What is health insurance?

A health insurance or a mediclaim policy is an insurance contract which covers the medical expensesincurred by an individual in case of hospitalisation. The policy covers the financial implications incurred at the time of medical contingencies and pays either the actual medical expensesincurred or a lump sum benefit depending on the plan’s coverage features

Why should I buy health insurance?

A Health Insurance policy is not a financial priority anymore, it has become a necessity in today’s age due to the continuous rise in healthcare risks and prices inflation. Any unplanned hospitalisation would lead to numerous expenses such as medicinal treatment or surgery costs, diagnostics test charges, pharmacy, doctor’s visits, room rents,ambulance transportation charges etc. These costs can easily cripple a family’s financial health in a flash.But with the right health insurance cover, you can protect yourself and your family from these medical expenses without causing much dent in your savings. Do not let the massive costs oftreatment become a hindrance inseeking the right care for a loved one. Get a health insurance for your family now.

What are the key benefits of a health insurance policy?

Following are some of the key coverages and benefits you get when you buy a health insurance policy: 1. Cost of hospitalization:All the hospitalization expenses incurred due to illness oraccident injuries 2. Pre and posthospitalization expenses: Expenses incurred during a certain number of days before and after hospitalization as long as they are related to the illness/injury 3. Day care procedures: Surgeries and treatments that do not require 24- hour hospitalisation,due to technological advancements, are also covered 4. Ambulance cover: Transportation of the patient to hospital 5. Income Tax benefit: Save uptoRs 75,000 on tax (25,000 for self and family & additional 50,000 if senior citizen parents included) under section 80(D) of Income Tax Act 6. Organ donor expense: Medical expenses of organ donor during an organ transplant. 7. No Claim Bonus: Bonus given to the insured during renewal in case of no claims are filed in the previous policy year. The bonus can be in the form of an increase in the sum insured. 8. Cashless treatment: Can be availed when hospitalised in one of the network hospitals of insurance company 9. Sum insured recharge: Sum insured gets replenished on exhaustion of entire health cover 10. Alternative treatments (AYUSH Benefit): Alternate therapies like Ayurveda, Unaani, Siddha and Homeopathyget covered 11. Free health check-ups: Free health check-up facility given to the insured membersupto pre -defined limit in policy. 12. Domiciliary hospitalization (Health homecare): Treatments availed at home on doctor’s recommendation 13. Convalescence Benefit: Lumpsum amount given to the insured person as a recovery benefit in case of a long duration of hospitalisation It is important to realize that inclusions will vary from one provider to the next and from plan to plan.

What are the major exclusions in a health insurance policy?

Some of the exclusions under a health insurance policy are as follows: 1. Expenses due to pre-existing disease incurred during waiting period 2. Expenses occurred during the waiting period for the disease/ailments having mandatory waiting period 3. Cosmetic and Dental surgery expenses 4. Sexually transmitted diseases 5. Self-inflicted injuriesor adventure sports 6. Injuries caused due to war Detailed list of exclusions can be found in the policy wordings of the respective health insurance product.

What are the different types of health insurance products available?

There are two types of health insurance plans available today. They are as follows: 1. Individual health insurance plan: This type of plan suits for individuals who chose to buy a policy for covering one individual. 2. Family health insurance plan: This type of plan provides coverage for the entire family which can include spouse, parents and children. The sum insured can be shared among all the family members or each family member can have an individual sum insured.

How to choose the right health insurance plan?

Choosing the right health insurance plan is the most important step while purchasing a policy. Following are some of the factors that should be kept in mind while looking for a health insurance: 1. Sum insured: Determining the right coverage is the first step when opting to buy a health insurance. Individuals residing in metro cities may go for higher sum insured. If looking for family health insurance plans, sum insured above 10 lacs can be considered so as to cover multiple claims in a year from different members without exhaustion 2. Sub-limits: Policies that do not have sub-limits on room rents i.e. no higher limit on the rent charges are always recommended. 3. 3. Co-payment: Policies that have co-payment option have lesser annual premiums because the insured individual pays a fraction of the hospital expenses and the rest is borne by the insurance company. Though the premiums are discounted but the co-payment amount could be a significant amount in case of high value claims. 4. Waiting period: Some insurers have shorter waiting periods for pre-existing ailments. Specific covers like maternity benefits are covered after 3 years under policies of few insurance companies. The shorter the waiting period, the better for the insured person. 5. Cashless hospital network: Insurance companies have tie-ups with hospitals across the country. One should always look for the insurer who has more number of hospitals under their cashless service.

