Buying health cover post pandemic? Here are the dos and don’ts

The world has gone though a major health emergency recently. It reiterates the importance of quality healthcare for surviving such storms.

If you're looking to buy health insurance in a post pandemic world, here are some key dos and don'ts to keep in mind.

Enough coverage is a critical aspect of insurance that shouldn't be comprised with. The sum assured must be enough to cover each family member well.

Your health plan shouldn't merely cover hospital charges. It should cover cost of outpatient consultations and check-ups too. Always look for merits and coverage benefits rather than buying a plan based on the premium cost.

Since international travel can be a necessity for students or job seekers, your health cover should take into account global hospitalisation, pre- and post- hospitalisation check-ups.

It must also cover the cost of major illnesses, emergency services, OPD, global second opinions, travel expense benefit and other benefits worldwide.

From increasing sum insured in existing policy to adding a second policy to your portfolio, there are several ways to upgrade your health insurance plan as time advances.

A good idea is to buy a super top up plan that comes at a comparatively lower cost. It offers an extra security blanket over and above your existing needs. This can be relevant in case of emergencies.

A comprehensive critical illness should be bought with a protection of nearly 10 times the annual income. It will pay a pre-defined sum for critical illnesses and can act as an income supplement during a health crisis.

The bottomline to a successful health insurance is honesty. When it comes to health insurance, you need to be truthful about the information you provide to the insurance company.