How To Check Health Insurance Validity

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Apr 24, 2024
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Health insurance is an important part of modern-day society where medical prices are skyrocketing. More than this, in today’s hectic lifestyle, having valid health insurance is essential in order to access essential healthcare facilities and provide financial security in the event of an unforeseen medical emergency. However, in the middle of day-to-day activities, it is very easy to lose track of your policy's validity, potentially resulting in circumstances where coverage is unavailable when needed. Hence, it is essential to check health insurance validity from time to time. This page discusses how to know health insurance validity online and offline along with what can be done if your policy has lapsed.

Importance of Checking the Validity

Ignoring your health insurance validity check can have serious implications. A lapsed policy leaves you uninsured for medical expenses, perhaps resulting in significant financial strain while seeking medical treatment.

Picture this scenario: Your mom suddenly becomes unwell and needs immediate medical attention. Taking her to the hospital, you provide your insurance information, expecting full coverage. However, you are notified that your coverage expired. This news not only adds to the tension of the situation but also puts a substantial financial strain on you. Without valid insurance coverage, you have been left with the onerous responsibility of paying for your mother's medical bills out of pocket. This could drain your savings and cause financial instability in your family. Therefore, it is important to perform a medical insurance validity check periodically.

How To Check Health Insurance Status?

Checking your health insurance validity is a simple process and there are several options available that suit your convenience:

How To Check Health Insurance Validity Online?

This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to check your health insurance validity. Most companies provide dedicated online portals where policyholders can manage their accounts and view policy information. Follow these steps to check your health insurance validity online:

  • Visit your insurance provider’s website.
  • Look for the login section and enter your credentials, which are normally your registered username/password, or in case you are registering for the first time, you may be required to enter your policy number, and registered contact number, among other details.
  • Once logged in, go to the section that displays policy details. Look for details outlining the policy's validity, such as the start and expiry dates. You can also view other information about the coverage and your premium payment history.

Alternatively, several insurance providers offer mobile applications with similar functionality. You just need to download the application and log in with your credentials to view your policy information, including the validity term.

How To Check Health Insurance Validity Offline?

Contact Customer Care Helpline: Find the customer service toll-free number given on the policy or the company's website. Call the number and follow the directions to speak with a customer care agent. When your call connects, a representative will verify your policy and personal information. They will then consult the database to ascertain your policy status. If the policy is active, they will provide relevant details; if it has lapsed, they will lead you through the next stages.

Email Inquiry: Use the email address provided on your insurer's website. Ensure that your email address is registered with them. Simply submit an email seeking information on your policy, including the policy number and contact details. Expect different response times.

What to do if Your Policy has Lapsed?
  • Contact your insurance provider through their website or customer service hotline.
  • If you are visiting the website, provide your policy details. Verify the policy information provided. If you have the option to reactivate your lapsed policy, pay the premium and any associated penalties online from the website.
  • If you prefer to contact customer service, the representative will walk you through the full procedure, allowing you to reactivate your policy.
  • You can also renew your coverage by visiting your insurer's nearest branch and paying the premium.
Takeaway

In short, performing a medical insurance expiry check is a must for uninterrupted access to healthcare services and unforeseen financial strain. While choosing the right health insurance, wise decision-making is facilitated through staying informed about filing a health insurance claim or using a health insurance calculator in order to determine premiums. Prioritising the validity of the health insurance can give the needed peace of mind and easy access to treatment when required.

FAQs

How can I know if my health insurance is valid?
You can visit your insurer’s website, call their customer service number, send an email, or go to their nearest branch for policy validation.

What should I do when my policy has expired?
At expiry of your plan, you can still discuss with your insurer about ways of having it reinstated through their website or customer care line.

Does checking the validity of my medical cover have any fees charged?
Normally this is free as insurers usually provide such a service for free while confirming the genuineness of your medical protection plan.

What information do I need to submit when checking the validity of my online health insurance?
Your policy number and contact details are usually provided to confirm that you are still covered online.

Why is it important to periodically evaluation the validity of my medical health insurance coverage?
Yes, you must check the validity of your coverage on an ordinary basis to maintain endured coverage in the course of medical emergencies and minimise any monetary burdens.

Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.

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Health Insurance

How to File a Health Insurance Claim?

With the rising medical expenses and changing lifestyles, it has become imperative to purchase a comprehensive health insurance plan in today‘s time. Additionally, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has further established the importance of health insurance even firmly. A health insurance policy is the finest way to receive the best medical treatment without burning a hole in your pocket.

Be it an unforeseen medical emergency or a planned treatment, a health insurance policy can always come to your rescue. However, to avoid any last-minute hassle, you must be well aware of the process to file a health insurance claim beforehand. Below is a quick guide on how to file a health insurance claim.

But firstly, let‘s understand what a health insurance claim is.

Health Insurance Claim

A health insurance claim is a request that a policyholder must submit to the insurer for getting the services that are covered in their health insurance policy. Depending upon their convenience, policyholders can either opt for a cashless claim settlement option or reimbursement for the availed medical services.