Why should I compare health insurance online?

There are numerous health insurance plans available in the market. Each plan has its own inclusions and exclusions list, benefits and features, cashless hospital network, sub limits, waiting periods for certain illnesses etc. Hence it becomes imperative to compare these plans first and then choose the one which suits your requirements the most. PayBima helps you choose the right plan by showing a detailed comparison of all the health insurance policies available based on the data provided and hence assists you in making an informed choice.

How to compare and buy health insurance online?

You can compare and buy health insurance online in a few easy steps. Visit PayBima website and select health insurance. Then you will be asked to enter few basic details like age, sum insured amount, area of residence, number of members to be insured etc. Based on the details submitted, quotes from various health insurance companies will be displayed. You can select multiple plans and compare the benefits and coverages provided along with the premium. After you have decided on a particular policy that fulfils your requirements, you can select the plan and proceed to the proposal form stage. You have to provide accurate and correct information in the proposal form. After the form is filled, you can review all thedetails shared till now in the summary page. After reviewing, you can proceed to make the payment online through various modes like credit/debit cards, internet banking, wallets etc. Post successful payment, health insurance policy will be generated and emailed to you instantly.

Top up Health Insurance Policy: Best Super Top up Health Insurance Plans Online, India 2023

Different Types of Super Top-up Health Insurance Plans in India

WHAT IS A TOP-UP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN?

A top up insurance plan is a health insurance plan where you choose the sum insured and the deductible limit. Thereafter, if you incur a claim which is more than the deductible limit, the top up medical insurance plan pays the excess claim. The deductible limit is applicable in each instance of the claim and only when the claim amount exceeds the deductible, the top up insurance policy would be triggered.

Example

For example, say you buy a top up health insurance plan with a sum insured of Rs.10 lakhs and a deductible of Rs.5 lakhs. A claim occurs which amounts to Rs.6 lakhs. In this case, since the claim is higher than the deductible, the top up insurance policy would pay the excess claim of Rs.1 lakh. However, if you incur a claim of Rs.4 lakhs or any amount below Rs.5 lakhs, the top up plan would not pay any claim and you would have to pay the difference from your pocket.

Even in the case of subsequent claims, the expense amount should be above the deductible limit to avail claim from the policy. Like in the above policy, if the second claim is 4 lakhs, which is below the deductible of 5 lakhs, then there would be no claim payout. However, if the claim is 6 lakhs the payout would be only Rs 1 lakhs as the deductible is applied in each instance of a claim.

WHAT IS A SUPER TOP UP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN?

A super top up plan is like a top up plan but with one main difference. Under a top up insurance plan, every instance of claim is measured against the deductible limit and claims exceeding the deductible are paid. However, under super top up health insurance plans, cumulative claims made in a policy year are measured against the deductible. If the aggregate value of all the claims exceeds the deductible, the excess claim would be paid.

Example

For example, say you buy a super top up policy with a sum insured of Rs. 10 lakhs and a deductible limit of Rs. 5 lakhs. In a policy year, the first claim is incurred which amounts to Rs. 2 lakhs. In this case, the super-top up health policy would not pay any claim.

Subsequently, another claim is incurred which amounts to Rs. 3.5 lakhs. In this case, the total claims made so far amounts to Rs. 5.5 lakhs. Since the aggregate value of claims exceeds the deductible of Rs.5 lakhs, the super top up health policy would pay the excess claim of Rs. 50, 000.

