With spiralling medical costs, buying a super top-up health insurance plan is ideal as it covers multiple claims within a policy year once the base cover is exhausted.
Unlike a top-up which covers only one claim, a super top-up activates after the combined expenses exceed the deductible. It works best with a base cover of Rs 5-10 lakh, with more flexibility and comprehensive coverage, making it particularly beneficial for family plans.
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Buying a super top-up plan saves on the premium. For instance, for a 45-year-old opting for a Rs 1 crore health cover with a base policy of Rs 10 lakh and a super top-up of Rs 90 lakh, here’s how the premium savings would work. Base policy premium for Rs 10 lakh cover: Rs 11,000-13,000. Super top-up premium (for Rs 90 lakh cover) will be Rs 2,000-5,000. By choosing a super top-up, an individual can save around 70% of the premium compared to opting for a standalone Rs 1 crore base policy.
“A super top-up is more practical, offering better protection for multiple expenses,” says Rahul Agarwal, founder and CEO of insurance brokerage Ideal Insurance.
Similarly, Siddharth Singhal, head, Health Insurance, Policybazaar.com, says a super top-up is a better choice because it combines all claims made during the year to analyse whether the threshold limit has been crossed or not.
Points to consider
Exclusions: The exclusions are similar to those in the base health polic: certain treatments, conditions, or illnesses that are not covered, such as cosmetic surgery or pre-existing conditions (for a waiting period).
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Activation: It activates once the base policy’s coverage is exhausted.
Waiting period: During the waiting period, you cannot make claims for pre-existing conditions. The waiting duration varies by insurer and policy. One must review the specific terms.
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