Why is it Important to Have Insurance for an Expectant Mother and Her Unborn Child?

When you are an expecting mother, there is a lot to take care of. Motherhood is indeed the greatest yet most challenging thing in life. While the birth of a child is one of the defining moments in a woman’s life, many mothers overlook the importance of women health insurance for themselves and their unborn children. 

April 11 marks National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD). It is celebrated to spread awareness about maternity benefits and health insurance for women. Health insurance can provide financial protection for a child’s health and the earlier the coverage begins, the better it is. 

In recent years, there has been an emerging trend in South Asian countries to get health insurance for unborn child and protect the child’s life during the initial stages of pregnancy through to birth and the rest of their life. This blog will discuss child health insurance and how the Niva Bupa health insurance plans can help expecting mothers. 

 

What is women health insurance?

 

A study conducted in 2019 found that 19 percent of women surveyed across several states of India bought maternity health insurance plans. This shows the increased awareness regarding the importance of women’s health and insurance. 

Health insurance covers the medical expenses of a person. These expenses can range from hospitalization costs, medicine, medical testing, or doctor consultation costs. 

 

Typically, there are two kinds of health insurance:

 

Indemnity Plans

 

Indemnity plans, also known as hospitalization plans, are the most basic health insurance plans. These plans cover the cost of treatment when one is admitted to the hospital. The payout is made on actual expenses incurred during the hospital stay by submitting original invoices. Indemnity plans cover the entire family up to a specific limit. 

 

Critical Illness Plans

 

Critical Illness Plans are specific and only cover life-threatening illnesses like Cancer, Brain Tumor etc. These diseases usually require prolonged treatment, including post-hospitalisation care. Unlike in indemnity plans, the payout is made on critical illness cover explicitly chosen by the customer. This may or may not include the expenses incurred during the hospital stay. Thus, critical illness plans give the customer enough flexibility. 

 

Maternity and child health insurance usually fall within the first group of insurance plans. 

 

Importance of maternity health insurance

 

Although no one plans to fall ill or get hurt, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The cost of treating an illness can impose significant financial strain and can drain your savings. 

A maternity health insurance plan covers all maternity healthcare expenses for an expecting mother and their newborn babies. It covers hospital expenses during labour and provides support for the child when born. Maternity healthcare plans ensure the parents are financially secure and supported during medical exigency. It covers hospitalization expenses during pregnancy and even pre and post hospitalization medical expenses. 

However, the birth of a child is not the only reason women need health insurance. As women enter middle age, there are risks of developing illnesses like diabetes, thyroid, cancer, and autoimmune disorder. Studies show that women are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases than men. 

Menopause is an especially hard time for women. A range of hormonal issues can leave women vulnerable to illnesses. Therefore, women should consider all these stages of life and opt for appropriate health insurance. 

Rising healthcare costs are the major reason women should consider health insurance. The cost of labour and childbirth can cost up to 2 lakhs or more in a private hospital, combined with pre and post natal care. These costs can burn a hole in one’s pocket if one is not covered with a health insurance. 

 

 

The Niva Bupa Health Insurance Plan

 

If you are thinking of availing of health insurance for yourself and your unborn child, Niva Bupa has you covered. They have a range of health insurance plans that provide comprehensive healthcare. Here is what the Niva Bupa health insurance plans cover:

 

1. Cashless medical treatment

 

Niva Bupa has tie-ups with several hospitals across the country. If you are admitted to their network hospitals, you don’t have to pay anything for your treatment. Your insurer and the hospital will cover all costs based on your policy number. 

Cashless claims are one of the best benefits of health insurance as they have a no-hassle disbursement and documentation process. 

 

2. Co-payment

 

Some health insurance policies offer co-payment. In this case, the voluntary deductibles are predefined. This means that you will only have to pay a defined amount of your medical expenses. If the predefined amount is exceeded, the insurer covers the rest of the payment. This reduces the cost of premiums significantly. 

 

3. Medical checkup facility

 

When you opt for a woman health insurance plan, you are also entitled to get scheduled medical checkups. Without health insurance coverage, medical checkups and doctor consultations can cost a lot. 

 

4. No claim bonus

 

Certain health insurance plans also offer the benefit of a no-claim bonus. If you didn’t claim your health insurance in a year, you are likely to receive a bonus in the form of discounts on premiums or an increment in your coverage. When you renew your health insurance policy, you can avail the no-claim bonus. 

 

5. Coverage of both pre and post hospitalisation

 

Niva Bupa offers its clients' health insurance beyond their hospitalisation costs. The pre and post-hospitalisation cover takes care of expenses such as doctor consultations, ambulance charges, the cost of medicines, medical testing and so on. 

 

The bottom line

 

It is always advised to opt for health insurance for an expecting mother and unborn child. If complications arise during pregnancy, a health insurance plan can ensure the best treatment for both. It is important to be prepared and financially protected to deal with any medical emergency. A health insurance policy can ensure you are relaxed about healthcare costs and can focus on raising your baby. 

Depending on your age, financial status and needs, you can choose from a range of Niva Bupa women health insurance plans.