Health Insurance for Newly Married Couples

What is Health Insurance for Newly Married Couples?

Health insurance for newly married couples is a comprehensive mediclaim policy that provides medical coverage for both husband and wife under a single plan. This insurance typically includes coverage for both partners and can also extend to dependent children. Under couple health plans, the sum insured is available on a floater basis, where a single coverage amount is shared among all insured family members.

Moreover, these plans cover a wide range of treatments and procedures, including hospitalisation costs, maternity expenses, modern treatments, day care procedures, pre & post-hospitalisation costs, etc. In fact, health insurance for husband and wife plans also offers the advantage of cashless hospitalisation with the cashless everywhere facility.

Benefits of Buying Health Insurance for Newly Married Couples

The benefits of purchasing health insurance for husband and wife are as follows:

1. Joint Coverage for Both Spouses

   Health insurance for newly married couples provides coverage for both the husband and wife under a single, shared plan, making it a more affordable and convenient option. Rather than paying for two separate policies, couples can combine their medicare needs into one policy with a single health insurance premium.

2. Maternity and Newborn Care

   Newly married couples who are planning to grow their family must invest in health insurance for husband and wife because most of these plans cover maternity care expenses. Many mediclaim policies also extend coverage to newborns, ensuring the baby is protected from day one. Overall, it removes the financial stress of hospital bills, letting partners enjoy parenthood.

3. Infertility Coverage

   Health insurance can be a valuable support for couples dealing with fertility challenges. Many health insurance plans for couples offer coverage for infertility treatments, which can include consultations, diagnostic tests, and advanced procedures like IVF.

4. Coverage Continuity for Spouse

   Life is unpredictable, but health insurance designed for married couples ensures that a spouse remains protected. In the event of one partner's death, the surviving spouse can maintain the existing couple health policy without losing valuable benefits, such as no claim bonuses or completed waiting period.

5. Cost-Effective Premiums

   Couple health plans are generally more budget-friendly than individual health insurance plans, providing combined coverage for both partners under a single premium. Even with a higher sum insured, the overall premium is often more affordable than purchasing separate health plans for each partner.

6. Dual Tax Savings

   With health insurance for newly married couples, the proposer can claim a tax deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. This deduction provides savings of up to ₹25,000 on the premiums paid for the couple mediclaim policy. It is a valuable benefit that reduces tax liability while ensuring health coverage for both partners.

List of Health Insurance Plans for Married Couples

Take a look at some of the health insurance plans suitable for married couples in India:

*Disclaimer: The following list of insurance companies is organised alphabetically. Policybazaar does not endorse, rate, or recommend any specific insurer or insurance product. The plans listed here include products from all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For a complete list of insurers in India, please visit the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) website at www.irdai.gov.in.

What is Covered Under Health Insurance for Married Couples?

Couples health insurance policy extends coverage for the following:

• In-patient hospitalisation costs
• Pre-hospitalisation expenses
• Post-hospitalisation expenses
• OPD coverage
• Maternity benefits
• Organ donor expenses
• Day care treatments
• Domiciliary treatment
• Ambulance charges
• AYUSH treatment expenses
• Daily cash benefit
• Mental health coverage
• Coverage for consumables
• Preventive health check-ups

NOTE: The coverage might differ from one plan to another.

What is Not Covered Under Health Insurance for Married Couples?

The certain expenses that are not covered under medical insurance for husband and wife are as follows:

• Routine health check-ups
• Internal congenital diseases & genetic diseases or disorders
• Obesity/weight control procedures
• Birth control or sterility
• Treatments abroad (unless specified in the policy)
• Expenses resulting from drug or alcohol abuse and associated treatments
• Expenses arising due to self-inflicted injuries or suicide
• Non-accidental dental treatments
• Plastic surgeries or cosmetic treatment
• Injuries or illness due to war, foreign enemy actions, or nuclear events
• Injuries or illness resulting from illegal or criminal acts

NOTE: The excluded medical expenses may vary between different plans.

How to Choose the Right Health Insurance for Newly Married Couples?

Selecting the right health insurance for newly married couples is an effective way to protect both partners from unexpected medical expenses. Here are some key tips to help newlyweds select the most appropriate mediclaim plan:

• Opting for a family floater plan that covers both spouses under one policy with a shared insured sum can be more cost-effective than individual plans.
• For couples planning to start a family, it is wise to check for maternity insurance and newborn coverage.
• If either spouse has pre-existing diseases, ensure that the health insurance policy provides coverage for these conditions after the specified waiting period.
• Consider adding riders such as critical illness cover, personal accident cover, or hospital cash benefits to the base policy.
• Different policies have different waiting periods for specific illnesses or treatments. Compare these waiting periods, particularly if immediate coverage is anticipated.
• Always check the insurer's Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) because a high claim settlement ratio indicates that the insurer settles health insurance claims promptly.
• Choose a plan that offers lifetime renewability so that couples do not need to search for new coverage as they age.
• Look for plans that offer a no claim bonus, which increases the insured sum for every claim-free year.

