As Parents, we always think of our children before anything else. We are forever busy worrying about their health or safety and they are forever busy giving us reasons to worry! When we tell them not to play in the rain, they do exactly that, when we want them to stay within our reach, they have the urge to run away…
No matter how we try, we can’t always be there to protect and shield our children. There are times when they will get hurt or when they will be unwell. But there is one thing that we can be sure of, that is, providing our children quality health care when they need it.
It is not just important to select a good school and college for your kid. It is also important to cover him under health insurance policy for children. If you have never paid attention to health insurance for your kids, this is the time you do it.
A simple hospitalization for malaria can go up to many thousands. Now, think about other common diseases that children are prone to like typhoid, hepatitis, viral fever etc. Adding to these are other environment related respiratory ailments that can affect them easily. With no guarantees about the kind of food and water available, the only thing we can do is being prepared and one way to do it is by getting a health insurance policy.
Why should you cover your kids?
-Imagine there is an emergency and your kid needs to be hospitalized, the first thing that comes to your mind is getting him the best possible care he needs. The thoughts like money and finance do not cross your mind.
In times like these, health insurance comes to rescue. You will not have to think of how you can afford the care your child needs as it most likely be covered. Also in case of emergencies when arranging finance at admission is an issue, you can directly be admitted in a network hospital by showing the health insurance card.
-When you are older and are looking for a health insurance policy there are many limitations for choosing a policy. There might be pre-existing diseases, a waiting period or in some cases a need to undergo medical test.
You do not want your child to go through the same difficulties when he wishes to buy a health insurance policy. When your child is covered at the younger age, there are almost no restrictions, generally he will not have pre-existing diseases hence he will get full coverage from the start.
-When there is no claim from policyholders for a year, many insurance policies award them with discounts and bonuses, which means reduction in the premium or more cover.
When your kid is young, there will be many years when there is no claim, thus you will be awarded bonuses and discounts that will be beneficial for your child when he grows up.
Ways to provide Health Cover
If you are covered in a Group Insurance Policy:
If your company has covered you in the health insurance policy, then contact your human resource department to know whether they provide coverage to children under maternity benefit. If they do, you should check whether the child is covered from day one or after 90 days.
- For day one coverage: Notify the insurance company within 7 days of the birth to get coverage from day one of his birth. After 7 days, the child will get coverage from the day of the notification.
- For 90 day coverage: You will have to contact the health insurance company within 7 days of completion of the 90 days of birth, otherwise you will be covered from the day notified.
If you have a Floater Policy:
You can add the name of your child as a dependent in the floater policy you already have, in some companies children of more than 3 months can be added and others have a minimum entry age as 5 years. You have to add their name at the time of the renewal i.e. the day you renew your policy by notifying the company.
Ways to provide Health Cover:
You can buy an individual policy for your kid under kid insurance plan after he turns five. He is entitled to get have the entire sum assured to himself.
We hardly ever want our children to suffer with health issues but rather than wishing illnesses away if we plan ahead and get our children covered under health insurance policy, we will be assured of the care that they receive. So when you are thinking of your children and their future, don't forget to get them covered!
