Cashless Health Insurance

Cashless health insurance is a type of health insurance plan that enables you (the policyholder) to seek cashless hospitalisation or medical treatment at any of the network hospitals listed by the insurer. With this policy, you do not have to worry about paying for medical expenses upfront. The insurance provider pays the hospital directly for the covered medical expenses. Keep reading to know the features and benefits of availing cashless treatment in India.

Important Update (Dated May 30, 2024) – Good news for Health Insurance policyholders! According to the Master Circular on Health Insurance Business 29052024 rolled out on May 29, 2024 by IRDAI, insurers are to decide on the request for cashless claims within 1 hour of receiving the request. Also, the final claim is to be granted within 3 hours after the policyholder’s discharge from the hospital. Insurers have been directed by IRDAI to establish necessary systems and procedures for this process by July 31, 2024.

The Master Circular on Health Insurance Business 29052024 circular is available here - https://irdai.gov.in/document-detail?documentId=4942918

Here are the top 3 cashless health insurance plans in India:

• Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance Plan

• Aditya Birla Health Insurance Plan

• Care Health Insurance Plan

You can take a look at the Cashless Health Insurance plans available at Bajaj Markets and choose a policy that is appropriate for your needs: 

The features of Cashless Health Insurance are pretty much the same as that of your primary health plan. They are:

• With a Cashless Health Insurance plan, you will be able to avail high-quality healthcare facilities at an affordable premium rate without paying anything out of pocket. 

• Most insurers provide reinstatement benefits when you exhaust your sum insured amount during the treatment and hospitalisation.

You can get cashless insurance at any of the network hospitals listed by your insurer across India.

Cashless Health Insurance plans in India are available under the following categories: 

• Individual Cashless Health Insurance 

This type of cashless insurance is for individuals seeking health coverage for themselves. 

• Family Floater Cashless Health Insurance 

This type of health insurance is for families seeking to get cashless health coverage under a single plan. 

• Senior Citizens Cashless Health Insurance 

This type of insurance is meant for senior citizens, i.e. people above the age of 60 seeking cashless healthcare services. 

Any cashless Mediclaim policy will invariably have exclusions. This simply means that these charges are not covered under the policy, and you need to make separate payments for them. You may have to cover the following charges since they will not be covered under a cashless policy: 

• Service charges

• Registration fees

• Admission fees

• Charges on toiletries

• Attendant’s fees

Your insurance provider will have a large network of empanelled hospitals across the country for providing medical treatment to policyholders. If you or one of the insured members under your health insurance plan falls sick, you can take them to a nearby network hospital affiliated with your insurer. The network hospital will take your insurance details and verify the authenticity of your insurance plan. Once the insurance details are verified, your cashless hospitalisation treatment will begin. In this case, you will not have to pay for any medical bills as your insurance provider will settle the expenses directly once the treatment is complete.

You can buy Cashless Health Insurance on Bajaj Markets in just a few minutes by following the given steps:

• Step 1: Click on the ‘Buy Now’ button mentioned on the top of the page.

• Step 2: Enter your personal details on the form available on the page and click on ‘Get Quote’. 

• Step 3: Choose a Cashless Health Insurance plan from the set of health insurance options available on the page.

• Step 4: Select any add-on riders you wish to buy on top of your cashless health plans. 

• Step 5: Pay the online premiums for your chosen cashless health policy. 

Your Cashless Health Insurance will be activated shortly and the policy details will be sent to you through email. 

It is important to get Cashless Health Insurance for the following reasons: 

• Financial Help

A cashless treatment will provide you with financial support during any planned or emergency medical treatment, requiring hospitalisation.

• Extensive Coverage

The policy covers a wide range of medical procedures, like surgeries on the eye, bones, skin, ear, etc. It also covers critical illnesses, including cardiac ailments, kidney failure, stroke, organ transplant, and limb paralysis. You can also get cashless treatment for ailments, like piles, cataracts, sinusitis etc. after having completed a minimum number of policy years as stipulated in the policy.

• Health Protection During Travel

Along with pre and post-hospitalisation expenses, a cashless Mediclaim policy also covers your health while travelling. In the case of an emergency during travel, you can avail cashless hospitalisation at an empanelled hospital across all of India. 

• Tax Benefits

You can avail health insurance tax benefits under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act on premium payments made for availing a Cashless Health Insurance policy.

You must always remember to consider the following factors before purchasing a Cashless Health Insurance Policy:

• Treatment Only at Network Hospitals

The cashless insurance policy is only valid at the empanelled network hospitals. You must verify the details of the hospital before getting admitted.

• Display Health Insurance Card

You must display your health insurance card to the concerned authorities at the time of getting admitted to the network hospital.

• Timely Intimation

All details pertaining to the medical treatment should be provided to the insurance company in a time-bound manner. Remember, delays could result in the rejection of claims.

• Proper Documentation

All original documents, including doctor’s prescriptions, medical tests, laboratory reports etc. should be provided to the insurance company. In case you fail to submit the requisite documents, your claim can be rejected.

• Careful Perusal of the Policy Document

You must always read the fine print, or the terms and conditions of any Cashless Health Insurance policy carefully. This will help you know the scope and coverage of the policy.

You should avoid making the following mistakes to ensure that your claim does not get rejected:

• Providing Incorrect Information

If you have intentionally or unintentionally added any wrong information while registering for your policy or in the claim application process, the insurance provider will most likely reject your claim. 

• Missing Documents 

Similarly, if there are any documents that you have not submitted such as the relevant medical bills or the documents that you have submitted are not satisfactory to the insurance provider, your claim can get rejected. 

• Expired Policy 

If you make an insurance claim on your health policy which has already expired, your claim will also be rejected. 

• Claiming for Exclusions 

If you make any insurance claim for diseases or medical conditions that are not covered under your policy, the claim will most likely get rejected.

Health Insurance Plans Available at Bajaj Markets