According to the Global Burden of Disease, about 24.8% of all deaths in India are due to cardiovascular diseases. The rise in the proportion of deaths due to CVD is high. Over the last year, deaths and disabilities due to cardiovascular diseases have been steadily rising across the globe. Studies have shown that heart attacks have been on the rise in young people over the last few years.
Though it gives heartache to read the facts and figures, humans and their changing lifestyles are primarily responsible for the massive increase in heart patients.
Keep your heart healthy because healthy life is your dire desire. Michael Phelps once said, “The problem with heart disease is that the first symptom is often fatal.”
No one wants to bear that pain or have the courage to see the family in distress. Well, every problem has a solution. Similarly, if you’re going to keep the heart illnesses away, the choicest thing to do is maintain a healthy lifestyle and save money for the odds. A suitable way to save money and be financially prepared for an unexpected medical emergency is to buy a health insurance policy.
Let us explore what a health insurance policy is and how it can be of great help.
What is a health insurance policy?
A health insurance policy or a health plan is a protection cover that pays for the medical treatment when you are ill. The policy protects you from unexpected high medical costs. The exponential rise in the price of healthcare facilities is a significant reason you should have health insurance.
Speaking of heart diseases or any other critical illness, it is time we observe that the increase in the number of cases is due to:
- The dietary choices,
- exposure to ultra-processed food,
- Weight and obesity,
- sedentary lifestyle,
- decreased physical activity
These are a few common reasons that contribute to the rising number of illness cases. Apart from this, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, high cholesterol, and lack of exercise also causes an increase in kidney or heart ailments.
Let us next see how health insurance helps you?
Heart disease is broadly categorised under the critical insurance policy. So let us now read more about critical illness cover?
What is Critical Illness Cover?
A critical illness insurance cover protects your savings by providing assistance in case of a medical emergency from heart disease. The life insured gets a claim amount in a lump sum after diagnosing a critical illness like heart/kidney ailments. So the best part with the insurance is that it does not require the insured to submit claim papers before the clearance of the claim.
The health plan covers all stages of critical illness. Know that the healthcare inflation is 8.4% which makes it difficult for all to access quality medical services. This is why having a health plan is always supportive.
The amount received as claimed under the Critical Illness Policy is entirely tax-free. The insured and the dependents can use the claim amount to accommodate the loss of income or get a high-quality medical facility.
Reading this gives you an idea of how the critical illness plan can be of great help if you suddenly receive test reports that state that you have a severe heart problem.
Panics and fear won’t help, so buying insurance is the best idea. Further, let us read what the advantages of critical illness cover are.
Advantages of Critical Illness Cover.
Insurance companies commonly provide critical illness insurance to cover heart, kidney or renal ailments and cancer. Whereas a few other insurers offer critical illness for renal and cardiac conditions and a separate cover dedicated to cancer. Whichever cover you may buy, these are the advantages that a critical illness insurance policy will offer.
- The policy pays in lump sum: A critical illness policy pays the lump sum amount to the life insured. It allows the family to concentrate on the treatment rather than be just grief-stricken. The medical bills for the treatment of heart disease can cost you lakhs in a blink of an eye. With the lump-sum payment, you can be focused on the speedy recovery and get going again.
- Monthly Income: The insured can choose to receive the monthly income to help the beneficiaries survive. The monthly income will be paid to the life insured for 5 years if a major stage of the disease is diagnosed. After the death of the life guaranteed, the nominee gets 1% of the sum assured as the monthly income.
- Cover all stages of illness: The insurance policy covers all stages of the disease, making it beneficial. The insured does not have to worry or wait for the major disease to happen. The payments under the policy are then made proportionately depending on the stage of the disease. For example, if an early-stage heart disease has happened, 30% of the sum assured will be released and the remaining 70% will be issued after the diagnosis of the major illness. On the other hand, 100% of the claim will be paid immediately if the major stage illness is diagnosed.
- Premium Waiver: Once the life insured is diagnosed with an early stage of critical disease, the benefit of a premium waiver applies. The insured then do not have to pay the premium for the next 5 years, which helps to reduce the burden on the family.
- Peace of mind: A critical illness cover prevents undue stress, as you are half-relieved with the lump sum payment for the illness. When you have financial strength, half of the burden just vanishes.
- Treatment can be taken beyond the domestic boundaries: The critical illness insurance policy pays a lump sum for the treatment. It doesn’t matter whether the treatment is taken in India or abroad.
- Protect your savings:When you have a life insurance policy and are diagnosed with a critical illness, you do not have to worry about your savings. The treatment cost for heart bypass surgery in India starts from Rs.95,000 to Rs.4,50,000/-. Such a high cost can be covered under the critical illness plan.
- Tax Benefit: All the premium paid in one year under the critical illness insurance is eligible for tax deduction under Section 80D.
Critical Illness Plan that you can buy.
The best critical illness plan that you can buy include:
ABSLI Criti Shield Plan
- ABSLI Criti Shield Plan provides financial protection for cardiac or renal conditions.
- The plan comes with a comprehensive payout.
- It covers all stages of diseases.
- The plan comes with a monthly income option.
- ABSLI Criti Shield Plan of Rs.10 lakh is available at Rs.6 per day. It is better to buy the plant when young.
- The claim settlement process with the insurance company is fast and can be completed in just 3 steps. Both the claim filing and the purchase of the policy can be done online.
Conclusion
Buying critical illness insurance prepares the family and yourself financially to battle the medical emergencies in life. The policy prevents the outflow of the savings you have created for your family members. In addition, it pays the lump sum, which gives the family a sign of enormous courage in a time when they are emotionally broken. For more information on the Critical Illness Plan, visit here.
