Health Insurance Blogs

Our parents hold a special place in our hearts. They’ve been there for us, guiding us and giving us unconditional love throughout our lives. Now, as time passes, it is our turn to ensure their well-being, especially when it comes to managing their healthcare costs.

Unfortunately, the cost of medical care has been rising steadily over the years, making it increasingly difficult for families to bear the burden. It’s natural to feel worried and responsible for our parents’ well-being, wanting to make sure they receive the best care without financial stress. This is a mission that every loving child takes on with determination.

To your rescue, Elephant.in is here to share three helpful hacks that will empower you to handle your parents’ healthcare costs wisely and effectively.

#Hack 1 – Buy Adequate Health Insurance Coverage

One of the most important steps in managing healthcare costs for your parents is to ensure they have adequate health insurance coverage. Explore different insurance options and select a plan that provides comprehensive coverage for their medical needs.

Consider factors like premiums, deductibles, co-payment, waiting periods, sub-limits, coverage limits, room rent limit, etc., to find the right balance. With the right health insurance, you can significantly reduce hospitalization expenses and ensure best-in-class treatment for your parents without undue financial stress.

You save up to 60% on your premium amount with this exclusive deal.
Why wait? Visit Elephant.in!

#Hack 2 – Build a Buffer – Maintain an Emergency Fund

Even if the health coverage is enough for hospitalization, various components like post-hospitalization expenses, day-to-day medical expenses, and a lot of out-of-pocket expenses may arrive.

Therefore, you need to put aside some money for your healthcare. Maintaining an emergency fund to meet unforeseen medical costs is crucial as your parents get older.

Make sure to choose a bank account that offers a higher interest rate and maintain its activity by conducting transactions at least once a month. Your emergency fund should ideally be around 6 to 8 times your monthly salary.

It is advisable to select a widely accessible bank for this account so that you can easily find an ATM in case of emergencies and withdraw cash when needed.

#Hack 3 – Manage Your Parents’ Investment Portfolio at an 80:20 Ratio

It might be a good idea to manage their portfolio at an 80:20 ratio to ensure your parents have enough money to pay for their medical costs.

This strategy aims for them to allocate 80% of the money in debt funds. This ensures stability, minimizes the impact of market fluctuations, and provides a reliable source of revenue for cash liquidity.

The remaining 20% can be allocated to more growth-oriented investments, which have the potential to generate higher returns over time. This balanced approach helps protect your parents’ investments while providing opportunities for growth to meet their healthcare needs.

Conclusion

By using these three hacks, you can better handle the challenge of managing healthcare costs for your elderly parents. It will give you more confidence and make things easier for you. Remember, taking care of your parents is an act of love. With careful planning and smart financial strategies, you can make sure they get the care they need without sacrificing their financial security.

To safeguard your own future, we offer various insurance options. Visit Elephant.in to explore a wide range of reliable and comprehensive healthcare insurance plans. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to connect with us:

Toll-Free No. – 1800 266 9693 | Email ID – support@elephant.in
Don’t wait until it’s too late!

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Disclaimer: The premium of ₹50/day i.e., ₹22,733 per year (inclusive of 18% GST) has been calculated for a 60-year-old healthy male and spouse on a family floater basis for a cover amount ₹5 lakh base health and ₹20 lakh super top-up with ₹5 lakh deductible. Discount of up to 60% has been calculated basis on the market offering taken for comparison is from Care Health Insurance Limited’s retail product ‘Care’ for the same age and sum insured of ₹25 lakh, and benefits may vary. This exclusivity is offered by Care Health Insurance Limited group product “Group Care 360” UIN: RHIHLGP20126V011920. Premium may vary as per the selection made by the customer in any part of the digital journey including the sum insured opted. Premium is subject to change by the insurance company selected by the customer. Employees can enjoy the discount by entering their Work Email ID subject to their company being a ‘Preferred Partner Organization’ at Elephant.in. All discounts are provided by Insurers as per IRDAI-approved insurance plans. Standard T&C apply. Product information is authentic and solely based on the information received from the insurer. For more details on risk factors, please read the sales brochure carefully before concluding a sale. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. Alliance Insurance Brokers Private Limited | 8th Floor, Gold Crest, NS Road No. 10, Juhu, Vile Parle (W) Mumbai 400 049, India | Toll Free No. 1800 266 9693 | Composite Broker | CIN: U67200MH2003PTC141621 | IRDAI Registration No. 217 | Valid till 12/10/2024 | EL/02/23-24/91

Every year at this time, people start talking about taxes and investments that can reduce their taxable income. And it’s crucial that you only use legal ways while trying to lessen your tax burden. Elephant.in can help with that.

