. The company plans to have a national presence across 25 cities by the second year of operations and spread to over 100 locations by 2010.
The tie-up will provide the common man with indigenously developed ‘quote-engines’ to compare, choose and buy Insurance online. The website also offers complete portfolio management (renewal auto-reminders to advisory) and claims assistance on policies purchased. The website endeavors to give the common Insurance buyer complete power of information and decision making.
Speaking on the tie-up, Mr. Chandrasekhar, CMO, Apollo DKV, said, “Apollo DKV is putting in a concerted effort at expanding the health insurance category and making it more affordable and accessible. Partnerships like this with Bonsai Insurance Broking for purchasing online Insurance reiterates our commitment towards the same and would enhance customer satisfaction.”
Commenting on the tie-up, Mr. Manish Jaiswal, CEO and MD, Bonsai Insurance Broking, said, “It is our pleasure to be associated with Apollo DKV a highly respected health insurance company from one of Asia’s leading healthcare group and a highly trusted brand in India. At Bonsai, we always provide exciting and interesting deals for our partners. Through this tie up we are looking at a fruitful association of building relationship with the loyal customers of Apollo DKV.”
About the promoters:
The Apollo Hospitals GroupApollo Hospitals group is a pioneer and leader in corporate healthcare in India and currently owns and manages 42 large tertiary care hospitals, 60 primary care clinics, and the largest retail pharmacy chain of over 600.
The other interests of the group include, wellness and disease management, holistic medicine, clinical research, Medical BPO, IT in health care, Medical and paramedical education and third party administration of health insurance.
Apollo Health City, Hyderabad the first functional health city in Asia, truly represents the integrated nature of the group housing under one roof.
The uniqueness of the Apollo hospitals is in uniting the exceptional clinical success rates and superior technology to match the best in the West with centuries-old traditions of Eastern care and warmth. The hospitals in the group have treated over 14 million patients from 55 countries.
Apollo Hospitals being the country’s largest provider network has excellent relations with all the insurers in India, currently underwriting health insurance and will continue its good relations with all the insurance companies as a provider of care.
DKVDKV is the European market leader and one of the world’s top five private health insurers. In 2006 the company reached a gross premium income of € 5bn with 7.3 million customers. With its Think Healthcare!® strategy DKV provides insurance coverage, healthcare services and medical care from one single source. DKV is represented across Europe (Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden) as well as in Asia, i.e. China, South Korea and India. DKV’s headquarters are based in Cologne, Germany. The company is a member of the ERGO Insurance Group and thus part of the Munich Re Group, one of the world’s largest reinsurer. Further Information at www.dkv.com
About Bonsai International Group:
Bonsai, founded in 2004 is an integrated full service financial services group of companies into Insurance Broking and Money Changing. The website is part of Bonsai’s vision to provide customers with tech-leveraged innovative solutions. Headquartered at Mumbai and offices in Bangalore and New Jersey-USA, Bonsai has served over 200000 customers in the last two years through the offline medium. More information at www.bonsaiinternational.com
About InsuranceMall.in
www.InsuranceMall.in launched in June 2007 by Bonsai Insurance Broking Pvt. Ltd., is India’s First Neutral Insurance Shopping Website providing complete Insurance solutions claims assistance. The website endeavors to give the common Insurance buyer complete power of information and decision making while shopping for Insurance.
For more information please visit www.InsuranceMall.inMedia ContactMahavir Chopra+919867594264