Cashless Claims

For cashless claims, the insurance provider settles the hospitalization bills directly with the hospital. However, to get the benefits of a cashless claim, the policyholder should be hospitalized only at a network hospital of the insurer.

Reimbursement Claim

In case of reimbursement claims, the policyholder pays for the hospitalization expenses and later requests for reimbursement by the insurance company. The reimbursement facility can be availed at both network and non-network hospitals.

Now that you are well aware of the types of health insurance claims, let‘s understand how to file a health insurance claim

How to File a Health Insurance Claim?

1. Get in touch with the insurance help desk at the hospital

2. Show the ID card of the insured provided by the insurance company

3. The hospital will verify the insured‘s identity and will submit the pre-authorization form to the insurance company

4. The insurance company will then review all the documents submitted and process the claim as per the terms and conditions of the health insurance policy.

5. For reimbursement claims, you will also have to submit original bills to the insurance provider. The insurer will then evaluate the claim and make a payment to the insured. In case the treatment is not covered under the health insurance policy, the claim will be rejected.

Make sure that you have the following documents readily available with you before filing a health insurance claim.

Documents Required to Make a Claim

  • Valid photo ID cards such as Aadhaar, PAN, and Driving License

  • Copies of prescription for diagnostic tests, treatment advice, and medical references

  • Original set of investigation reports

  • Original hospital and pharmacy bill

  • Original discharge card or discharge certificate

It‘s always advisable to opt for an insurance company with a high claim settlement ratio and a large number of network hospitals. This makes the claim settlement process completely hassle-free.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. When can my health insurance claim be rejected?

Your claim can be rejected if you file a claim for an ailment that isn‘t covered by your health insurance policy. Moreover, your claim can also be rejected if you fail to submit the necessary documents or file a claim during the waiting period

2. What is the minimum time limit for hospitalization to make a health insurance claim?

You can file a claim if your hospitalization is for more than 24 hours. However, for certain treatments, such as dialysis, chemotherapy, etc., the stay could be less than 24 hours

3. What is claim settlement ratio?

The claim settlement ratio is the ratio of number of claims paid to the number of claims received

Health Insurance

All About Adding Spouse To Health Insurance After Marriage

Marriage brings a lot of changes in your life. Not only does it affect your lifestyle, but it also requires you to switch your investments in a way that are better suited for a family. You will now want to include your spouse to your financial world by adding them as a nominee in your banking accounts and other investment assets. Amidst all these personal and financial changes, do not forget to add your spouse to your health insurance plan. Adding spouse to health insurance after marriage is quite easy and can be done in three ways.

  • Buying a new family floater plan

    If you do not have an existing health insurance plan, now would be a great time to invest your money in a family floater health insurance plan. Health insurance plans for family members cover your spouse, parents, and dependent children. The family floater plan allows you to pay a single premium to cover all named family members for medical expenses.

    When buying a family floater plan, do ensure that it offers adequate coverage for you and your family. It is also important to keep in mind that the coverage amount is directly proportional to the health insurance premium you need to pay. This means that a family health insurance plan that offers a sum insured of Rs 10 lakh will require you to pay lower premium as compared to a family health insurance plan that offers coverage of Rs 20 lakh. However, it is advisable to opt for a higher sum insured if you have senior members in the plan.

  • Adding spouse to insurance after marriage

    If you already have an existing health insurance policy, you can extend the cover to your spouse by adding their name to the policy after marriage. Upon adding you spouse, the individual health insurance plan will be transformed into a family floater plan. Since the coverage amount will increase, the premium of the policy will be recalculated. You can also add your spouse to your existing health insurance policy at the time of its renewal. You will need an application form and a few KYC documents like identity proof, residence proof, marriage certificate and photographs, to get this process started. You can easily get the application form from the insurer’s website.

  • Adding your spouse to the health insurance plan offered by your employer

    There are many companies that offer health plans to their employees. These plans usually extend the coverage to the immediate family of the employee. However, this condition varies from one insurer to the other. Hence, it is better to check with your insurance company if they allow you to add your spouse to the existing health insurance plan that is issued by your employer. Here, it is important to remember that the health insurance policies offered by employers are group insurance plans and may, therefore, have certain limitations to coverage. Still, these plans offer a great option for coverage in case you don’t have health insurance of your own.

It is quite important to avail the health insurance cover for your spouse after marriage. This can help the both of you to securely plan your financial future.

Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.

Health Insurance

Steps of adding spouse to health insurance after marriage

Marriage is a huge step in everybody’s life. And personal finance has a big role to play for a successful married life. Therefore, it is important to update the financial records, including the health insurance plan, post-marriage.

In case you did not have an individual health insurance policy before the wedding, you can invest in a family floater plan for yourself and your spouse. In case you already have an individual health insurance policy at the time of wedlock, then you do not need to buy another one for your partner. Instead, you can add your spouse to the plan and convert it into a single policy. It is a feasible and simple way of ensuring that you and your partner are adequately covered.

