3 Effects of A Pre-Existing Disease On Your Health Insurance Premiums

It is essential to have a health insurance plan. This is especially true in India where in recent years costs of healthcare has been steadily increasing. Additionally, our sedentary lifestyles have also increased health risks leading to more healthcare costs. In such cases, the insurance provides a layer of protection by ensuring you can pay for the medical help you require and that in times of such emergencies there is a certain amount of financial stability for you to bounce back. In health insurance, pre-existing diseases is a term that people are often perplexed by. Hence in this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about it and how it affects your insurance premium.

What is a Pre-Existing Illness or Disease?

In health insurance, pre-existing illness refers to the health issues that the individual/s suffer from before they purchased the health insurance . This includes all health issues ranging from high blood pressure to diabetes. When purchasing your health insurance you must inform your health insurance about these existing conditions.

Why is it Compulsory to Mention Pre-Existing Illnesses to the Insurance Company?

An insurance policy is a legal agreement. The health insurance provider assesses the risks, accepts the proposal and decides on the premium accordingly. Hence, the information is used to assess your health condition and accordingly form the policy. These agreements are based on ‘utmost good faith’, thus when you hide the pre-existing illness it goes against this agreement. Moreover, any complications that arise from these complications will not be covered by the policy. On the other hand, if you inform the insurance company, these will be covered with some terms and conditions and after a waiting period. Lastly, the pre-existing illness will also affect your insurance in some ways.

What are the Effects of Pre-Existing Illnesses on Health Insurance?

The following are the ways in which pre-existing conditions can affect your health insurance:

• Premium Loading: In cases when you want instant coverage for pre-existing illnesses the insurance company will provide it but at a higher premium. This is because the pre-existing conditions bring higher risks to the insurance provider.
• Waiting Period: The other way the pre-existing illness affects your health insurance is the waiting period. Any costs incurred due to health care for the pre-existing conditions will not be covered in this period. The waiting period depends on the policy but is usually somewhere between 2 to 4 years.
• Waiting Period and Premium Loading: In some cases, the health insurance will require you to pay higher premiums as well as wait for a stipulated period before the policy covers the illness.

Also Read

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Disadvantages of Not Having A Health Insurance Plan

Takeaway

To conclude, pre-existing illnesses are those that the policyholder already suffers from before purchasing the health insurance policy. With such illnesses, you will either be required to wait for a stipulated period, pay higher premiums or both. However, it is a bad idea to hide them from your insurance company as they will refuse to pay for the costs incurred for those conditions. Purchasing health insurance online can now be done in minutes. With a few clicks, you can compare different health insurance companies, the plans they offer, calculate your insurance premium, check their network of cashless mediclaim hospitals. There are a variety of insurance policies to choose from such as the basic Aarogya Sanjeevani Policy and the Critical Illness Insurance for more grave medical issues.

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.