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Understanding Why Health Insurance Claims Are Delayed
Health insurance is the most remarkable tool you can have in your arsenal in a battle against any medical condition. It offers you coverage for the expenses incurred during the diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Thus, you must ensure that you are aware of all the procedures followed to raise a claim for your health insurance plan.
However, many times you may face issues like delays in insurance claim even after researching the claim process in depth. The reasons for delay in claim process can be wide ranging, and you may find yourself pondering ‘why are health insurance claims delayed’? These delays can add to your stress and may take a toll your finances. You can gain an insight into the reason behind these delays and ways to tackle them here.
Reasons for delay in health insurance claim process
While raising a medical insurance claim, it is beneficial for you to make yourself familiarise with the claim settlement process beforehand to avoid unnecessary delays and/or rejection of the claim request. You can find the required information in your policy document easily. Some of the common reasons for the delay in claim process are presented here.
1. Filing the claim after the time limitThis one of the most common causes of delays in claim settlement. Every insurance policy comes with a deadline for raising a claim, which can range between 14 and 30 days post discharge from the hospital. You must ensure that you know this deadline for your health insurance policy and raise a claim request within the time limit to ensure fast settlement.
2. Misplacement of required documentsYou need to submit an insurance claim form along with some other documents to raise a claim. Misplacing any one of these documents can lead to delay in the claim filing process. In case that claim is filed without all the required documentation, your health insurance company may face issues in approving your claim, which may further delay your claim settlement. You should make sure that all the documents are shared appropriately by adhering to the policy conditions for easy claim.
3. Incompletely filled pre-authorisation formAt times, you may choose to opt for the cashless facility offered by the insurance company if your preferred hospital is a part of the hospital network of your insurance provider. In such a case, you are expected to fill a pre-authorisation form requesting cashless hospitalization. If this form is filled incompletely or inaccurately, your claim settlement can get delayed. To avoid this, you must fill the pre-authorisation form completely and accurately and enjoy stress-free settlement for your claim.
4. Non-adherence to the claim processMost insurance companies provide you with two settlement approaches, namely cashless claim and reimbursement. The process followed to raise these two claims differ to a great extent. For reimbursement, you must submit documentation including your hospital bills, hospital payment receipt, medical bills, medical bill payments receipts, whereas for cashless claim, you only have to fill the pre-authorisation form. Any errors in submission of the required documents or filling of the form can lead to a delay the settlement of your claim. Thus, you must ensure that all the mandatory documents are submitted to the insurer and/or the pre-authorisation form is filled accurately to avoid any delays in settlement.
5. Delay in communication between hospital and insurance companyEven when you follow each step to book, you may receive your claim settlement after some delay. In such a case, the reason can be delay in document submission by your hospital to your insurance company. Both, your hospital and insurance company, follow a stringent checking process before submitting and approving, respectively, your claim. This process may add to the time required to process a claim request and result in a delayed settlement. Furthermore, if some documents are shared back and forth between the hospital and insurance company, your claim settlement time can get affected.
How can you deal with health insurance claim delays?
Now that you are aware of some common reasons for delay in claim process, you need to understand how to deal with this delay. There is no way that you can know about a claim delay in advance, but you can adhere to your insurance provider’s requirements for document submission to experience a stress-free settlement. Reading your policy document can also help you get your claim settled easily.
If your claim is delayed, the first step you need to take is get in touch with your insurance provider for a follow up regarding your claim request. You may have to follow up with your insurer regularly and communicate your intention to have the claim settled in a calm manner. A delay can be a minor inconvenience or a financial burden. If you are having a difficulty getting ahead with your claim request, you can ask for professional assistance to settle your claim. In case that your claim is denied, you can opt to appeal.
How to file a health insurance claim
You must know the accurate protocol for raising a claim request so that you receive the approval from your insurance provider with minimal hassle. Having the knowledge of how to raise the claim request accurately can increase your chance of getting the claim approved fast.
The procedures followed by different insurance companies differ slightly. You can find the preferred method of proceedings adhered by your insurance provided in your health insurance policy document. Moreover, these procedures change vastly with the type of claim, i.e., reimbursement and cashless claim, you choose. If your preferred hospital falls under the network of your health insurance company, you can opt for cashless claim, which can release half of your burden of gathering and submitting documents.
Filing a health insurance claim made easy! Read our blog on “How to File a Health Insurance Claim?” for all the details.
FAQs
What is the time limit to raise claim for my health insurance?The time limit to raise a claim request differs with the insurance provider. Usually, you can raise the claim request within 14 to 30 days after you are discharged from the hospital.
What can I do to avoid claim rejection?You must adhere to the protocol provided by your insurance company for the submission of documents and filing of claim and other forms to achieve fast claim settlement. You cannot provide misleading or inaccurate information while submitting documentation and filling forms; doing so can cause your claim to get rejected.
How can I file health insurance claim within the time limit?You can find out the time limit for raising the claim request to ensure timely claim settlement. You can collect the mandatory documents and information and keep it handy before raising the claim request to file the claim hassle free.
What is the claim settlement ratio?The claim settlement ratio is a number that tells you the percentage of claims settled successfully by an insurance company in a year.
Why is my health insurance claim delayed?Many factors can cause a delay in health insurance claim; some of these factors include failure to file claim request within time limit, incompletely filled form, and failure to submit all mandatory documentation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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