We are living in a time when getting hospitalized has become quite common. In the last two years, so many people had to be admitted to the hospitals. Although the majority of them got the right treatment and are doing well today; many could not manage to get treatment because of the fund crisis. If you do not want to fall under the latter group, you must buy a health insurance policy that can help you especially when you need medical treatment. Even if you are not able to manage funds at that point, you can use the cashless facility at any of the network hospitals and get your medical treatment.
Nevertheless, when we buy a health insurance policy, the maximum sum assured that we get usually is INR 5 lakhs. Is that enough for a bigger treatment or surgery, especially if it is a critical illness? Well, the answer is no! We would need more money for better treatment and in a very good hospital. For that, you can opt for a top-up and super top-up health insurance plan.
When we talk about a top-up and super top-up health insurance plan, we usually assume that these are the same things. The fact is, they are not. Many of the features of these two types of plans may sound similar but there are several differences between these two. Let us take a look at them:
Top-up health insurance plan
Top-up health insurance plans provide additional coverage over as well as beyond the deductibles of the existing health plan of the policyholder. To put it in simpler words, a top-up plan covers only one hospitalization. It also reimburses the expenditures that surpass the base coverage.
Super top-up health insurance plan
Super top-up health insurance plans cover the total hospitalization expenses beyond the threshold amount. You can put invoices for many diseases to get the reimbursement.
Which is better?
These are basically two types of plans for policyholders with varied needs. A top-up plan is suggested for people who think their present health insurance policy is not sufficient enough and they will not get the kind of coverage that they require during a medical emergency. Apart from this, if they have a chronic illness and are not at risk of death, they can opt for a top-up plan without any doubt.
For people who have a chronic health condition and need to be hospitalized more than once a year, a super top-up plan is advisable for them. A super top-up plan might lead to paying a little higher premium but it is quite better to pay a higher premium and get the coverage at the time of requirement than paying all the hard-earned money as hospital bills.
As we are trying to understand which kind of plan is better, choosing one solely depends on the condition of the policyholder. However, if you show your interest in buying a super top-up health insurance plan, you can save your money by buying a separate health insurance plan that provides a better and greater coverage amount. In addition to this, a super top-up plan is also apt for elderly people who often require medical treatments.
Who should choose a top-up or super top-up health insurance plan?
In the time of the pandemic, healthcare costs rise. Therefore, it becomes quite common that you should have higher health insurance coverage. However, you must go for a top-up or super top-up plan, if you fall under the categories mentioned herein below:
- Senior citizens: The medical costs for senior citizens are quite high. Also, they need hospitalization quite often. Therefore, as people grow older, their premiums also go higher. With a top-up or super top-up plan, the coverage increases and are affordable, comparatively.
- Corporate employees: You must have received a corporate health insurance plan that has been offered by the organization you work for. However, is the sum insured enough? Worry not! You can increase the sum insured by buying add-ons to your base health insurance policy.
- Policyholders with low sum insured: If you have bought a health insurance plan and the sum insured amount is not enough, you must choose a top-up plan for a smaller premium.
To know more about top-up and super top-up health insurance plans, you can visit the website of IIFL. You will come across options that you might want to buy.
