What Should You Know About Health Insurance If You Have Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disorder, and can lead to many life-threatening health conditions. It affects all organs of the body and is known as a silent killer. A diabetic person mainly has excess blood sugar in their body that negatively impacts them targeting every organ system. Diabetes, if not taken care of, can affect the persons' eyesight, blood circulation, kidney function and cardiovascular system. Unfortunately, diabetes has been on a constant rise in India. According to health experts one in every 12 Indians is diabetic. Considering the high impact it has on our health, the treatment of which is also long-term and expensive. Let's understand what a diabetic person needs to know about health insurance.

Pick the right health plan

Different insurance providers offer different health plans for diabetes patients. Most companies offer hospitalisation coverage, doctor charges, life coverage, regular health assessments for related illnesses and preventive health check-ups for early detection of health issues caused by diabetes. It is important to choose the right insurance plan that can adapt to your changing health needs. One must understand that when you are suffering from diabetes, it affects many organs at the same time, so your health plan must be flexible enough to cover all health related issues that may be caused due to diabetes.   

High-cost premiums

Another important fact is the premium charged by health insurance providers. Most companies charge a higher premium depending on your current health situation. One of the major reasons for this is that diabetes patients are more likely to make a claim than a non-diabetic person. Their health demands are different and hence they are a bigger liability for insurance companies. To determine the premium cost, most insurance companies do a pre-medical health check-up.  

Benefits of having insurance

Since diabetes is a chronic disease and affects all vital organs of our body, the treatment is life-long and has serious consequences if neglected. Most insurance providers offer health plans with no waiting period. This is one of the biggest advantages of having a health plan for a diabetic patient as it offers immediate coverage. Health insurance also makes sure you get the best treatments, with regular health check-ups, financial support for illnesses related to diabetes and preventive health check-ups for early diagnosis. Apart from this, investing in health insurance also offers tax benefits.    

Things to look for before you buy

As a diabetic, it is important to have a plan that not just offers affordable premiums but you need a plan that is flexible enough to adapt to your changing health needs. Before you select a health plan, check if they have an easy and fast claim settlement process with less or no waiting period. Another important point is to check if the cover amount is sufficient and offers affordable premium charges. A large network of hospitals should also be a point to check here. Pre and post hospitalisation cover for illnesses related to diabetes. Free annual or periodic health check-ups and life time renewal options would be a bonus as well.  

References -

https://www.coverfox.com/health-insurance/articles/benefits-of-buying-health-insurance-for-diabetics/#buying-checklist

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes

https://www.policybazaar.com/health-insurance/diabetics/

https://thepublishingherald.com/2022/09/05/which-is-the-best-health-insurance-for-diabetics-in-india/