Survival Period in Health Insurance

The survival period is the period during which the policyholder must live after he is diagnosed with a critical illness. The insurer holds back the lump sum payment till the end of the survival period and releases it only after the insured lives past the survival period.

When a policyholder is diagnosed with any critical illness, such as heart disease or cancer, the survival period plays a significant role for the insurance company. The survival period for critical illness can vary from 14 days to 1 month, depending on the insurance plan and the insurance provider.

Since critical insurance involves the payment of a lump sum amount to the policyholder, it creates a greater liability for the insurance provider. Therefore, the survival period clause is added. If the policyholder survives the period, it can be an indication that he may survive the disease if proper treatment is provided. Thus, the insurance provider can pay the amount for critical illness treatment.

In most critical insurance plans, there is no return on premium option if the policyholder passes away during the survival period for critical illness. A return on premium means the insurance company refunds the premium paid by the insurer before his death.

However, in the case of critical illness plans, this feature is not available. If the policyholder dies during the survival period, the family members/nominees do not get any return of the premium.

The survival period is the most crucial aspect of a critical illness insurance plan. Hence, one must pay attention to the clause related to the survival period before buying the policy. It is wise to choose an insurance plan with a shorter survival period.

When the survival period in health insurance is short, you can get the insurance amount faster, and you will be relieved of the financial burden that you have to bear during a longer survival period. It is best to compare various insurance plans online and choose the one with the lowest survival period.

Survival period and waiting are two terms that often need clarification. They are different and must not be understood as the same.

Survival Period for Critical Illness

• A survival period is the duration during which the insured must stay alive to receive the lump sum payment from the insurance company.

• The survival period has a shorter duration. It can be from 14 days to a month, depending on the insurance policy.

• It is only included in critical illness health insurance.

• It is applicable after the insured has been diagnosed with illnesses like cancer, kidney failure, etc.

Example: Suppose a person purchased a critical insurance cover at the age of 30 years. After turning 35 years old, he was diagnosed with a critical illness. To receive the benefits of the plan for a critical illness, he must live the survival period, which can vary from 14 days to 1 month. Thus, the survival period begins after the illness is diagnosed and not when the policy is purchased.

Waiting Period in Health Insurance

• A waiting period is the time that one must wait before making an insurance claim.

• It starts as soon as the insured signs the insurance policy.

• The waiting period is usually longer. It can be 90 days, 2 years, or 4 years, depending on the insurance plan.

• A waiting period is a part of all health insurance plans, including critical insurance coverage.

Example: A person purchases a health insurance policy with a 2-year waiting period for maternity benefits. In this case, the policyholder must wait for 2 years from the day he purchased the policy before claiming maternity benefits from the insurer.

If you are looking for a critical insurance cover with a low survival period, you can opt for health insurance plans offered by Tata AIG. We offer customers the freedom to select a survival period of 0, 7, or 15 days.

Loading charges will be applicable based on the survival period that you choose. For instance, the loading for 7 days is 5%, and for 0 days, it is 7.5%. Apart from choosing the survival period, you can enjoy various benefits of health insurance plans, like cashless hospitalisation, pre- and post-hospitalisation coverage, COVID-19 treatment, and much more.

You can depend on our insurance plans, as they are designed to fit various budgets and offer plenty of benefits. Moreover, our policies provide much-needed financial support when medical emergencies arrive unannounced.

Every policyholder must be aware of the concept of a survival period in insurance. It is a crucial factor to consider when buying critical illness insurance, as the lump sum payment depends on the insured's survival. Hence, it is wise to choose a policy with the least survival period.

A shorter survival period means the policyholder can receive the amount faster, and the treatment can begin quickly. It is also very crucial to know the difference between the survival period and the waiting period, as both are entirely different and play a significant role when you buy health insurance.

Sound knowledge of various insurance clauses assists you in choosing the most beneficial plan for your requirements.