Health insurance policies are critical for the financial well-being of both men and women. However, recent years have seen many covers rolled out specifically for women, or policies that have many key clauses that cater largely to the feminine even if both genders are allowed to opt for them.
Star Health, Care and Bajaj Allianz have policies or riders serving women exclusively. Last Month, Future Generali launched a new health insurance cover that is significantly women-centric.
Of course, both men and women are allowed to buy the policy, but several features therein cover ladies in greater detail, in the sense that they target many ailments that they specifically suffer from.
Called the ‘Health Powher,’ the policy has many interesting features for the womenfolk.
Read on for more on the new health insurance cover from Future Generali and the features that other providers offer to make an informed call on whether you should buy the policy.
Covering ailments
Future Generali’s Health Powher has coverage starting from ₹5 lakh and goes all the way up to ₹1 crore. The policy offers individual/non-floater as well as family floater versions of health insurance. At least one of the covered members in the policy must be a female.
Interestingly, apart from the usual coverage for self, spouse, children, parents and in-laws, the new policy also allows live-in partners to be part of the health insurance cover.
Health Powher then zeros in on many women-specific features. It covers maternity expenses for delivery — both normal and caesarean, after a waiting period of 24 months. The amounts are fixed and vary with the total coverage amount. Pre and post-natal expenses are covered for up to 45 days.
The policy also covers miscarriage and termination of pregnancy after a waiting period of 12 months. New born defect, new born vaccination (up to one year) and even stem cell storage (once during lifetime) are covered with individual ceiling on the total amount.
Further, infertility treatment expenses are covered if the insured amount is ₹15 lakh or above. Cryopreservation costs are also covered. Both have a ceiling amount and carry a waiting period of 36 months.
Interestingly, even voluntary sterilisation is included in the policy for higher sum insured covers once a 36-month waiting period is done.
Cancers specific to women are also extensively covered — breast, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tube and ovary. Given the prevalence of these ailments in current times, these are welcome additions.
A few other appreciable aspects are the inclusion of senior care coverage. Nursing care expenses, domestic help, etc., are covered for women above 60 years of age.
Finally, Health Powher also covers puberty and menopause issues for in-patient (24 months waiting period) and out-patient (no waiting period) treatments.
There are a few preventive care treatments also, covered after a waiting period.
Star Women Care Insurance Plan ( ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore), Care Joy Maternity Insurance Plan (₹3 lakh and ₹5 lakh) and Bajaj Allianz Women Specific Critical Illness Plan (₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh) are some plans available from companies, catering specifically to the needs of womenfolk.
The Star Woman Care policy is also an extensive cover. It includes delivery expenses, accidental miscarriage, new born cover, cancer cover and even utero fetal surgery. Maternity expenses are also covered for larger sum assured after a waiting period.
The Care and Bajaj Allianz policies, as specified by their names mentioned earlier, cover only specific treatments — cancer, maternity, etc.
Should you go for the policy?
To be sure, a significant part of what is covered in Future Generali’s Health Powher is also available in regular health covers and riders as well.
But what the policy has done additionally is that it has included many women-specific ailments with extensive detailing on multiple modern medical treatments. The waiting periods and timelines are also quite reasonable. There are family discounts available as well.
The policy gives the example of ₹10 lakh sum assured floater cover for wife, husband and daughter, whose premium comes to ₹33,813. The premium is certainly not inexpensive.
For working women looking to take their cover, the Star Woman Care offers a good option. They can also consider Future Generali’s Health Powher for their needs, given the extensive coverage it offers.