In this article, we have outlined a legal strategy you may use to not only reduce your tax burden but also create a sizeable fund for you and your family’s health emergencies.

One of the legal tax-saving avenues is Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, which allow you to get tax benefits on health insurance premium(s) paid from your income up to a limit of ₹ 1,00,000. Let us understand this Section in detail.

Health Insurance Tax Benefit in India

Under Section 80D, you can avail income tax deductions against healthcare-related expenses and payment of health insurance premium. The amount of tax deductions that you can claim under Section 80D depends on the number of people included under the health insurance coverage as follows:

• A policy that covers individual, spouse, and children (no member is a senior citizen) – a maximum of ₹ 25,000
• A policy that covers individual, spouse, and children + parents who are not senior citizens – a maximum of ₹ 50,000
• A policy that covers individual, spouse, and children + parents who are senior citizens – a maximum of ₹ 75,000
• A policy that covers individual, spouse, and children where you or your spouse is a senior citizen + parents who are senior citizens – a maximum of ₹ 1,00,000
• Section 80D also covers payment made for preventive health check-ups, critical illness life insurance plan and other health-related riders provided under a life insurance policy.

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It’s almost the end of the third quarter of the current financial year and is the right time to start planning your investments for the year and save some of your hard-earned tax money.

You can visit Elephant.in to choose your preferred insurance company, compare various plans and buy the one that best fits your requirements.

Tax Disclaimer: Tax benefits are defined by the Income Tax Act of 1961 and are subject to any future changes. It is suggested that you consult with a tax consultant.

Source: https://incometaxindia.gov.in/

A common question that we ask when we think about Preventive care, is why should I go to the doctor when I am healthy? Also, does my Health Insurance Policy cover Preventive Care costs?

A simple answer is that preventive care keeps you healthy and therefore lowers your health care costs. A stitch in time saves nine! Regular medical tests anyone? Preventive care helps detect or prevent serious diseases, illnesses, and medical conditions, rather than treating them after it has become acute or catastrophic. This may be called routine care for your body. Generally, preventive plans include tests for cholesterol levels, blood tests, diabetes tests, pressure monitoring, genetic testing, cancer screening, HIV tests, etc.

Preventive care aims to help you stay safe and healthy. Regular tests and scheduled visits allow your doctor to identify medical problems before they become major health challenges for you.

Benefits of preventive care include:

• Early detection of illness, diseases, and other medical problems helps your doctor to provide timely treatment and proactive care.
• Helps reduce the pain/ suffering from age/ hereditary medical issues.
• Gives Doctors more time to diagnose and effectively treat any illness in its infancy
• Reduces financial burden, that you might incur due to illnesses if detected in early stages

Examples of preventive health services:

• Annual Check-Up (1 per year) – Your Doctor checks your physical and emotional health. Early detection of major medical problems is possible.
• Immunization- Most health insurance plans cover this and protect you from certain strains of the flu/
• Vaccinations (typically administered during childhood) – Vaccinations against Polio, Measles, etc are covered.
• Colonoscopies and other internal checkups
• Screenings, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer tests.

Considering things like age, family history, and current health status your Doctor can confirm what tests are right for you.  In order, for you to be fully covered your doctor or the testing facility must be registered with your insurance provider. Most Health Insurance policies cover preventive care costs, but they can differ from policy to policy.

