A health insurance policy takes effect when a policyholder gets hospitalised or faces a medical emergency. At that time, the insured person can make a request to the insurance company to cover their medical costs. This is referred to as making a claim for a health insurance policy.
It’s wise to be prepared for a sudden medical emergency. A health insurance policy can provide necessary financial support to get medical treatment in time. But medical expenses could burn a hole in your pocket and wipe out your savings. That’s why knowing how to claim health insurance can be of great advantage. Read on to know the correct process to claim your health insurance.
Insured individuals can either opt for a direct claim settlement (cashless treatment) or get reimbursement for availed health services. In the cashless claims process of health insurance, an insurer pays the claim amount directly to a network hospital.
A cashless facility is only available when you go to a hospital with which the insurer has prior agreements to offer this facility. Such hospitals are called network or empanelled hospitals.
With a reimbursement facility, you have to pay all medical expenses upfront and request for claim settlement from the health insurance company later.
Cashless claims are ideal in situations where you are going through financial instability and do not have access to cash during times of medical crisis.
Here is a step-by-step guide for you to get a cashless claim with planned hospitalisation:
Insurance companies allow reimbursement claims when an insured person gets treatment from non-network hospitals or when they cannot approve cashless claims. You will need to pay the costs of treatment and medicines from your own pocket and file for reimbursement claims after discharge.
Here are the steps you should follow to make a reimbursement claim:
On many occasions, policyholders need urgent hospitalisation. This can happen in case of an accident of the insured person or a sudden illness that requires urgent hospitalisation.
Here are the steps to get cashless claims during an emergency:
Most insurance companies require the following documents for the claims process:
Note that insurance providers may ask for other relevant documents.
Here’s what to do if your health insurance claim gets rejected:
Mentioned below are some critical points that one must keep in mind while filing for a health insurance claim:
It is essential to scan through the list of the network hospitals of the insurer from which you can avail of cashless services. Health insurance providers like Navi have a network of 10,000+ hospitals across the country that provide cashless health facilities.
You must remember the validity of your insurance plan and specifically the day it expires so that you can renew it on time. Claims filed on expired insurance policies will not be considered by the insurance company.
While some ailments are covered in basic health insurance plans, others might not. It is imperative to read the policy documents properly before buying health insurance. It also keeps you aware of all the instances when you won’t be able to file a claim.
There are a number of pre-existing diseases that are insured by the insurance companies after a certain waiting period. It might range between 2 to 4 years. It is important to know the list of critical ailments that fall under this category in a health insurance plan.
Certain documents should be kept handy when filing a claim for any type of health insurance. Photo identity proof and proof of address, the health insurance card, a copy of the health insurance plan and CKYC for claims that exceed Rs. 1 lakh are required for claiming medical insurance.
Insurance companies offer two methods with regard to the claim process for health insurance policies- cashless and reimbursement. The former provides hassle-free treatment from a network hospital. The latter allows you to get medical treatment from out-of-network hospitals and in cases where cashless claims do not work.
Navi ensures a simple and hassle-free process that gets your claim approved in 20 minutes. You can use the Navi app from Google Play Store to purchase health insurance products from a company with over 10,000 network hospitals across India.
Ans: A third-Party Administrator (TPA) facilitates claim settlement by coordinating between the insurance company and the insured person. TPAs are available at reception desks of hospitals and serve as the point of contact for policyholders.
Ans: Yes, if you have multiple health insurance policies, you can choose to make claims from all of them. You will need to inform all the insurance providers and submit relevant documents with each insurer separately.
Ans: Reimbursement claims can be made when the insured person does not get treatment from a network hospital. In such cases, they will have to bear all expenses themselves and ask for payment later.
Ans: Here are some common reasons for claim rejection:
When the policyholder provides incorrect or wrong information
Missing documents
Lapsed policy due to non-payment of premiums
Exclusions of the insurance policy
Claim made without proper reasons
Ans: If you do not manage to submit your claim within the prescribed time, the insurance provider will take more time to settle the claim. In case of long delays, they can choose to reject your claim.