Thereafter, if a third claim is made, the super top up policy would cover that claim completely, up to the Sum insured, since the aggregate claim value has already surpassed the deductible in the second instance of a claim.

Super Top-up Health Insurance Companies

Difference Between top up and Super top up Health Insurance

Both the plans are alike in certain aspects but they have some fundamental differences. The differences between them can be checked in the following table –

Top-up Health Insurance	Super Top-up Health Insurance
The plan pays the claim if an independent claim exceeds the chosen deductible limit	The plan pays the claim if the aggregate value of all claims occurring in a Policy year exceeds the chosen deductible limit
The premiums are lower	The premiums are comparatively higher than top up plans but substantially lower than Regular Health Plans

Let’s understand the difference between these two plans through an example –

Policyholder “A” buys top up health insurance for a sum insured of Rs.10 lakhs and a deductible of Rs.5 lakh. Policyholder “B”, buys super top up insurance with the same sum insured and deductible. Let us take a look at how the claims would be made:

Incidence of Claim	Health Insurance Top-up Plan	Health Insurance Super Top-up Plan
1st claim of Rs.2.5 lakhs	No claim would be paid as the deductible limit is Rs.5 lakhs	No claim would be paid as the deductible limit is Rs.5 lakhs
2nd claim of Rs.5 lakhs	No claim would be paid as the deductible limit is Rs.5 lakhs	Aggregate claims = 2.5 + 5 = Rs.7.5 lakhs Deductible limit = Rs.5 lakhs Claim payable = up to Rs.2.5 lakhs
3rd claim of Rs.6 lakhs	Claim = Rs.6 lakhs Deductible limit = Rs.5 Lakhs Claim paid = Rs.1 lakh	Aggregate claims = 2.5 + 5 + 6 = Rs.13.5 lakhs Deductible = Rs.5 lakhs Claim payable = up to Rs.6 lakhs

As you can see, the top up insurance policy would be triggered only in the third instance of a claim when the claim exceeds the deductible limit. However, the super top up policy would be triggered by the second claim onwards. It would not only pay the claim in the second instance, but it would also be able to pay the entire claim of the third instance since the deductible limit was crossed in the second instance itself. The maximum payout in both top up and super top up health policy would be up to the Sum Insured.

Choosing the best super top up plan or the

Top-up Health Insurance	Super Top-up Health Insurance
The plan pays the claim if an independent claim exceeds the chosen deductible limit	The plan pays the claim if the aggregate value of all claims occurring in a Policy year exceeds the chosen deductible limit
The premiums are lower	The premiums are comparatively higher than top up plans but substantially lower than Regular Health Plans

Let’s understand the difference between these two plans through an example –

Parameters	Base Health insurance Plan	top up Plan	Super top up Plan
Deductible	-NA-	Each hospitalisation is accounted for separately	All the hospitalisations are taken together in aggregate
Is there a Restore Benefit?	Depends on the plan opted for	Is not applicable	Is not applicable
Is there a No Claim Bonus?	Yes, (the percentage of NCB depends on the plan)	Not applicable	Not applicable
Is Renewability available?	Can be Life long, depending on the plan chosen	Can be Life long, depending on the plan chosen	Can be Life long, depending on the plan chosen
Can I increase the SI?	At the time of Renewal	At the time of Renewal	At the time of Renewal
Do I get Free Health Check-Ups?	If offered under the plan	Is not applicable	Is not applicable
Is Co-Payment available?	Possible, depending on the plan	Possible, depending on the plan	Possible, depending on the plan
What would be the Premium Cost?	Highest, in comparison to all three	Lowest	Higher than top up but lower than the Base Plan

Benefits Of Top Up Health Insurance And Super Top Up Health Insurance Plans

The reasons why top up insurance and Super top up Health Insurance plans become essential in your health insurance portfolio are given below –

Increase the Health Insurance Coverage

Medical costs are shooing up consistently and meeting the costs of a medical emergency proves to be challenging. In such cases, having a sufficient sum insured in your health insurance policy is needed. To ensure that you are sufficiently covered, health top up plans prove to be a great addition to your financial portfolio. When you buy top up health insurance or super top up health insurance they increase the existing coverage ensuring in times of a medical crisis you do not fall short on the coverage.

