Should you delay buying a maternity insurance?

Motherhood is a beautiful experience in every woman’s life. It makes a woman feel complete. Juggling between career and life, motherhood often gets delayed. Thus complications during childbirth have also become quite prevalent. This is because of the surrounding stress, lifestyle and delayed pregnancy.

Motherhood comes with a lot of responsibility as well as expenses. In fact these days, couples plan their families based on their financial conditions rather than emotionally. Expenses do not end after the child is born. The total expenses could cost you a fortune if you are not prepared. Thus, raising a child needs good financial backup. In this case, a health insurance with maternity coverage can solve the problem.

What is maternity insurance?

Health insurance covers the cost of insured individual’s medical expenses. But, maternity coverage is a very important health benefit for women. It pays for all expenses related to normal pregnancy, labour and delivery. Some of this maternity plans support new-born baby care and other related expenses too. It, however, does not cover artificial insemination and other related costs.

Read more about why you should buy maternity insurance plan

Does it make sense to buy a Health Plan with Maternity Benefits?

Childbirth in a good hospital has become quite expensive today. A normal delivery costs around Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000, without much complication. However, a caesarean delivery is way more expensive. It can range anything between Rs 35,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

Thus, it is not always possible to bear a huge amount during delivery. And you still wish to get the best services for your family and child. Having maternity coverage will reduce your financial stress during pregnancy. Alongside you would not have to compromise on your childcare as well.

Some corporates also provide group health plans with maternity coverage for employees and their spouses. If your company offers one, you are saved. Else, buying an individual health plan makes sense

Here are few reasons why an individual health plan is a better option over a group health cover:

  • In case, you change your job. The coverage would be lost along with the maternity coverage.
  • Coverage under group health policy might be limited in terms of value.
  • Group plan might not include pre and postnatal expenses related to childbirth. An individual plan covers it all.

Key things to consider while buying a Maternity Insurance

A health plan with maternity benefit includes almost all expenses related to pregnancy.

  • Pre and post hospitalization.
    Pre hospitalization consists of check-ups before hospitalization to medicines. Post hospitalization would take care of childcare after delivery. The 30-60 days before hospitalization and 60-90 days after discharge is considered under this.
  • Delivery charges and in patient hospitalization.
    The hospitalization charges for delivery are covered in this insurance. Some policies have certain sub-limits pertaining to delivery. Sub limits for normal deliveries are Rs 15,000- Rs 25,000. And that for caesareans are Rs 25,000-Rs 50,000.
  • Pre and postnatal expenses.
    This covers for childcare expenses which included doctor’s consultation as well as medicines. Even check-up and incubation costs are also covered.
  • Vaccination cover.
    Some health plan cover the Government mandatory vaccination expenses of the new born also. Usually it is provides for the first year vaccinations only but some plans extend it as well to 12 years.
  • New Born Coverage.

Some health plans provide new-born health cover including all special care necessary and expenses related to defects, if any from the time the child is born.

When is the best time to buy maternity coverage?

Many think about when is the right time to opt for maternity coverage and the answer is very predictable- as early as possible. Though delaying is a common thing, there are various reasons why one should not delay to opt for maternity coverage.

Here are the top 3 reasons for opting for Maternity Coverage ASAP.

Applying for a maternity coverage plan at the last minute can be a big mistake. Here are the glitches of availing maternity coverage at the last minute.

  1. Waiting period and pre-existing clause.This is a specified period of time after which you can get cover for maternity expenses. Most insurance companies do not provide for maternity coverage in the initial years. The first 2-6 years are usually excluded from this coverage. This is called the waiting period for maternity. Corporate policies also sometimes have a waiting period of 9 months to 2 years.

In addition, you cannot avail a new maternity coverage plan if you are already pregnant. In such case, pregnancy would be considered as a pre-existing condition and hence no maternity coverage shall be provided.

Hence, it has to be availed at least 2 years before you are planning to conceive a child.

  1. Rise in premiums with age and time.Premium of this coverage would increase with your advancing age. So if you delay to avail this insurance, you are likely to pay higher premiums to fulfil your needs.Also, with the marriage age being pushed further today, more women above 35 and even 40 are delaying motherhood. In addition, even expenses related to motherhood are increasing day by day. Therefore, if you delay, you might not be able to opt for a cheaper maternity plan as the waiting period for the same is usually longer. Thus, you would end up opting for a plan with a higher premium to avail the timely benefit.
  2. Ease in availing the Policy. If you have time, it is always better in terms of availing any kind of insurance. If the maternity coverage is not taken early in life, maternity benefit might not be available at a higher age due to the complications involved with ageing! You might also have to avail the same in a hurry and thus not able to do complete research. So the earlier you buy, the better it is!