Preventive care is often covered by a health insurance policy and offers great benefits, both in health and cost to the consumer. To know more about which policies support preventive care costs and other health benefits, get insured with a health insurance policy from Elephant.in

Just imagine, what could you do with a lump sum of money? If you are between the age of 18-and 30, you might plan an adventurous trip or buy the latest gadget on the market. But would you think of investing in a health insurance policy?

Millennials do not have a concept of saving and are often criticized for their lifestyle, where spending is prioritized over saving for the future. No one thinks of buying a health insurance plan until something bad happens. But health is above all, and with the COVID- 19 pandemic, Millennials have realized the importance of health insurance plans to cover the medical costs. Most of them find it challenging to choose the right health insurance. We can help you choose the right health insurance.

• Plan selection:

There are various types of health insurance plans. You get a wide range of comprehensive options when you buy an insurance plan at a young age. Health Insurance is not just about getting medical cover for your hospital bills. Apart from basic plans, you may purchase critical illness plans which cover the treatment of life-threatening illnesses like cancer. You may need a plan to cover your family too.

Knowing about different types of health insurance plans can help you choose the right health insurance policy to suit your needs.

• Check for Sub-Limits and deductibles before investing:

This is an important factor to keep in mind before you get a health cover. Sub-limit is an extra limit placed on your medical insurance claim by the insurance provider. There may be limits on things like ambulance costs, room rent, ICU charges, or even doctor consultation charges.

Read the policy terms thoroughly to identify such limits and avoid buying such insurance plans as you might have to pay expenses from your pocket.

• Separate insurance for your Parents/ Family: 

When buying health insurance for your family, make sure you do not include them in the same cover. The two benefits of doing so are as follows.

1. Your parents are the eldest members of the family. The insurance company will calculate the premium based on their age. So the overall insurance cost increases significantly.
2. If your parents have any illness and make frequent claims, you may not be able to accumulate a No-claim bonus. Your premium will be extremely high and in some cases, you may not get the insurance cover you need.

Ignoring health insurance is not advisable as a serious accident or illness could hook you to staggering medical bills that will haunt you for years to come. To prepare yourself for challenging situations, get insured with a health insurance policy from Elephant Insurance.

To address the growing costs of medical care, possessing a medical insurance policy becomes quite significant. It’s been frequently observed that medical crises do not wipe out your entire life savings and make the stress of organizing for extra funds if needed. 

Not having health insurance not only simply contributes to a financial drain but also impacts the whole family emotionally.

But if you’re insured under a group health insurance plan, regardless of how sudden the medical crisis is, financially, you wouldn’t need to fret about the hefty medical bills. At precisely the same time, you can focus on restoration.

That is because you know that the insurance company will take Care of their financial burden. By paying a small amount for health care, you make sure access to the best medical center at the hour of need.

Benefits of Health Insurance for Parents

• Claims for specific illnesses and pre-existing ailments are coated post conclusion of the expected waiting period.
• Health insurance for parents provides health cover to senior citizens; in other words, people over 60 decades old are also qualified.
• Health insurance plans for the family usually cover medical facilities such as ambulance services for parents.
• Several medical insurance coverages for parents include attributes like lifetime renewals. Nonetheless, this is important only when the insured hasn’t taken a break involving policy years.
• Modern attributes like cashless therapy and maintaining compensation through settlement are being supplied by virtually all health insurance companies to health insurance plans for families.
• Health insurance for parents typically permits policyholders the flexibility to pick the amount insured according to their taste, which they believe is sufficient coverage for their health conditions.
• The health care facility is appropriate for particular health insurance for parents. It makes policyholders entitled to reduced premium payments also, in some instances, also offers attractive discounts.
• Health insurance for parents provides the policyholder with the accession of their spouse to the identical policy.

How Can Buying Health Insurance for Parents Gain You

Insuring your parents is probably among the very best things to present to your parents. Their old age, they might need medical care, and the expenses may liquefy your (or their) relatively little vegetable cart. Listed below are the advantages of purchasing group health insurance plans:

Financial Independence:

When there’s ever an unfortunate demand to hospitalize your parents, they do not need to rely on anyone or you for expenditures. You will be helping them lead a dignified life to get a relatively small annual cost by minding them.

