Being disabled in India is tough. As per the 2011 Census, there are 26.8 million disabled people in India, which is 2% of our population. There aren’t enough facilities available for the disabled at public places, and the ones with lesser financial resources often have to struggle for making facilities available on their own. On the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, let’s have a look at the different insurance options available for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Having health insurance will ensure you don’t have to worry much about the expenses if an accident renders you or your loved ones disabled. If they are covered under a plan like Health Insurance, available on Bajaj Markets, their expenses will be taken care of with the policy.
Who is Defined as Disabled?
- Congenital Disability
Congenitally disabled persons are those who are disabled right since birth. Common congenital conditions include cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, heart conditions.
- Accidental Disability
Accidental disability includes disability caused by an accident. Under this category, people with impaired limbs, partial or total blindness caused by an accident are covered in case of an existing policy.
- Mental Disability
This includes persons with psychiatric conditions, mental impairment, or behavioral distress.
Persons with congenital or mental disability are in the high-risk category. They do not receive complete coverage under critical illness insurance policy, but persons with accidental disability do. There aren’t critical illness covers available specifically for persons with disabilities, but the government has some insurance options for them.
- Niramaya Health Insurance
It is a health insurance for disabled in India provided by the National Trust. The National Trust is a body of the Government’s Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The National Trust works towards enabling full participation of people with disabilities for living independently. The Niramaya Health insurance scheme aims to provide affordable health insurance to people having cerebral palsy, autism, multiple disabilities, and mental retardation. The insured person gets a health insurance cover of Rs.100,000. This cover includes
- Diagnostic tests
- Medicines
- Regular medical checkups
- Surgery to prevent aggravation of disability
- Dental preventive dentistry
- Hospitalization
- Corrective surgery for existing disability
- Corrective surgery for complications related to disability
- Transportation costs
- Alternative medicine
- Pre and post hospitalization expenses
The premium for this health insurance for disabled is Rs.250 for persons with family income of less than Rs.15000/month, and Rs.500 for persons with family income of more than Rs.15000/month.
Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme
This scheme was launched in 2015 as per the PWD Act, 1995, for providing affordable health insurance for disabled in India. It is an initiative by The New India Assurance Company Limited, and with Ministry Of Social Justice, Dept of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. It covers people with low vision, blindness, leprosy, hearing impairment, mental illness, mental retardation, and loco-motor disability. The sum insured is Rs.2 lakhs for a year. It covers not just the person with the disability but also their family, with a family income of Rs.3 lakhs or less. The premium contribution is Rs.357 per month. However, persons with cerebral palsy, autism, and multiple disabilities are not covered.
Things to Keep in Mind for Disability in India
Documentation
Whether it is a government scheme or a private one, you will need to take a medical test at a government hospital and get a medical report from a registered doctor in order to take health insurance for disabled in India.
- Tax benefits
Under Section 80U of the Income Tax Act, taxpayers who are partially disabled get a tax deduction up to Rs.50,000. Severely disabled ones get a maximum deduction of Rs.100,000 if they have health insurance for disabled.
Premium
Insurers usually charge premiums according to current GST terms, age of disabled person, and location. Take this into account while availing a policy from a private insurer.
Being disabled in India is not easy, but there are multiple sources of help available now. If, God forbid, disability befalls you or your family members, having a health insurance cover already will see you through much easier. If you aren’t insured yet, it might be time to check out the Family Health Insurance, available on Bajaj Markets, which has tie-ups with 6500+ hospitals across India.
Health Insurance Plans Available at Bajaj Markets
