Is Health Insurance Available for People with Pre-Existing Ailments?

Health insurance has become the need of the hour. With rising cases of ailments that once affected a very limited number, it is critical to have preparedness to treat them. Ailments like diabetes, hypertension, blood pressure which were rare and affected a few, have now become common and widespread. Saving up money to treat them could have been a feasible solution a few decades ago, but not today. With skyrocketing medical inflation rates, a health insurance cover is the simplest and most recommended alternative by financial experts.

Are health insurance plans available for people with pre-existing ailments?

Among shortlisting different health insurance covers, often a question arises about coverage being available for existing ailments. The simple answer is – yes; health insurance plans are available for those facing pre-existing ailments.

The regulator, IRDAI, in its latest amendment defines pre-existing diseases as those medical conditions that are diagnosed or for which treatment is recommended 48 months before purchasing the policy.

Impact of pre-existing diseases

Although pre-existing diseases are common, it does impact your policy. There are two ways – first, by way of additional charge of premiums known as loading and second, by way of waiting period. In some cases, it is a combination of both these ways.

Since pre-existing ailments prove to be an additional risk for your insurer, they charge you a higher premium to cover these risks along with your stipulate insurance coverage.

Next, waiting period is that duration for which you have to wait till your insurance coverage kicks in. Here, the insurance coverage starts when you make the payment but the coverage for that particular pre-existing ailment begins only after this waiting period ends. This waiting period may range from 12 months to 36 months based on the terms of your insurance contract. So, whether you are looking for an individual health cover or health insurance plans for family, knowing of the impact of pre-existing ailments is necessary.

Are pre-existing diseases covered under plans that offers coverage against coronavirus?

The ongoing pandemic has reinstated the importance of a health insurance policy. When looking for a coronavirus coverage in health insurance plans, the question of inclusions of pre-existing diseases may arise.

Pre-existing diseases are also known as comorbidities and they form part of standard covers available for coronavirus. For instance, the standard corona kavach policy mandatory for all general insurance companies includes coverage for comorbidities. The types of comorbidities included in your insurance plan depend on the terms of you contract and should be checked accordingly. Since comorbidities are not uncommon and prevalent among large number of policyholders, the regulator has made it as part of the policy coverage.

Hence, when it comes to health insurance plans, adequate coverage is available even for pre-existing ailments be it a family floater policy or even health insurance for senior citizens. You need not worry about any insurer denying coverage but instead make a smart choice of the policy features considering the medical support required for your pre-existing condition. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.