Cover against Pre-Existing Conditions:

nobody likes to believe about their parents’ sickness. You may be one of these individuals. It is also possible to be among those men and women who understand the need of the hour and assure your parents against the slight decrease in their health from diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, etc.

Tax Benefits:

If your parents are senior citizens, you receive a tax advantage of Rs. 30,000, in addition to the tax advantage of Rs. 25,000. By insuring them, you can avail a total tax advantage of Rs. 55,000 annually. Therefore, the policy nearly pays for itself.

Health insurance is a type of insurance in which the medical and surgical expenses of the insured person are covered. These expenses can either be hospitalization expenses, the cost of medicines, or consultation charges of doctors. Sometimes dental expenses are also covered. Either the person insured pays the expenses from his pocket and later gets reimbursed by the insurer or the insurance company directly settles the bills.  Private Health Insurance is also available. Insurance brokers and insurance companies come under this category.

With the constantly expanding costs of medical care in our country, and with the consistently rising instances of diseases, health insurance today is a need. Health insurance provides individuals with much-needed financial support in times of medical emergencies. Health-related risks are a part of life. One can’t plan and become ill yet one can absolutely be ready for the financial aspect. One of the approaches to be financially prepared is by purchasing medical insurance. It is a fact that medical care is an expensive affair. There are many reasons why one should purchase medical insurance like Change in Lifestyle, Rise in Medical costs and Benefit in Income Tax.

Another benefit of having health insurance is that you get cashless treatment. Many insurance companies work in collaboration with various hospital networks. Some policies also cover the amount paid to the ambulance for the transportation of the insured. If the insured does not file any claim for any treatment, he gets a No Claim Bonus (NCB). Free health check-up is provided by some companies on the basis of previous NCBs. The insurance policy also covers room rent depending on the premium paid by the insured.

Many types of health insurance plans are offered by different companies.

1. Individual Health Insurance plan: This plan covers the medical expenses of the insured individuals.
2. Family Health Insurance plan: This plan covers the entire family i.e. spouse, children, and parents. Any family member who is covered under this policy can claim for medical or surgical expenses.
3. Group Health Insurance: This type of insurance plan is bought by an employer for his employees and is standardized in nature.
4. Health Insurance for Senior Citizens: These plans are designed to meet high medical expenses at old age. Premium is higher in these types of insurance plans.
5. Critical illness policy: Under this policy, a lump sum amount is paid to the insured person on the diagnosis of some serious disease.

Buying insurance policies online is the most transparent, convenient, easy, and secure method. It also saves time and money. You can compare different plans, features, and costs. You get complete information online and also get adequate time to read all terms and conditions. You can get Health Insurance quotes online on the health insurance premium calculator. It is more or less like getting a car insurance estimate. You need to provide your age, the number of family members to be covered, any pre-existing illness, etc. to calculate your health insurance premium. You get the results calculated immediately by the health insurance premium calculator.

At times of medical emergency, it is hard to take the financial stress. Medical expenses are costly and not everyone has immediate access to cash. The charges fall high on us and may shatter our financial stability. Going through lots of emotional suffering can create a dig in lifetime savings. But, in this time of need, Health insurance companies are always there to uphold and it’s good to always invest a part of our income in a good health insurance company

Affording good treatment in a private hospital is quite expensive and to even arranging money for the need is difficult. In present days, cashless health insurance plays a crucial role. Most of the companies like Bajaj Allianz, Bharat Axa, HDFC Ergo, ICICI Lombard, and almost 90% of the insurance companies are now cashless. Therefore, you need not run to arrange money, no run to borrow, and no need to sell properties for hard cash to settle the amount.

How does cashless health insurance work?

Mostly the Health insurance claim settlement is done by reimbursement or cashless Health insurance. In reimbursement mode, the cost of treatment needs to be settled. And later all hospital bills lab reports discharge summary and open prescription, and a form by the company to be filled and submitted along with policy copy and bank details, and identity card. This is indeed stressful and havoc.

