One of the most common reason why women choose not to take a separate health cover is that their husband’s health plan covers for the entire family. While a family floater plan may be a good option, it may not necessarily be sufficient. Women need health insurance plans that are specially designed for them. This is because women suffer from critical illnesses that are specific to the gender.

Another reason working women too do not take additional health plan, is that they are usually covered under a group health plan taken by their employer. However, the group health plan may not cover illnesses that women may be prone to and leave you financially incapacitated. Listed here five most common women-specific conditions that you must take into consideration, before you plan to take that additional health plan.

Maternity – Though it is the most natural thing, maternity is not covered in under a regular health plan, as it is not a ‘disease’. Some health covers do have maternity benefits, but the percentage of cover could be as miniscule as 5% of the total requirement. A maternity cover, on the other hand, would include hospital expenses and may also cover the new born for a certain period, depending upon the policy chosen.

Congenital disability – These covers children born with congenital disabilities like Down’s Syndrome, cleft lip and palate among others. The insurer covers part of the sum insured for the treatment of the child.

Breast cancer – Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, statistics indicate one in every twenty-eight women are likely to develop breast cancer in their lifetime. The mortality rates are 1.6 to 1.7 times higher than that of maternal mortality rates.

Ovarian cancer – Ovarian cancer is the third most commonly detected cancer among Indian women. The survival rate for ovarian cancer in India is as low as 45%, as the diagnosis is usually made mostly in the advanced stages of the disease. Inherited gene variants of BRCA1 and BRCA2 can increase the risk of developing cancer among women by 65% and 35% respectively. A critical illness or a cancer plan should be able to cover, depending on the stage and the severity of the disease. It is important to check with the insurer before buying the policy.

Plastic surgery after accident – Some health insurance policies offer accident benefits and also provide additional cover for treatment after the accident. You must make sure that plastic surgery as a result of accident is part of the cover you are buying.

In conclusion, you must choose a cover based on your genetic history and current health condition. But there are other aspects to consider too, as critical illness is not predictable, and it could leave you in despair. With the rising medical inflation, it is better to have this protection sooner rather than later.