GENERAL INSURANCE: Check if your foreign health policy offers global coverage

My brother in Dubai has been advised kidney operation and we are planning to bring him to India for the same. He has a health insurance policy. Can it be used in India? 
– Tushar Singh

Certain health policies offer global coverage where as others are limited to the country of residence only, so in this case you should verify the policy terms and conditions, you need to refer the territorial limits of the policy. If the policy has global coverage, he may avail the treatment in other countries also. It is always advisable to contact the insurer and share the details of the planned hospitalisation along with the country of hospitalisation and proceed for treatment accordingly, especially in case of a planned hospitalisation like a kidney operation in this case.

I made claims in my health insurance policy last year. Can I transfer it to another insurance company? And if I want to include my parents in my policy is it possible? 
– Pankaj Ramachandran

Transferring of health policy from one insurer to other insurer is also called as portability benefit and you can avail it at the time of policy renewal. You need to make an application to port the policy with the new insurer 45 days prior to the expiry date of previous policy. You have to declare all the previous claims and health conditions on the proposal and portability form. The insurer would review the portability application basis the claims and health history of the members applying for portability.

Yes, you can include your parents in the new policy, if the porting policy gives the option of covering parents. However, your parents may not be eligible for portability benefits, for example, waiting period for pre-existing diseases will start fresh for them.

It's very important to know about the waiting periods, policy sub-limits, terms and conditions in detail while deciding the new insurer and the policy under which you intend to port.

Can my husband and me buy a critical illness policy together like a family floater mediclaim policy? 
– Sheena Bakshi

It is great that you are considering buying a critical illness policy, it is a must have along with health and personal accident policies. Critical Illness policy is a benefit policy, where a lump sum claim amount is paid on the disease diagnosis. Typically, this policy is offered as with an individual sum insured and not on floater basis. However, your spouse can opt for a separate critical illness policy for you and for other dependent members of the family. There are Critical illness policies specifically designed for women, these policies are customized to take care of the most commonly occurring critical diseases among women along with other risks associated when diagnosed with critical illness. I would strongly urge you to buy this specific cover for yourself.

The writer is MD & CEO, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance

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