In a cashless health insurance system, the cost of treatment is in the company’s hands, and no money needs to be spent from the pocket of the insurance member. Insurance companies are in tie-up with many health organizations and they come under the insurance company’s network. Also, a Mediclaim Department in the hospital takes care of this documentation.

How to get a Cashless health insurance claim approved?

• Hospitalization is either planned or could be out of emergency
• In a planned treatment, like maternity, knee replacement, eye surgeries, etc all the formalities and necessary paperwork should be done well in advance by the insurer or the third party agent(TPA) before admittance to the hospital.
• In emergency treatment for accidents, claim intimation needs to be sent to the insurance company by the policyholder giving a few basic details about the policy and the treatment at the hospital.
• Then the company verifies with the hospital and the insurance company settles all the money.

Key features of this Cashless health insurance

The cashless system varies from previous reimbursement policies and comes up with lots of benefits to the policyholder 

• There is no need to pay any treatment expenses at the network hospital
• The insurance covers all Pre and post-hospitalization charges.
• The cover-ups also include domiciliary hospitalization cost, ambulance fare, Room rent, and all. 
• This includes expenses related to in-patient hospitalization for more than 24 hours also.

There are often challenges in this system. Hospitals can be removed or added to the Insurance company’s network anytime. Hence, you need to check for the status or it will have to go with reimbursement mode. Make sure to select the right insurance company for your financial well-being.

Having group health insurance typically comes from an employer. If you are looking to understand corporate medical insurance advantages, either as an employer or an employee, here are some things to carefully consider.

A popular employee benefit for both employers and employees is corporate medical insurance. Offering it is entirely optional, but worth considering if you and your employees can benefit from the possible lower rates of insuring a group.

Advantages of group insurance for company employees:

• It’s simple

There are so many employee benefits providers that offer a range of group insurance for company employees solutions for companies of any size, in any industry.

• It can help boost productivity

Healthy people can accomplish much more in their time at work and are less prone to burnout in the workplace.

• Getting treatment and care can become more comfortable

For many significant insurers, payment options such as direct billing are the standard. Staff members needing treatment can find the whole process much more comfortable to navigate when a healthcare provider and an insurance company have a good working relationship.

Benefits of group insurance for employers:

• Small business health insurance can save money

There are a lot of advantages of group health insurance, and one of the biggest ones is the cost savings. This helps the employee who finds that they can afford insurance for themselves and their family, but it also helps the employer who wants to give their employees the right insurance that they can afford to help with.

• Lower cost due to a larger risk pool

When more people are included, there are more options for more people, generally at a lower price than what would otherwise be available. In simple terms, you can get a Better group Medicaid insurance policy for employees plans offered, A lower price for insurance plans, and More coverage for pre-existing conditions. It is easy to see that there are a lot of reasons to consider it from the employee standpoint when you look carefully at the advantages of group health insurance. Employees who qualify for this kind of insurance through their employer are generally wise to get it.

• Tax incentives for offering health insurance to employees

The advantages of group health insurance are not just for the employee. They are also available to the employer in the form of a small business health care tax credit. With group medical insurance policy for employees, it is offered to businesses that give their employees insurance and pay part of their premiums. These businesses may qualify to get a credit back on their taxes.

Insurance is an integral part of feeling safe and having peace of mind, and when employers provide that for employees, it most often does not go unnoticed by those employees. Hence, you must know about these benefits.

Employees are a company’s most valuable asset. They love benefits. They want appreciation and recognition for their hard work. Not to forget that many employees apply for organizations depending on the perks and services offered by that company. These are non-monetary benefits provided to attract and retain employees and are also called fringe benefits. Employee Benefits like unlimited vacation and work from home privileges are things of the past now. The employees of today appreciate health insurance plans.

Preferred compensation types:

• Health Insurance:

Health insurance plans are great ways to show your employees that you care about them. The organization pays specific amounts of money to cover an employee’s medical care. These include insurance for losses from accidents, disability, sudden death, and dismemberment.

• Disability Insurance:

The employer pays for the worker’s salary if the worker becomes disabled or is unable to work. An employer can provide either short-term or long-term disability or health insurance for employees, depending on the employee’s needs.

