In India, monsoons provide the much-needed respite from summer, but along with it comes dengue and other dreaded mosquito-borne diseases. Dengue may initially show the symptoms of viral fever that can be fatal if not diagnosed on time. You may experience a headache with sudden high fever, nausea, body pain, rashes, etc. If so, get a blood test done to find out whether it is dengue. If the blood platelet count reduces drastically, the treatment may need hospitalization. To avoid facing financial burdens during these times, get your loved ones covered with dengue Health Insurance Plans in advance.
You may have existing individual health insurance plans for family members or a health insurance family floater, but it must cover treatment for dengue. Read the policy document carefully to know the extent of cover, or you can ask your insurer directly. Generally, dengue is covered under a critical illness insurance policy as it is not available under regular health insurance plans. But there may be certain umbrella policies that cover dengue even if it does not require hospitalization, and you can treat it at home. Due to its life-threatening risk, you must take all the possible steps to prevent the disease.
If you stay in a hotspot for dengue fever, you must buy a health insurance policy to cover this viral disease.
What is Covered Under a Dengue Health Insurance Plan?
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Hospitalization expenses
The cost includes in-patient hospitalization expenses such as room rent, transfusion charges, ICU charges, etc.
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Pre and post-hospitalization charges
The insurer covers pre and post-hospitalization expenses for a specific period. They include diagnostic tests, doctor consultation fees, and pharmacy expenses during this period.
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Domiciliary treatment
Domiciliary treatment refers to medical care that you receive at home instead of hospital admission. If it is not a severe case, your doctor may suggest treatment from home for dengue. In such a case, the insurer will cover outpatient expenses, including OPD consultation, diagnostic treatment, pharmacy expenses, and home nursing.
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Day-care treatment
If the dengue patient is in the hospital for less than 24 hours for a check-up or test, the policy will cover the cost.
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Cashless treatment
A health plan with dengue insurance cover will include cashless treatment facilities at any network hospitals across India. You only need the health care and the updated list of hospitals with which your insurer has tie-ups.
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Ambulance charges
Your insurer may cover ambulance services to transport the patient from home to the hospital. However, the insurer will cover the charges up to a set limit.
Exclusions Of the Dengue Health Insurance Plan:
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Waiting period
There may be an initial waiting period of 15-30 days or what the insurer decides after policy purchase. If the patient has to get treatment or be admitted to the hospital before this time, the policy will not cover the expenses.
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Treatment other than dengue
If you claim for the treatment of any other disease apart from dengue, the insurer will reject it. This health plan is tailor-made for dengue, and the insurer will not cover any expense beyond the extent of its cover.
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Treatment outside India
The policy is issued for covering dengue treatment within India. If you or your family members get affected by the disease while traveling abroad or staying in a foreign country, the insurer will deny your claims. Filing a claim for treatment abroad is invalid as it violates the policy terms.
While selecting a dengue insurance cover, you should take care of certain things:
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Amount of Sum Insured (SI)
The treatment costs depend on several factors, including the severity of the disease. So, choose a sufficient SI for your entire family so that it does not fall short while covering the total expenses. You will be at a loss if you pay out of your pocket even after paying the premium.
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Policy tenure
The policy tenure may be for one year or multiple years. Some locations in India are at more risk of the virus than others. You must select a plan that suits your requirement and budget.
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Individual or floater policy
It depends on your budget and factors such as the health condition of your family members. You may choose individual policies or a floater plan accordingly.
So, you must check whether your insurer offers coverage for the medical expenses for the treatment of Dengue fever. Certain insurers include its treatment; otherwise, you may have to buy specific health plans for the same.
