How Do You Select the Best Super Top-up Pan for Your Existing Coverage?

Considering the steep inflation in the medical and healthcare sector, having health insurance has become a must-have for every household. The absence of a reliable health plan will not only deplete your hard-earned savings but will add to your stress, too. The pandemic outbreak has revealed the importance of health plans the hard way.  

Choosing a reliable health plan requires careful planning and consideration of various factors like age, plan terms, features, coverage span, sum assured, premiums, etc.  

If you maintain health coverage, but with time, you feel that the sum assured amount is insufficient. You can enhance its scope with a top-up cover. There are 2 variants here: 

Top-up plan vs. Super top-up plan 

This comparative study will help you get a clear understanding of the scenario well:  

Aspect  Top-up Health Plan  Super Top-up Health Plan 
Purpose  Offers additional coverage if one claim exceeds the threshold  Effectively covers expenses when the accumulated total of several claims exceeds the limit 
Coverage Trigger  Gets activated by a single claim that exceeds the limit   Gets activated when the combined cumulative total of all the claims exceeds the limit 
Threshold  Applicable as per separate individual claim  Applicable to the cumulation of all the claims during the specific policy term 
Claim Management  The claim that exceeds the threshold only gets covered  Multiple claims combined are eligible to trigger the coverage once the limit is crossed 
Premium  Usually higher due to narrow coverage scopes  Usually lower, for it covers a cumulative range of a wider number of claims  
Protection  Ideal for large, individual medical costs  Protects large expenses spreading across several claims 

What Are Super Top-up Plans?  

Super top-up plans are technically an extension of top-up plans. The major difference is that a top-up policy applies for one single claim, whereas a super top-up plan can be utilised for an aggregation of several claims. When the entire sum assured limit gets exhausted under a super top-up plan, the coverage extent of such plans also comes to an end.  

It only works when the total sum assured amount of your basic health plan gets exhausted during hospitalisation, and you have to settle the dues out of your pocket up to the deductible.  

Unlike a top-up policy, which only pays beyond your policy limit once every year, a super top-up plan allows multiple claims coverage throughout the year.  

Pro tip: A super top-up plan is comparatively cheaper than paying a larger premium for your current plan, making it the most reasonable approach.  

Example: 

Let’s assume that you maintain a health plan worth a coverage of INR 5 lakhs, and you have been maintaining it for the last 6 years. Considering the cost rise in the healthcare sector, you seek to purchase an additional top-up coverage of INR 12 lakhs with INR 5 lakhs of deductible component.  

Suppose you have made multiple claims in a year of INR 3 lakhs and INR 4 lakhs, amounting to a total of INR 7 lakhs.  

Only the base plan will cover the compensation costs, and it will cover no claim by the top-up coverage as none of the claims exceed the INR 5 lakh threshold.  

In the case of a super top-up plan, the same claims will get paid where INR 2 lakhs is the base limit, and the super top-up coverage will automatically kick in.  

Benefits Of Super Top-up Health Plans 

When you are seeking to buy super top-up plans for yourself and your family, you need to note the following benefits: 

  • Deductible: You need to pay the deductible once every year; this is a single-time payment. All the additional accumulated medical expenses get covered. 
  • Cashless treatment: With the super top-up plan, you can enjoy cashless hospitalisation and treatment benefits based on the plan terms.  
  • Online purchase: You can easily the best super top-up plan with just a few taps and clicks on your laptop or smartphone. It is a matter of minutes. You can both renew and buy a new plan using online mode.  
  • Hospitalisation: The best super top-up plan usually covers hospitalisation costs, pre- and post-hospitalisation costs, childcare costs, etc as per the plan terms. It includes investigation charges, consultation costs, etc.  

Pro tip: You must clarify all the details with your insurer to ensure the exact coverage scope. Our Paybima advisors are there at every step to guide you accordingly.  

Pro tip: Consider your budget, family size, premium payable amount, coverage extent, etc., before finalising your selection.  

Factors To Consider Before Choosing The Best Super Top-up Plan 

The significant factors that you need to consider while choosing the best super top-up plan include: 

1. Financial Limits:

A super top-up plan may offer room rent capping and less number of features when compared to a full-fledged plan.  
 
Tip: Please go through all the terms and conditions before signing up. 

2. Two Plans - Two Claims:

With a super top-up policy, you will be maintaining 2 health plans, leading to 2 different application and claims procedures every time you need higher coverage.  

Tip: You can buy the super top-up either from the same insurer or a different insurer. However, sticking to the same company will make things easier for you.  

  • Varying waiting periods: The PED waiting period of a super top-up plan might vary from the base plan. 

Tip: Understand the differences well or take professional guidance to avoid any errors.  

  • Varying network hospitals: if you buy a super top-up plan from a different insurer, the list of network hospitals may vary.  

Tip: Check the list of network hospitals before zeroing in.  

  • Super top-up or existing plan upgrade: Adding a super top-up plan is comparatively more affordable than upgrading your existing plan.  

Tip: It is best to combine a base plan with a super top-up to ensure effective protection for you and your family in the long run.  

 

Wrapping up

Author Bio

Paybima Team

Paybima is an Indian insurance aggregator on a mission to make insurance simple for people. Paybima is the Digital arm of the already established and trusted Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd., a reputed name in the insurance broking industry with 17 years of experience. Paybima promises you the easy-to-access online platform to buy insurance policies, and also extend their unrelented assistance with all your policy related queries and services.

Over to You

Care Health Supreme and HDFC ERGO Optima Restore are among the best health insurance policies in India today. It is a matter of your priority, coverage depth over cost effectiveness. Here’s a quick recap for you to make an informed decision.

Both offer coverage of up to ₹1 crore; Optima Restore starts at ₹3L, Care Supreme at ₹7L. Supreme offers unlimited recharge; Optima Restore offers 100% once a year, after a claim is made. Care includes OPD + unlimited e-consults; Optima lacks OPD, allows one consultation/year. Care gives a 30% discount + 500% bonus; Optima offers 8% discount + 50% bonus. Care Supreme is costlier but has more features. Optima suits budget buyers; Care fits those needing wider, long-term coverage.

Whichever health insurance plan you choose, ensure to read the policy wordings and seek advice from an expert before you make the purchase. The best health insurance is the one that covers you the way you want to be covered.
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