It’s widely said that health is wealth and indeed it is because it’s one of the most important asset that the Almighty has blessed us with. Hence decisions that involve your health and well being should not be taken lightly at all. We do all we can to keep us fit from eating healthy to exercising on a regular basis but no matter how much we try to keep healthy, illness or any unforeseen accidents can arise at any point in time. Here comes the need for health insurance which nowadays is a must due to pollution levels being an all-time high as well as diseases and bacteria getting stronger and more resistant to medications by the day. Not just this, medical treatment has gotten really expensive as well and getting treated by good doctors or reputed healthcare institutions can easily burn a hole in your pocket and prove to be financially burdening.
While planning to get health insurance or once you’ve got health insurance, you should be aware of the Dos and Don’ts to make sure that you are able to get your money’s worth and don’t run into any issues later on during the course of your coverage period. These set of best practices will ensure you get proper healthcare without it becoming a burden on yourself. Let’s talk about the things you should do when you plan to purchase a healthcare policy or have already done so.
1) Get the right policy:
This is the most important aspect of any insurance policy. Whether you are buying the individual policy or one for your family, make sure that all your possible requirements are covered. Read all coverage details given for your policy by the provider to see the things that are covered such as maximum amount of cover, routine checkups, emergency care and medications. Some plans offer inbuilt maternity benefit, some don’t. Some health plans have certain caps and sub-limits on room rents; some don’t impose any such limit etc. Sometimes coverage for certain scenarios are sold as add-ons hence make sure to include those to your insurance policy if needed. Also if you’re a family it’s better to buy family insurance rather than individual insurance for each person as family insurance plans tend to bear expenses for child birth along with extra benefits and coverage.
2) Do your research:
This will help you choose the right insurance policy within your budget. Search and compare for policies from different providers to see differences between coverage levels within same price tiers to find out which one offers better value as it’s a long term affair if you plan to take up healthcare insurance seriously. Also if for any reason you are not satisfied with the policy you’ve bought, cancel it within the provided 15-day window to avoid losing your money.
3)Inform the insurance provider:
If you plan to get hospitalized, it’s best to inform the insurer before-hand so that any necessary formalities are taken care of in due time and doesn’t cause you a hassle later on once the treatment begins. Also if there is an emergency try to inform your provider on an ASAP basis. Also if you are not at a network hospital then it’s best to keep all the necessary documents such as medical prescriptions, consultation, diagnosis and medical/lab test bills and any purchase receipts to make sure you get reimbursed for the correct amount incurred.
Now let’s talk about a few important things that you should NOT do while buying or having a health insurance policy.
1) Don’t hide or misrepresent anything:
Whilst buying an insurance policy, don’t hide any previous ailments or medical history nor lie about your age or make a false claim after you’ve been insured. The consequences are severe as they can lead to the insurer rejecting your claim at the least to cancellation of policy coverage altogether and in the worst case scenario you could be blacklisted and the insurance company might not offer you any type of insurance policies in the future as well as you could be at a risk of being totally barred from multiple insurance companies as they usually have a shared database regarding defaulters/blacklisted claimants.
2) Never delay policy renewal:
Don’t let your insurance cover lapse and renew before it expires because without a renewal your insurance policy will be terminated even if a single day has gone by which could cause in any of your claims being rejected. Thus timely renewal is vital to keep your insurance cover intact and you will be able to file successful claims with the provider.
3)Don’t travel abroad with your health insurance policy:
Sometimes people have this misconception that usually happens due to not reading the terms and conditions of their policy completely. You may think that just because you’ve already purchased a health care insurance for yourself, you will be covered for any health related issues abroad as well. This is false and fact is that you need to get separate travel insurance to be able to get compensation in case of health related issues abroad because such scenarios are only covered under travel insurance. Thus if you plan to travel abroad, make sure to get travel insurance. It’s quick and easy and you only need to buy the insurance policy for the duration of your travel only. At Smartchoice.pk we have a dedicated travel insurance portal where you can search, compare and purchase travel insurance policy with real time quotations from multiple providers in just a few clicks. It doesn’t get any easier than this!
Merely having a health insurance isn’t enough, but having the right healthcare plan will help you reap the benefits when needed the most. Complying with the above measures can ensure that the provider can process the claim efficiently, which in turn translates into quicker payment/treatment for the claimant. Always read all the terms and conditions and make sure that what you are getting is the right thing for you before you get your health insurance policy. We wish you a healthy and safe life!