Ans: It is a certificate that is issued by the attending doctor when he/she examines a patient and comes to the conclusion that a certain investigation is necessary by law enforcement agencies to find the cause behind the ailment or injury in question.
The certificate contains the details of injuries sustained by a person and can be used as evidence in case he/she becomes part of a criminal trial.
Policyholders are required to submit a Medico-Legal Certificate to the health insurance providers if they are admitted to the hospital after an accident.
How about an affordable health insurance policy 👨⚕️ starting at a monthly premium of just ₹235? Install the Navi app now and get your policy in under 2 minutes.
Disclaimer: This article has been prepared on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this article is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. It should not be construed as investment advice to any party. The article does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information, and disclaims all liabilities, losses and damages arising out of the use of this information. Readers shall be fully liable/responsible for any decision taken on the basis of this article.
6 Best Critical Illness Insurance Companies in India to Invest in February 2023
Critical illness insurance is a type of health insurance policy that protects against fatal illness... Read More »10 Best Cashless Network Hospitals in India 2023 – Benefits and Claim Process
Cashless Network hospitals are accredited hospitals that have partnered with a health insurance com... Read More »TPA in Health Insurance – Full Form, Functions and Roles
TPA (full form – Third Party Administrator) is a licensed intermediary between health insurance p... Read More »10 Best Cashless Health Insurance Plans in 2023 – Tax Benefits and Coverage
Considering the rising medical expenses, it is important to obtain health insurance for yourself an... Read More »Top-up Health Insurance Premium Calculator -How to Use & its Benefits
Are you looking to compare top-up health insurance policies online? A top-up health insurance premi... Read More »What is Group Insurance Policy – Best Group Health Insurance Plans
Group medical insurance policies are specially designed to provide financial coverage to a particul... Read More »What are Individual Health Insurance Plans – Benefits and Cover
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how unprepared most people are in the face of a major health cri... Read More »Corona Insurance Policy (2023) – Types, Cover and How To Claim
Corona Insurance policy provides coverage for all medical and hospitalisation expenses incurred due... Read More »What is a Cardiac Health Insurance Policy – Benefits and Diseases Covered
In cardiac health insurance policies, insured individuals get financial coverage to treat heart dis... Read More »What is Cashless Mediclaim Policy – Working, Features & How to Claim
A cashless Mediclaim policy provides much-needed financial aid during medical emergencies. Policyho... Read More »What is Mental Illness Cover in Health Insurance – Benefits and Why it is Necessary
Earlier, health insurance companies in India covered only physical illnesses in their health insura... Read More »Group Personal Accident Insurance – Inclusions, Exclusions and Documents Required
Mr Sharma is an owner of a company. He’s looking to insure his employees against unexpected medic... Read More »Top 10 Chit Fund Schemes in India in 2023
Chit funds are one of the most popular return-generating saving schemes in India. It is a financial... Read More »10 Best Gold ETFs to Invest in India in February 2023
Gold ETFs or Gold Exchange Traded Funds are passively managed funds that track the price of physica... Read More »Top 10 Demat Accounts in India [Lowest Brokerage Charges]
A Demat account was created to eliminate the time-consuming and inconvenient procedure of purchasin... Read More »20 Best Index Funds in India to Invest in 2023 (Updated on 31st Jan)
What is an Index Fund? An index fund is a type of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that... Read More »Best Arbitrage Mutual Funds to Invest in India: Returns and Taxation
Arbitrage funds are hybrid mutual fund schemes that aim to make low-risk profits by buying and sell... Read More »Best SIP Mutual Funds To Invest In India (2023) – Its Types And Taxation
A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) is a convenient way to invest a fixed sum in mutual funds. For i... Read More »10 Best Corporate Bond Funds in India 2023 – With Returns
Corporate bond funds are debt funds that invest at least 80% of the investment corpus in companies ... Read More »10 Best Banks for Savings Account in India (2023)
A savings account keeps your money safe, and lets you earn interest every quarter. There are many b... Read More »All information is subject to specific conditions | © 2023 Navi Technologies Ltd. All rights are reserved.
Insuring health was never this affordable!
Monthly premium starting @₹235