Getting married to the person you like can be one of the most cherished moments of your life. For some, it is a dream come true and they want the best of everything for their spouse.
Believe it or not, one of the best things that you can gift a person you love is financial security in a time of need. And what could be more apt than buying a health insurance policy? Thus, in this article, we will reveal ways in which you can extend health insurance coverage over your spouse.
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Ways to Include your Spouse in Health Insurance
#1 Family floater plans
You may have already bought health insurance plans for a family like a Family Floater plan if you live with your parents. One of the easiest methods to extend a medical insurance cover to your spouse is to get him/her included in your family health insurance. You may want to consider increasing the amount of sum insured to cover your partner. Note that this will, in turn, increase your health insurance premium. Health insurance plans for family generally cover the policyholder, spouse, aging parents (one or both sets of in-laws as per the terms of the insurer) and usually 2 children below the age of 25 years.
#2 Employers health insurance
These are plans offered by an employer to cover the cost of medical emergencies faced by the company’s employees. Employers medical insurance policies are usually group plans with a specific amount of sum insured allocated to each employee. These plans are not extensive in nature and may not take care of specific needs. However, general health insurance coverage can be availed through employers health insurance. Check with the insurance company and get to know if you can add a spouse to your plan as these plans usually extend coverage to the employee’s immediate family members as well.
#3 Individual Health insurance
If you do not wish to add your spouse to a group health insurance policy, you can buy an individual plan for him/her. You can select any such plan that suits your needs. An individual health insurance policy is extensive in nature and can be customized to suit your needs. You can also decide the plan based on the sum insured it offers. Make sure to note your spouse’s medical requirements before buying a plan. Taking a look at the inclusions and exclusions will be helpful at the time of claims.
Things to Keep in mind Before Buying Coverage for your Spouse
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Your budget
An average Indian wedding ceremony can possibly drain your savings. In such a scenario, a newly married couple may be on a tight budget. Select your health insurance keeping in mind the coverage and features of a plan. Do not buy unnecessary add-ons that would potentially increase the cost of your health insurance policy. Compare various plans available in the market and choose the one that is rich in features as well as light on your pocket. You can easily switch to a different plan in the future as health insurance offers portability as well.
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Spouse’s medical history
Get to know as much as you can about your spouse’s medical history before buying a health insurance plan. This is because any pre-existing diseases may or may not be covered in the plan. Some insurers may enforce a waiting period for certain ailments. In such a case, having a back-up ready will be helpful. Also, look for plans from various insurance companies to minimize the impact of not having coverage for a specific disease.
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Family planning
Starting a family could be a far fetched dream for a newly married couple. However, weighing the options now will help you get the best coverage in the time of need. Note that not every medical insurance policy has maternity benefits. In some plans, one needs to wait for a couple of years before being able to make a claim against maternity coverage.
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Tax benefits
One can be eligible for a tax benefit under section 80D of the Indian Income Tax Act. Don’t forget to research your eligibility for getting tax benefits before buying a health insurance plan. You can also buy health insurance for your senior citizen parents (if applicable) and get a tax benefit against family health insurance.
The Bottom Line
Buying a health insurance plan or including your spouse is not a difficult task anymore thanks to the internet and easy availability of online insurance products.
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