• Tuition Reimbursement:

Organizations offering employees to pay back for their education expenses is an excellent employee benefits idea. Employees have to pay on their own before taking up a course.

• Retirement Benefits:

You can add in your compensation package is providing your full-time employees with financial security.

• Paid Sick Leaves:

It will directly affect their productivity and efficiency when employees will be weak but still have to work. Hence, you need to have some policy where they can avail themselves of paid sick leaves is a great way to show that you care for your employees’ well-being.

• Performance Bonus:

Employees continue to perform well when you appreciate employees for their hard work and achievements, as everyone wants to and loves being appreciated. Hence, you need to reward them for their performance to motivate and encourage them to achieve goals more effectively. A corporate travel insurance policy is also a great idea.

• Stock Options:

The company offers the employee the right to buy some shares in the company at an agreed-upon price by a particular date. It helps employees have ownership over something that they are working to build, too.

• Paid Parental Leaves:

Besides buying a corporate travel insurance policy, you also need to provide paid time off to employees to take care of their child or a family member. Parental leaves can be in the form of paternity leaves, maternity leaves, or even adoption.

• Wellness Programs:

These are programs initiated by the company to encourage employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle. These include programs such as gym memberships, weight-loss competition, smoking cessation, and health screenings.

You can make your company more diverse and inclusive when you provide your employees with the right kind of benefits, and perks are essential. It is necessary to attract and hold on to your top talent. But, it is of utmost importance that you have a comprehensive and dynamic employee benefits plan.

Pandemic declared coronavirus (COVID-19) had impacted the lives of many across the globe. To offer protective coverage for expenses related to the coronavirus disease, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority in India (IRDAI) had issued a circular asking the insurance providers to develop health insurance plans.

What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a group of viruses that attack a person’s immune system, resulting in diseases as mild as the common cold to as severe as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

These include fever, dry cough, tiredness, and sore throat. However, the disease affects different people in different ways. It has been fatal for people aged above 60 years and those with pre-medical conditions.

What is Coronavirus Health Insurance Policy?

Among all the health insurance plans for families, a Coronavirus health insurance policy is a customized health insurance policy aimed at covering hospitalization, pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization expenses, and other medical costs arising due to the treatment of COVID-19. The cover is available from day one after the insured is tested coronavirus positive. Almost all health insurance policies now offer cover for the treatment of coronavirus in India.

Things to consider when it comes to buying health insurance plans for the family:

• The credibility of the provider-

The first and foremost evaluation of buying the best Coronavirus Insurance has to be to check the insurance provider’s credibility. Several companies are offering competitive rates and insurance benefits. However, not all may be as proactive when it comes to approving a claim.

• Affordable premiums:

Buying COVID-19 insurance is essential, especially for those in high-risk areas. Still, the current situation has affected everyone’s income stream, and thus, it is even more important to buy a cover that has premiums enough to fit into your budget.

• Simple process:

It would be best if you also considered this aspect when it comes to buying COVID Insurance is the process of applying and processing the claim. Please read carefully through the company policies to ensure their claim process is hassle-free and straightforward, so your family doesn’t have to run from one end to the other, making insurance claims.

Things covered under COVID health insurance:

Hospitalization Expenses: Coronavirus health insurance policies cover hospitalization expenses arising from COVID-19 if it exceeds 24 hours.
Quarantine Cover: COVID-19 specific health insurance policies also cover the insured individuals quarantined by government identified authorities.

Things not covered under COVID health insurance:

Home Quarantine: Expenses incurred during the quarantine period spent at home are not covered under COVID-19 specific health insurance policies.
Pre-Existing Diseases: Any expenses arising due to treatment of pre-existing illnesses are not covered until the waiting period is completed
Hospitalization Without Doctor’s Recommendation: If the insured gets hospitalized without the recommendation of a qualified doctor as specified on the prescription, then he/she will not be covered for the expenses arising due to treatment.

The claim settlement process for coronavirus (COVID-19) health insurance policies is similar to standard health insurance policies.