Worried about smog? Counter health hazards of air pollution with these insurance features

By Rakesh Jain

Festive spirits are excessive this 12 months, particularly because it follows the COVID-19 prohibition of the previous two years. People are wanting to rejoice Diwali in a approach that makes up for the muted celebrations in 2020 and 2021. However, as the times to the pageant strategy nearer, we have to be aware and cautious of another factor related with it – pollution. They are the after-effects of the firecrackers that burst throughout Diwali.

While the federal government points a number of pointers yearly throughout Diwali, many of them are usually not adopted correctly, and in consequence, individuals find yourself experiencing quite a few health issues as a consequence of elevated air pollution. One of essentially the most seen aftereffects is the smog that lingers, lengthy after Diwali, principally over the northern components of the nation just like the NCR area, sure components of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab. It can also be essential to notice right here that as per WHO, greater than 90% of the Indian inhabitants lives in areas with air high quality decrease than the WHO requirements. 

While an rising quantity of the inhabitants is taking preventive measures to curb carbon footprint and air pollution pushed by consciousness, a fantastic deal of them is already affected by medical situations developed as a consequence of air pollution. Such situations embrace damages to lungs, respiratory system, and different organs of the physique. The signs embrace respiratory difficulties, burns or respiratory assaults, bronchial asthma, throat irritation, and many others. Lungs typically bear the brunt, however what makes issues worse is that remedies like lung transplants are an costly proposition, costing anyplace between Rs 35-40 lakh rupees. 

It is, due to this fact, crucial for us to have a health insurance coverage that may guarantee best-in-class medical therapy for ourselves and our household within the occasion of an unexpected medical state of affairs. While selecting a health plan, be certain the opted sum insured quantity is satisfactory to cowl massive medical bills corresponding to the associated fee of an organ transplant. The plan must also cowl every part from organ donor bills to pre- and post-hospitalization bills and different very important features.

Here are a couple of key features to contemplate earlier than buying an insurance coverage:

Organ Donor Expenses – If you ever required an organ transplant, then having an Organ Donor characteristic in your health plan generally is a blessing in instances of want. It will be sure that the medical bills of harvesting the organ from the donor is roofed by the insurance firm. This will provide you with peace of thoughts and can help you focus in your health.

Pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization – If you select a health plan that features pre- and post-hospitalization protection, you may obtain therapy for a illness or medical situation with out stress. For occasion, organ transplant is an especially sophisticated surgical procedure which can embrace pre-surgery health exams and post-surgery follow-up and medicines. With this profit in your plan, you don’t have to fret about arranging funds to cowl these bills.

Cashless profit: One of the difficulties we face throughout hospitalization is paying the required medical charges and finishing prolonged paperwork throughout medical emergencies. All these hassles may be prevented through the use of cashless therapy through which the payments can be paid immediately by the insurer, with out having you are worried about it.

Hospital Cash Cover: There are many miscellaneous bills that come with hospitalization and infrequently you might be required to pay in money. Having hospital money characteristic in your plan will be sure that you get cash-in-hand which may be helpful to cowl these bills with out having to pay from your personal pocket.

Reduction in PED Waiting Period Cover: In India, it’s common for individuals to develop respiratory-related illnesses as a consequence of extended publicity to hazardous air. If you might be already affected by any respiratory drawback or any life-style illness (e.g., Hypertension, Diabetes and many others.) that’s thought-about as a pre-existing illness (PED), then together with this cowl can be helpful. It will can help you cut back your PED ready interval in your health coverage and avail the healthcare profit you have to get handled.

Double cowl: It is almost inconceivable to foretell the expense of hospitalization upfront because of the huge prices concerned. Having a Double Cover add-on operate will thereby relieve budgetary strain. To guarantee optimum monetary safety, it is possible for you to to make use of twice as a lot insurance for a similar declare.

Unlimited reinstatement of the bottom sum insured: In order to reap the advantages of a plan, it’s crucial to take care of the bottom sum insured quantity throughout the coverage 12 months. Adding a reinstatement add-on permits you to restore the bottom sum insured quantity as many instances as wanted for unrelated sicknesses throughout the coverage 12 months. Therefore, it is possible for you to to reap the advantages of your plan in case your base sum insured stays intact.

(The writer is CEO of Reliance General Insurance)

(Views expressed above are these of the writer and never essentially of financialexpress.com)