Affordable Coverage

One of the primary reasons why super top up and top up medical insurance plans are favoured is because of their cost-effectiveness. Under both these plans, the premiums are low which help you increase your existing coverage in an affordable manner. Thus, with the help of super top up and top up mediclaim policy, affording a high sum insured becomes possible.

Sufficient Coverage Against Multiple Claims in A Year

This is particularly relevant for super top up medical insurance plans which aggregate the claims incurred in a year and then measure them against the deductible limit. Thus, when you have multiple claims in a single policy year, you don’t have to worry about your coverage running out. Super top up medical insurance plans ensures that you have additional coverage in case of multiple claims.

Comprehensive Coverage

When you buy top up health insurance or super top up mediclaim policy cover you for inpatient hospitalisation expenses, pre and post hospitalisation costs, daycare treatments, organ donor treatments, etc. Thus, these plans provide a comprehensive scope of coverage. Moreover, you can buy super top up health insurance plans on a family floater basis covering all your family members under a single plan which is also renewable lifelong. Thus, you get comprehensive and continuous coverage under a super top up and top up mediclaim policy for your health insurance needs.

Flexibility

A top up, as well as a super top up plan, offers you flexibility and freedom to choose the base health policy from one health insurance company and the Super top up plan from another company. However, many consider buying the top up or the super top up from the same insurer, as making a claim may be comparatively easier when there is a single insurer. But, say you have a group health plan from your company/ employer, you can purchase a top up from any other company that you feel is offering a good deal.

Tax Benefits

Last, but not least, you get tax benefits on the premiums paid for super top up and top up insurance plans. Being health insurance plans, premiums paid up to Rs. 25,000 are allowed as a deduction from your taxable income. If you buy a top up or a super top up for senior citizen aged 60 years and above, the deduction limit would increase to Rs. 50,000.
Moreover, if you invest in top up insurance plans for your parents too, an additional deduction of up to Rs. 50,000 (assuming your parents are over the age of 60 and you are buying a top up or a super top up for senior citizen) can be claimed. Thus, health top up plans help in reducing your taxable income by up to Rs. 1 lakh which also lowers your tax liability.

Best Health Insurance Top Up Plan In India

Almost all health insurance providers offer one or more health insurance top up policies. Thus, when you want to buy the best top up health insurance plan, you have many choices. Choosing one plan, therefore, might prove to be a challenge. You can compare the policy features and Buy online on Paybima.com. Doing a top up or a super top up policy comparison is very simple and quick.

A health insurance top up policy or super top up plan helps you in affording a high sum insured so that you can optimally cover against the expensive medical expenses. Understand how the health insurance top up policy works and then compare to choose the best top up health insurance plan. If you need coverage against multiple claims, you should choose a super top up plan, which would pay the claim once the aggregate deductible limit is surpassed. So, assess your coverage needs and then choose the best top up health insurance coverage for a comprehensive scope of coverage at the most affordable premium rates.

Best Health Insurance Top Up Plan In India

You can also buy a top up or a Super top up plan on a standalone basis, without any base health policy. However, to ensure maximum coverage, choose the deductible limit that coincides with your existing health insurance policy so that claims up to the deductible limit can be paid by the existing plan and excess claims can be paid by the top up or super top up policy in health insurance that you would buy so that you don’t run out of cover.

Yes, you can buy both top up and super top up insurance plans. However, buying both plans is not a wise choice. You should, instead, buy a super top up plan which covers your aggregate claims. Make sure to choose a high sum insured and the deductible limit of the policy should coincide with your existing health plan’s sum insured so that claims up to the deductible are paid by the existing policy and excess claims are covered by the super top up plan.

