Diabetes has been a fast-growing disease in India in the last 16 years. As per International Diabetes Federation, there are about 72 million diabetic adults in India. This is a serious challenge to the country.
It is not easy to live with diabetes as it takes a toll on the physical, mental, and financial health of a person. In spite of the widespread prevalence of the disease, there are not too many insurance providers that cover diabetes. Moreover, when a diabetic wants to purchase diabetes health insurance in India, diabetes is considered as a pre-existing condition and gets covered with conditions only after a waiting period. In some cases, health insurance is denied to diabetics. People with diabetes may have multiple claims as it affects different parts of the body and also involves a lot of medication. Therefore, insurance companies are not keen to provide cover for it.
But there are a few diabetic insurance India that takes cover diabetes and related conditions. Here is a comparison of some of those plans –
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We look at Best Health Insurance for DiabeticsÂ
| Plan Name | Energy Insurance Policy | Diabetes Safe Insurance Policy |
| Insurance Provider | HDFC Ergo General Insurance | Star Health Insurance Company |
| Types of Plans | Two Plans –
Gold and Silver with and without options of co-pay |
Two Plans –
Plan A – Medical screening required Plan B – No medical screening |
| Coverage | Covers Type II Diabetes or Pre-diabetes or Hypertension.
Covers 182-day care procedures, organ donation, emergency ambulance up to Rs. 2,000
|
Covers hospitalization expenses for complications of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes and complications apart from diabetes
All daycare procedures Kidney transplant Accidental Death Outpatient expenses and diagnostic expenses up to a limit. |
| Eligibility | 18 years – 65 years with lifelong renewability. | Diabetic between the age range of 18 years – 65 years with lifelong renewability. |
| Waiting Period | None for the covered diseases.
2 years for other pre-existing diseases |
Plan A -None for diabetes.
Plan B – 12 months for diabetes and related complications. |
| Sum Assured | Various amounts available in the range of Rs. 2,00,000 – Rs. 50,00,000 | Various amounts available in the range of Rs. 3,00,000 – Rs. 10,00,000 |
| Benefits | Renewal premium discount of up to 25% based on claims and health conditions
Wellness tests, Wellness support, and services of a wellness coach. Online health assessment Free Health check-up included in Gold Plan |
Plan can be taken on an individual and floater basis
Covers diabetes and other medical conditions
|
| Exclusions | Pre-existing diseases apart from the covered conditions will be covered after 2 years.
HIV and related diseases, congenital diseases, pregnancy, hospitalization due to war, and unproven treatments not covered. |
Congenital defects
Use of tobacco, alcohol, and other intoxicating substances. Cosmetic surgery, weight treatments, and fertility treatments |
| The premium for Sum Assured of Rs. 5,00,000 and age of 35 years | Without co-pay – Rs. 17,342
With 20% co-pay – Rs. 15,086 |
Plan A – Rs. 12,479
Plan B – Rs. 16,319 |
The policy from HDFC Ergo has a higher coverage available but includes co-pay. It is more expensive but offers more in terms of services as compared to the policy from Star Health. Star Health offers a floater policy which might be beneficial for some people.
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Health Insurance for Senior Citizens with Diabetes –
 These Best Health Insurance for Diabetics cover senior citizens for Type 2 Diabetes –
| Plans | Star Senior Citizens Red Carpet Health Insurance | National Insurance Varistha Mediclaim | Optima Senior |
| Insurance Provider | Star Health Insurance | National Insurance | HDFC Ergo General Insurance |
| Types of Plans | – | Two options – Mediclaim and Critical Illness | – |
| Coverage | Room and nursing expense up to 1% of sum assured or Rs. 6,000 whichever is less
Emergency ambulance charges up to a limit Outpatient consultation included up to a limit Pre-existing diseases covered after 1 year of the waiting period. Surgeon fees, Cataract, cancer, cardio-vascular diseases covered depending on sub-limits.
|
Hospitalization covers up to 1% of the sum assured on a daily basis.
Medicines, blood, and oxygen paid till 50% of sum assured Emergency Transport Critical illnesses like cancer and stroke Illnesses such as diabetes covered from day one with additional premium else after one year of claim-free renewal Cataract, Prostatic Hyperplasia, and Organ Transplant covered up to a certain limit. |
Hospitalization
140-day care procedures Emergency ambulance up to Rs. 2000 per hospitalization Organ donation Pre-existing conditions covered only after 3 years of policy coverage |
| Eligibility | 60 years – 75 years with lifelong renewability | 60 years – 75 years with renewability up to 90 years.
Premium is loaded by 10% for people in the age group of 76-80 till 85 years and by 20% till 90 years. |
61 years and above with lifelong renewability |
| Sum Assured | Various amounts available in the range of Rs. 1,00,000 – Rs. 10,00,000 | Under Hospitalization & Domiciliary Hospitalization – Rs.1,00,000
Critical Illness – Rs.2,00,000 |
Covers of Rs. 2,00,000; Rs 3,00,000 and Rs. 5,00,000 are available |
| Benefits | Discount on premium for online purchases
No medical screening Medical consultation charges up to a limit offered for consultation as outpatient
|
No medical screening if the insured had health insurance for the three previous years else it is required. |
No maximum entry age
No claim discount of 5% on premium E-opinion for critical illness No sub-limits on claims Discount of 7.5% on premium if a 2-year policy is purchased. |
| Exclusions | No cover for 2 years of policy coverage for cataract, glaucoma, ENT diseases, and transplants.
Dental treatment, congenital conditions, weight control treatments and cosmetic surgery Costs associated with hearing aids, spectacles, wheelchairs and contact lens. Medical conditions due to war, nuclear materials and unproven medical treatments. |
Existing ailments attributable to diabetes and/or hypertension even if diabetes is covered.
Contact lens, hearing aids, dental procedures, diagnostic tests Many conditions such as cataract, sinus, lumps in parts of body are not covered in the first year. |
Coverage:
HIV and AIDS Cosmetic treatments, weight treatments and non-allopathic treatments. Conditions arising due to drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants Medical conditions due to war and nuclear radiation |
| The premium for a person who is 65 years | Rs. 21,240 for a cover of Rs. 5,00,000 and age between 60-75 years. | Rs. 4598 for Mediclaim (including diabetes cover)
Rs. 6605 for Mediclaim+Critical Illness
|
Rs. 22,553 for a cover of Rs. 5,00,000 |
As you can see, there are not too many Best Health Insurance for Diabetics plans that cover diabetes. Moreover, the cover for diabetes for senior citizens is woefully inadequate. Hopefully, the insurance companies devise some more useful diabetes health insurance plans for diabetics. Till then, it is important to ensure that one leads a healthy life and creates a medical emergency fund to tide over the medical costs even if one buys diabetes health insurance.
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Some more adviseÂ
Choose the best Diabetics health insurance in India, which has the least waiting time and helps you enjoy the maximum benefits offered as part of the plan. Group health insurance plans usually do not have a waiting period.
Choose the size of insurance coverage based on your age, health status, and increased health expenses. Make sure that the amount of health insurance is adequate and meets your needs and requirements. If your family has a history of diabetes, make sure you have the right plan. And if you don’t have diabetes, buy a plan to prevent rejection from the sidelines because of your diabetic background.
Before signing the dotted lines, be sure to read the policy’s terms to get up to speed and know about the inclusions and exclusions offered under health insurance in connection with a pre-existing illness.
If you have still any questions about Health Insurance for Diabetes – feel free to add them to the comments section.
