Top 5 Health Insurance Policies with Maternity Coverage

Becoming a parent is one of the most important and joyful events in anyone’s life. However, along with the joy, the parent’s lives also change forever.  If you are planning to have a baby soon or expecting one already, then this article is a must-read one for you. Medical costs have skyrocketed in recent times, and maternity costs are no longer as reasonable as they used to be. Having a baby nowadays requires a lot of planning about meeting the expenses involved in childbirth. Suppose you want to enjoy the child’s arrival without having to worry about the costs. In that case, you need to buy a Health Insurance Policies with Maternity coverage included in it or a standalone maternity health insurance plan. Below are the best maternity plans on market.

1. Complete Health Insurance
2. Star Wedding Gift
3. Joy Plans
4. Easy Health Exclusive Plan
5. Pro-Health Insurance Plan

Maternity cover is generally available as a rider to most of the health insurance policies, and claims can be made only after a specified time period has elapsed from the date of availing the insurance. This is known as the waiting period clause. Usually, maternity health plans have long waiting periods ranging from 9 months to 4 years depending upon the plan, which is a long time.

So, if you are thinking of expanding your family, plan well in advance and take health insurance with maternity coverage immediately. The best option is to take maternity insurance as soon as you get married to avoid the long waiting period to avail maternity benefits.

Need for a Maternity Insurance Policy

The typical expenses involved in childbirth are the cost of staying in the hospital, doctors’ fees, delivery costs, medicines, and the several tests involved. This can be a substantial amount. If you do not have any maternity insurance policy covering you, then it will surely cost you a fortune.

If you buy health insurance with a maternity policy, then the insurance company will reimburse childbirth costs to you, which will surely relieve you from a significant financial burden.

Top 5 Maternity Insurance Policies with their Features and Benefits

We have done extensive research and arrived at the top health insurance with maternity coverage policies which we think are worth looking at. Let us now discuss these policies in detail.

1. Complete Health Insurance from ICICI Lombard:

ICICI Lombard Complete Health insurance policy offered by ICICI Lombard provides a range of facilities, including cashless approval, within just 4 hours. It is available as an individual plan and a floater for covering the entire family. Expenses for up to 2 deliveries or legal terminations are also covered under the floater plan.

• Sum Insured: 3 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs
• Inclusions:

• • Hospitalization expenses,
  • Day-care expenses for surgeries,
  • Free health check-ups and a range of other costs.
  • Maternity expenses incurred in standard as well as cesarean deliveries,
  • Pre-and postnatal expenses,
  • Newborn babies are covered for the first three months after birth.

• Waiting Period: The maternity benefits can be claimed after 3 years of continuous coverage under the policy.

2. Star Wedding Gift Insurance

Star Wedding Gift health Insurance policy offered by Star Health Insurance also covers up to 2 standard or cesarean deliveries.

• Sum Insured: Rs 3 lakhs and 5 lakhs
• Inclusions:

• • Maternity and hospitalization expenses
  • Treatment costs for Postdelivery Complications.
  • Pre-and Postnatal Expenses
  • Coverage for the baby till the end of the policy period.
  • Any Congenital Problems that the infant might be detected with

• Waiting Period: The first maternity claim can be made after three years of continuous coverage, and the second claim can be made after another two years.

3. Joy Plans from Care Health Insurance

This insurance plan carries one of the lowest waiting periods for maternity cover and is suitable for couples planning to enter parenthood soon. Care Joy Policy comes in 2 versions: “Joy Today and Joy Tomorrow,” well the plan will describe the different scenarios of insurance.

• Sum Insured: 3 lakhs and 5 lakhs
• Inclusions:

• • Pre-and postnatal cover
  • 30 days’ pre-hospitalization cover and a hospitalization cover of 60 days
  • Medical expenses for the child for 90 days
  • Coverage for any defects in the newborn baby

• Waiting Period: 9 months for Joy Today and 24 months for Joy Tomorrow of continuous coverage under the policy.

4. Easy Health Exclusive Plan by HDFC ERGO Health Insurance

The Exclusive Plan within the HDFC ERGO Health Easy Health Family Floater insurance offered by HDFC ERGO health insurance provides maternity benefits. One of the most popular insurance plans that the company provides with a minimal premium.

• Sum Insured: 1 lakh to 50 lakhs (up to Rs. 50,000 for maternity expenses)
• Inclusions:

• • All maternity expenses related to a standard or cesarean section delivery
  • Prenatal and postnatal care expenses
  • Medical expenses for the child for the first 90 days after birth

• Waiting Period: The maternity benefit can be claimed after four years of continuous coverage under the policy.

5. ManipalCigna Pro Health Insurance Plus Policy

This insurance plan offered by ManipalCigna Health Insurance Plus Policy provides a range of benefits to the policyholders, including maternity benefits.

• Sum Insured: 15,000 for birth by standard delivery and Rs 25,000 for a cesarean section delivery.
• Inclusions:

• • Pre-and postnatal expenses up to the limits specified above
  • Hospitalization costs for the newborn baby (up to the limits of the maternity coverage)
  • Vaccination expenses of the baby for the first year

• PED Waiting Period: Continuous coverage of 36 months is required before any maternity claim can be made under this policy.

While choosing any health insurance plan, pay attention to the waiting period, inclusions, and sub-limits, sum insured under each policy. Apart from these, understand the exclusions better so that you can wisely choose the maternity insurance policy that suits you best and avoid any negative surprises later.