Yes, super top up plans are available on a family floater basis wherein coverage is allowed for you, your spouse, dependent children and dependent parents. Some super top up policy in health insurance might also allow coverage for your dependent parents-in-law.

The coverage duration of top up and super top up plans varies across companies. Usually, annual coverage is available under all plans and many plans allow long term coverage too wherein you can get covered for two or three continuous years by paying the lump sum premium at once.

HBoth health insurance top up plans and super top up plans have been developed so that they offer additional coverage to the existing health plan that you have. They act like a Stepney that you can use if you have exhausted the sum insured limit of your plan and are in need of more money.

Let’s understand both these plans in detail –

Yes, top up and super top up plans cover pre-existing conditions. However, such coverage is allowed after a waiting period. The waiting period for pre-existing conditions ranges from 2 years to up to 4 years depending on the plan selected.

There are a few top up and super top up plans which cover maternity-related expenses. You should, therefore, compare the available top up plans and find out which plans allow coverage for maternity. You can then buy the plan where maternity-related expenses are covered.

top up plans considers each claim against the deductible limit. Thus, since the second claim is also below the deductible limit, the policy would not pay the claim.

Top up plans has a maximum entry age limit which is usually 65 years. Thus, senior citizens, up to 65 years of age can avail the coverage under top up plans.

Health insurance companies allow online premium calculators which help you calculate the premium of the policy that you want to buy. So, if you have finalized the top up plan, you can visit the website of the insurance company and use the premium calculator to calculate your premium. Alternatively, you can use the premium calculators used by insurance aggregators to find the premium of different top up plans at once and then compare the quotes and choose the best policy.

Yes, you can pay the premium of the top up policy online through net banking, credit cards, debit cards, mobile wallets, UPI or any other digital payment channels.

Yes, top up and super top up plans do allow different types of premium discounts. You can get discounts for choosing long term policy tenure, for including your family members under the coverage, for buying the policy online or for maintaining a healthy life. Different plans offer different types of discounts which range from 5% to up to 20%. So, find the applicable discounts in the available plans and use them to reduce your premium outgo.

Yes, the premium that you pay for a top up health insurance policy qualifies for tax benefits. You can claim a deduction of up to Rs. 25,000 on the premium paid under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. This deduction increases to Rs. 50,000 if you are aged 60 years and above. Moreover, if you buy a top up plan for your dependent parents, you can claim an additional deduction of up to Rs. 25,000 which would increase to Rs. 50,000 if your parents are senior citizens.

Yes, a cashless claim facility is available under top up insurance. However, to avail of cashless claims, you should seek treatments at a hospital that is tied up with the insurance company.

The list of networked hospitals is available on the insurance company’s website. You should check the list of hospitals in your city and find out which hospitals are tied up with the insurance company to offer you cashless claim settlements.

The claim amount depends on the actual medical costs and the deductible limit of the top up health insurance plan. The medical expenses which exceed the deductible would be paid as a claim under top up health plans. For example, if you have a deductible of Rs. 2 lakhs and you incur medical costs of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, the claim paid would be Rs. 50,000.

A reimbursement claim means that you pay for your medical expenses as and when they occur. Thereafter, after you are discharged from the hospital, you file the claim with the insurance company and the company reimburses you for the medical costs that you incur. Reimbursement claims are applicable if you get treated in a non-networked hospital or if the insurance company does not approve cashless claims.

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Super Top-up Health Insurance

Super Top-up Health Insurance

Super Top-up Health Insurance - Everything You Want To Know

Different Types of Super Top-up Health Insurance Plans in India

WHAT IS A TOP-UP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN?

Example

WHAT IS A SUPER TOP UP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN?

Example

Super Top-up Health Insurance Companies

Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company Limited

Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance

Care Health Insurance Company Limited

Cholamandalam Health Insurance

Future Generali Health Insurance

HDFC Ergo Health Insurance

ICICI Lombard Health Insurance

Manipal Cigna Health Insurance Company Limited

Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited

Royal Sundaram Health Insurance

SBI General Health Insurance

Difference Between top up and Super top up Health Insurance