How to Buy Health Insurance for Newly Married Couples Online?

Buying couple health insurance online is easy and quick with Policybazaar.com. The platform allows partners to compare and choose the right health insurance for husband and wife within their budget. Here are the steps to buy the plan online:

Step 1: Visit Policybazaar.com and tap on the "Health Insurance" icon.

Step 2: Select the gender and choose the family members you want to insure.

Step 3: Proceed further by selecting the age of the chosen family members.

Step 4: Enter the city or PIN code, and hit the "Continue" button.

Step 5: Provide any relevant medical history of the family members you are insuring.

Step 6: View the available couple health plans based on the information you entered.

Step 7: Compare and choose the suitable couple health insurance as per the budget and requirements.

Step 8: Pay the health insurance premium online through the preferred payment method.

Step 9: Once the payment is confirmed, the policy will be issued and details will be shared on the registered email address.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Buying Health Insurance for Married Couples

When purchasing health insurance, married couples often make mistakes that can lead to inadequate coverage or unnecessary expenses. Some of the key mistakes to avoid are as follows:

1. Choosing Individual Plans Instead of Family Floater

   One of the most common mistakes to avoid is buying separate health insurance policies for each partner. A family floater plan that covers both spouses under a single health policy is advisable as it is more cost-effective.

2. Not Considering Future Family Needs

   Many newly married couples forget to consider future changes, such as starting a family, when buying a medical policy. For future needs, it is essential to choose a couple health policy that covers maternity benefits and newborn care.

3. Overlooking Critical Illness Coverage

   Couples generally focus on basic health insurance and ignore critical illness coverage. However, partners should ensure that their marriage insurance includes coverage for life-threatening diseases like cancer or heart conditions, which can result in hefty medical expenses.

4. Not Disclosing Pre-existing Conditions

   Failing to disclose any pre-existing medical conditions at the time of buying mediclaim insurance for couples can result in claim rejection later. Therefore, both husband and wife should always be transparent about their medical history to avoid future complications.

5. Neglecting Add-on Covers

   Most couples overlook the importance of add-on covers like consumables coverage, OPD care, etc., which can provide enhanced financial security in case of a medical emergency.

6. Focusing Solely on Premiums

   Many married people focus on the lowest premium while investing in a couples health policy, overlooking important aspects like coverage, waiting period, and exclusions. It is always essential to assess the overall value of the policy and not just its cost.

How to File a Claim for a Health Insurance Plan for Married Couples?

Married people can file a claim for a couples health insurance policy either through the cashless claim or the reimbursement claim method. The details of each of these methods are included below:

1. Cashless Claim Method:

   Step 1: Notify the insurance provider about the medical emergency within 24 hours of hospitalisation. If the hospitalisation is planned, make sure to inform the insurer at least 48 hours in advance.

   Step 2: Collect the cashless treatment pre-authorisation form from the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) or the insurance desk at the hospital and fill it out accurately.

   Step 3: Submit the pre-authorisation form along with the required documents to the hospital. The hospital will then forward the paperwork to the insurer for approval.

   Step 4: Once the cashless claim is approved, the policyholder will receive an approval letter from the claim management team of the insurer.

   Step 5: Proceed with the treatment and sign any necessary documents before discharge.

   Step 6: The insurance company will settle the medical bills directly with the hospital.

2. Reimbursement Claim Method:

   Step 1: Inform the insurance company about the medical emergency within 24 hours of hospitalisation. For planned treatments, notify at least 48 hours in advance.

   Step 2: Obtain treatment at the hospital.

   Step 3: Pay the hospital bills upfront and collect all medical bills, discharge summaries, & other relevant documents at the time of discharge.

   Step 4: Complete the claim form and submit it to the insurance provider as soon as possible, along with the necessary medical documents.

   Step 5: The insurance company's claim management team will review the submitted documents and verify the claim.

   Step 6: After the claim verification, the policyholder will receive a letter of approval or rejection from the insurance company.

Documents Required for Health Insurance Claim Reimbursement for Married Couples

Married couples will need the following documents to raise a reimbursement claim under medical insurance for husband and wife:

• Completed health insurance claim form
• A copy of the couple health insurance policy document or the health card of the insured
• Hospital discharge certificate
• Medical test reports and investigation results
• Doctor's consultation papers and operation theatre reports
• Hospital invoices
• Receipts for payments made
• Pharmacy bills with doctor's prescriptions and payment receipts
• Any additional documents requested by the insurer.

NOTE: Please refer to the policy document for a detailed list of required documents.