Coronavirus Insurance

Here are some basic tips you can follow to avoid contracting this disease:

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth without washing or sanitising your hands thoroughly. Keep a safe distance from people suffering from any form of respiratory illness and avoid attending public events such as protests and festivals. Practice self-isolation at home and avoid going out, unless absolutely necessary. When you come back home, change your clothes immediately and wash your hands thoroughly. Always use a tissue while sneezing or coughing and immediately dispose of it in a bin. If you are suffering from symptoms of Coronavirus, seek the help of a medical professional as early as possible.

In India, around 400 people have tested positive for this disease so far, out of a total population of over 1 billion. Given this small percentage, it is logical to ask: should you buy a specific coronavirus health cover? Or is an existing health insurance policy good enough?

Since COVID-19 is a novel disease, insurance providers have not put in place a specific coronavirus cover. Instead, most providers have included this disease among those they are covering, according to government directives. Here are some of the standard features of insurance that might prove to be useful if you have been diagnosed by coronavirus:

Hospitalisation cover If you are hospitalised due to coronavirus, your insurance provider will provide hospitalisation cover under the plan. Since having CORONAVIRUS may require you to be hospitalised for a few days, all the expenses borne under this will be covered, either on a cashless or reimbursement basis.

Post- hospitalisation expenses Having a prolonged illness such as the coronavirus could mean that you will have some health problems before you are diagnosed as well as after. Since most insurance providers cover Coronavirus, you can rest assured that any complications arising even after you undergo treatment will be covered under your insurance.

Waiting period

Most policies come with a waiting period of 2-3 years before certain diseases are covered. In the case of the novel coronavirus, this is not the case anymore, and you won't need to undergo such a long waiting period. However, some insurance companies do not cover infectious diseases for the first 30 days of the policy, so call your provider to confirm what is included and what isn't.

The first thing you need to do when you are diagnosed is to stay calm, self-quarantine so that you don't spread the disease to others and call your insurance provider. Always ensure your policy is updated and enquire if your provider offers cashless treatment so that you focus on what is really important when you are sick - which is rest and recovery.

Now that you know what you might need if you have coronavirus decide whether you need a coronavirus cover (if your provider offers it) or if you are content with the existing protection your insurance policy provides.

What is waiting period & how it is applicable in coronavirus health insurance?

A. The retail health policies taken anew have a 30-day waiting period for all illnesses including COVID-19. In case of renewal or portability, the 30-day waiting period would not apply.

How to get additional coronavirus cover under existing health insurance policy?

A. There is no exclusion in our health policies for COVID-19 or any other pandemics, unless in case of policies covering specific named illnesses only. In the unfortunate event any our customers require admission and treatment in a hospital, the claim is admissible subject to other policy Terms & Conditions.

Where can I intimate the claim for health insurance with Coronavirus cover?

A. Our call center is fully operational, and you are requested to call us on 1800-266-7780 to intimate us of any claim. You can also send a mail to us on Customersupport@tataaig.com. Senior citizens can contact us on the dedicated line 1800 -229 -966

How can I submit my claim for reimbursement?

A. We understand that there is disruption in courier services and our customers would not be able to submit the original claim documents. To submit your claim, please follow the following simple steps:

Use any of the document scanning apps available on Apple store or Google play store to scan documents in .PDF format. Kindly send digital copy of your claim documents at tagic.crm@fhpl.net Kindly ensure that attachment size in a single mail does not exceed 5MB. You will receive an auto acknowledgment once we receive your mail We will process your claim using the documents mailed to us. However, we request you to retain the original copies of the documents as they will be needed for submission, later. Please do not submit the original documents unless you hear from our team at TATA AIG.