Health insurance can be one of the best investments you make for both yourself and your family, protecting you from unexpected medical costs while offering quality healthcare and providing peace of mind. But did you know health insurance can also provide special advantages for women? Women tend to face unique health needs and risks, often making accessing and affording healthcare more challenging than for men. In this blog post, we will highlight some benefits specific to female policyholders that make buying or comparing plans suitable for female consumers even more advantageous.
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Financial independence for healthcare
One of the primary advantages of health insurance for women is helping you cover medical treatment expenses without draining savings or depending on others. Women typically have lower incomes and savings accounts than men, leaving them more exposed to unexpected financial shocks from medical emergencies than ever. According to Policybazaar’s survey results, 62% of female respondents stated they do not have sufficient savings set aside in an emergency savings fund to pay medical expenses out of pocket.
Health insurance can save money and safeguard your financial goals by covering hospitalization, doctor visits, medicines, tests, surgeries, and other healthcare services. Select a plan that suits your budget and needs before paying an annual or monthly premium amount that accumulates to an amount that allows for reimbursement or cashless treatment reimbursement from the insurer.
Health insurance policies also cover some of the common ailments women over 40 usually encounter, like breast cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. Treatment costs for such diseases can be expensive the average breast cancer treatment cost in India is Rs 6 lakh alone. Without health coverage in place, you could spend all of your savings or borrow from others just to cover treatment.
Healthcare insurance can help prevent these situations and ensure you receive top-quality treatment without jeopardizing your financial security. Plus, tax benefits available under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act enable you to save even more money and use it towards fulfilling future goals.
Maternity expenses
Health insurance coverage for women also helps alleviate expenses related to pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care expenses. Pregnancy can be both joyous and financially straining you could spend thousands of dollars on prenatal check-ups, tests, medicines, and supplements hospitalization charges delivery charges as well as vaccination fees, etc.
Over time, inflation, rising medical standards, and complications have increased the costs of maternity care significantly in India. On average, normal deliveries typically range from Rs 60-88,000 while cesarean deliveries cost an average of 1-1.50 lakh though costs can differ based on city, hospital, doctor, and type of delivery method chosen.
Health insurance can provide essential financial relief by covering maternity costs. Some health plans offer this coverage either as an add-on feature or a separate plan typically these plans cover hospitalization expenses such as pre and postnatal care as well as newborn birth defects as well as provide extra benefits such as baby bonuses, ambulance coverage, or vaccination coverage.
Health insurance can make pregnancy enjoyable without financial concerns weighing on you, enabling you to focus on yourself and prepare for the arrival of your little one with peace of mind. Plus, with medical coverage as part of their plan, you can ensure they get off to a strong start in life.
Critical illness
Health insurance specifically designed for women offers another major benefit covering expenses associated with life-threatening female-specific diseases like ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and vaginal cancer which require specialist treatments and may affect physical, emotional, and social well-being in varying ways.
According to World Health Organization estimates, each year more than 1.3 million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide and 600,000. More than 600,000. Of this number are women from low and middle-income countries where this cancer has led to over 600,000. Cervical cancer ranks second most prevalent cancer and eighth leading cause among low-income countries while Ovarian cancer ranks 7th globally and eighth for cancer deaths among female cancer victims. Vaginal Cancer affects around 5,000 US female patients per year and should never be underestimated in its scope or dangers.
Health insurance can help cover these expenses by offering you a lump sum amount to assist in critical illness diagnosis or treatment expenses. Some health plans offer critical illness benefits as an add-on feature or separate plan; typically these plans cover women-specific critical illnesses like ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, breast cancer, and uterine cancer as well as additional benefits like children education bonus payments or job loss compensation payments or in utero fetal surgery surgeries, etc.
Health insurance can help ease both the financial and emotional impact of critical illness while assuring you receive optimal medical treatment and recovery. You may use any lump sum funds received to pay off debts, fulfill dreams, or support your family.
Women-specific health issues
One additional advantage of women-specific health insurance plans is covering expenses related to unique female health needs or challenges not addressed by standard policies, like pregnancy-specific services. Some examples may include.
Menstrual disorders: These disorders involve issues related to your menstrual cycle, such as heavy or irregular bleeding, painful cramping, or irregular periods. Such disorders can have devastating impacts on both physical and psychological well-being and may indicate conditions like endometriosis, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) fibroids, etc.
Infertility: Infertility refers to an inability to conceive after trying for at least 12 months despite taking steps such as diet, lifestyle changes, and hormone balance treatments, yet still not succeeding. Causes include age, lifestyle choices, genetic infections, or hormonal imbalances which all can impede conception. If infertility occurs it can have detrimental effects both emotionally and socially while often incurring expensive treatments like IVF (in vitro fertilization) or IUI (intrauterine insemination) at some point during treatment.
Menopause: Menopause refers to the natural reduction in reproductive hormones that occurs once menstrual periods cease and women stop having menstruation cycles. Menopause typically affects those between 45 and 55 and may produce symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, weight gain, and vaginal dryness among many others. Furthermore, it increases your risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes among other issues.
Mental health: Mental health refers to your psychological and emotional wellness and can have an enormous influence on how you think, feel, and behave. Women tend to experience more mental health problems due to biological, social, and environmental influences affecting them more frequently compared to men depression anxiety eating disorders post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD are all more likely to arise in female populations than they would occur among male ones.
Treatment costs associated with women-specific health conditions can be prohibitively costly and aren’t usually covered by regular health insurance plans. IVF treatment in India typically costs Rs 2.5 lakh per cycle while HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for menopause averages at about 15,000 rupees monthly counseling, therapy, or medication services to treat mental health can vary according to the type and duration of therapy provided.
Health insurance can provide financial relief by covering women-specific health concerns. Some health plans offer women-specific coverage as an add-on feature or separate plan typically these plans cover menstrual disorders, infertility, menopause, and mental health as well as wellness programs and discounts on medicines.
Health insurance can help women take great care in looking after themselves and meeting all their unique health and well-being needs, without worry over costs or care services and facilities. You’ll gain access to quality health services without breaking the bank.
Personal accident
Health insurance for women offers another useful benefit in terms of covering expenses associated with personal accidents. Personal accidents refer to any unanticipated event that causes bodily injuries or death through external, violent, and visible means. They can strike anyone at any time without warning resulting in temporary or permanent disabilities, loss of income, and death.
More than 4.5 lakh people died due to accidental injuries in India in 2020, out of which more than 1.5 lakh were women. The major causes of accidental deaths among women were road accidents, falls, drowning, poisoning, fire, etc.
Health insurance can provide essential financial protection when you experience a personal accident. Many health plans offer personal accident benefits as an add-on feature or stand-in plan and typically cover accidental deaths, permanent total disability, partial permanent disability, and temporary total disability in addition, some policies offer hospital cash allowance, education fund payments or funeral costs coverage as part of this coverage plan.
Health insurance can help you cope with the financial and emotional impact of a personal accident and ensure that you get the best possible treatment and recovery. You can also secure your family’s future and lifestyle in case of your death or disability.
Conclusion
Health insurance for women can not only be essential, but it is also an intelligent investment. Health plans provide essential coverage against costs related to healthcare expenses such as pregnancy-related critical illness; women-specific issues or accidents affecting physical well-being as well as protecting financial independence, security, and goals.
By purchasing or comparing health insurance plans tailored specifically towards women, you can select an optimal plan within your budget and needs providing peace of mind from having adequate protection at a price you can afford. Plus, under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, you may also enjoy tax breaks on premium payments!
So what are you waiting for? Start your journey towards a healthier and happier life with health insurance today!