Porting health insurance after marriage is also important. When one of the partners already owns a plan, you simply need to add another partner to the current policy as the spouse. There is no specific rule which specifies who can add the partner. The process of adding the spouse to health insurance after marriage is simple. The one who owns the policy can start this process with the submission of KYC documents such as identity proof, proof of age, photographs and marriage certificate.

The change will come into effect in the next policy renewal by just submitting the additional form and paperwork. Once you do this, the premium will be calculated and pro-rated. It will become a family floater insurance policy that covers all the members of the family for a single premium. You will not have to worry about paying separate premiums for each member of the family. It will cover the entire family at the lowest premium based on the age of the members in the family. Let us take a look at the benefits of a family floater plan.

  • A major perk of the floater plan is that you can cover yourself and your entire family in one policy. The policy is easier to handle and you do not have to worry about handling separate individual plans

  • You enjoy additional benefits like a newborn cover, maternity benefits, etc. It will be highly effective for young married couples who are on the road to starting a family. You must ensure that you choose a plan that covers yourself and the spouse and invest in one right after marriage

  • You must also get maternity cover at the earliest. It has a waiting period between 0 to 4 years and if you buy the cover on time, you will be able to enjoy the maximum benefits

  • With a family floater plan, you enjoy the same tax benefits under Section 80D as you do on individual health insurance

  • Many plans come with a reinstatement feature where you enjoy the reinstatement of the entire coverage after it is exhausted in the policy period. This is only applicable to unrelated claims but it is very useful.

If you do not have a policy and are looking to buy one, consider a joint life policy. It will work on the same lines and will provide coverage to your children in future if anything unfortunate happens to the parents. The main reasons couples should think of joint life insurance are premium reduction and waiver benefits. In this case, if one partner dies due to an unfortunate event, the spouse will not only be entitled to enjoy the full sum assured on the cover but will also be absolved of the responsibility of the payment of premium. Alternatively, the spouse may have to pay premiums only applicable for their own cover for the remaining period of the policy.

After your marriage, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety and adequate coverage of your spouse. You must include your spouse in the decision and speak to them about the coverage you wish to buy. Only then proceed with the decision. The right health insurance plan will offer acomplete protection and peace for the future.

Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.

Health Insurance

Advantages of Group Health Insurance

As the name suggests, group health insurance is aimed to offer health insurance cover to a group of people, usually employees, and if offered by an employer. It can also be offered to members of a professional association or a society. As compared to individual insurance, group insurance has many benefits for the employee as well as the employer who offers the insurance.

  1. Comprehensive cover: Group health insurance plans offer wide coverage and can be customised by the employer. It comes with many benefits like cashless healthcare services at network hospitals. There is no waiting period which means the employee is covered from day one. Besides personal accident cover, some group health insurance plans offer cover to family members of the employee.

  1. Guaranteed cover: All employees and in some cases their dependants are covered, even if they have existing medical conditions. A group insurance policy doesn't require a separate medical check-up. As long as an employee is working for the organisation offering group health insurance, he or she shall remain covered under the plan.

  1. Low premium: As group health insurance plans are bought for a larger group of people, they offer comprehensive cover at affordable rates. The costs are much lower than individual health insurance plans. Group health insurance plans can be customised as per the employer’s budget and requirements.

  1. Tax incentive for the employer: Besides safeguarding employees from health issues, group health insurance plans also provide tax benefits to the employer. Under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, tax relief is offered to businesses that give their employees the benefit of group health insurance.

  1. Happy employees: When companies offer health insurance plans to their employees, they help retain and attract good talent. A Group Health Insurance plan is a significant part of the employees’ total compensation. A group health insurance plan provides employees with financial security against accident and illness.

  1. Rider options: With a nominal extra payment, employees can take advantage of other additional benefits. The employee can also opt for a corporate plan along with the base plan offered by the employer. The riders may differ from one organisation to another.

Provide your employees SBI General Group Health Insurance

Group health insurance is a very important benefit that makes employees feel like a valued part of an organisation. It helps companies retain as well as attract talent. SBI General Group Health Insurance plans offer multiple coverages: Individual, family floater. It offers wide coverage from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh. The group health insurance plans offer pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses. With SBI General group health insurance plans keep your employees happy.

Disclaimer: SBI General Insurance Company Limited I Corporate & Registered Office: 'Natraj', 301, Junction of Western Express Highway & Andheri - Kurla Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 069. | The information in the advertisement is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale. * ‘Tax benefits are subject to changes in tax laws’ I 'For SBI General Insurance Company Limited IRDAI Reg. No. 144 dated 15/12/2009 | CIN: U66000MH2009PLC190546 | SBI Logo displayed belongs to State Bank of India and used by SBI General Insurance Co. Ltd. under license. | Website : www.sbigeneral.in,Tollfree 18001021111 | UIN: SBIHLGP21330V022021 | ADDIG/20-21/AUG/652