Popular Plans with Maternity Coverage

There are some popular plans, which offer good features on maternity coverage. They are

Here is a comparative analysis between Apollo Easy Health plan and Religare Joy Plan.

maternity insurance

Expert advice

If you wish to buy a Maternity Insurance Plan, now is the right time. Alternatively, if you got married recently and planning to have a child in next few years, having a maternity coverage can be helpful. However, if you are planning a baby immediately, then you need to consider the premiums before buying, since plans with lower waiting periods are relatively quite expensive.

Also, having a maternity coverage can be helpful if you plan your next child a few years later. However, if you are not planning any more children, then this additional benefit is not required. Or, if your group insurance provides enough coverage for the entire benefit that you may need, then this additional maternity benefit may not be required.

Thus, the best solution is to opt for a comprehensive health insurance plan like Apollo Munich Easy Health or Max Bupa Heartbeat, which has all other benefits like lifelong renewability and has Maternity Coverage too at a competitive rate. You can continue this health insurance plan for the rest of your life and can include your family as well. However, a purely maternity driven plan like Religare Joy is helpful only for immediate Maternity benefit and hence, can be discontinued afterwards, since the premium is very high as compared to the rest of the industry.

So don’t waste your time as time is money. Old saying but true as it can help you save quite a lot. Get the best insurance plans in India online at Turtlemint.

Read also An anatomy of an health insurance plan

Read more about Dejargonizing health insurance terms

Are car insurance riders worth buying?

In this busy life of ours one thing which keeps us moving from one place to another is cars and maintaining a car can cost you a fortune if you don’t have any car insurance. Car insurance is a contract that helps you to protect your financial loss when your car meets an accident. Often it happens that you do not get cover for every kind of damage. In that case, an insurance rider comes handy. If you are thinking, ‘what is a rider’? ‘How does it cover car’s damage’? ‘Are these riders worth buying’? This article will surely help you to understand and get all your answers.

What are riders?

Rider is an optional add-on benefit that comes with car insurance plans and enhances the coverage on insurance. It offers few unique benefits if you pay out some extra money. There are different kinds of riders for everyone according to their needs.

How does it work?

Applying for these add-on benefits is very simple. At the time of choosing your car insurance one can opt for rider because sometimes your car insurance plans fall short of providing you complete protection. An additional benefit comes with an additional cost and protects your car from situations that your regular can insurance plan does not cover.

Types of rider

There are different kinds of rider for every situation. Followings are the types.

  • Engine coverage rider: This rider comes handy during monsoon especially in India. It provides you HYDROSTATIC cover, which provides your car a cover for the damage caused by leakage of oil, water stalling etc. If you opt for this particular rider, your engine problems will be covered.
  • Roadside assistance: This rider helps you by providing assistance during emergencies such as an accident, car breakdown in middle of the road, lost car keys or flat tyre. This rider will provide you 24×7 assistance and toeing facility anywhere anytime.

Read more about All you need to know about Roadside assistance cover

  • Zero depreciation: this rider helps you get full cover for your damaged car parts. Without this rider, your car insurance provider will depreciate the value of the damaged part according to factors like model and age of the car. While metallic parts are consider depreciated after 6 months, depreciation value of plastic parts are 50% from the second day itself. To understand depreciation factor please follow the chart below-

 

car insurance riders

  • NCB Protect: No Claim Bonus is payable only if you do not claim in the previous policy year. This rider protects your No Claim Bonus even if you have filed a claim already. Under this add-on, you can file a maximum of 2 claims without losing your NCB. Hence, if you want to retain your NCB while keeping a window open for filing claim in the coming year, do buy NCB protect rider.

Read more about Anatomy of a car insurance plan

  • Paid Driver Legal Liability: This is almost a mandatory feature these days especially with the rise of chauffer driven cars. If you driver gets the car into some sort of legal liability, it becomes your responsibility as he was driving your car. Thus, protecting your paid driver against legal liability is of utmost importance.
  • Passenger Personal Accident Cover: This feature covers for Personal Accident cases for passengers and can be availed at a nominal additional cost.
  • Rental reimbursement: This benefit helps to pay for your rental car bills during the period for which your car is at the repair centre.
  • Vehicle replacement: In the cases where car is stolen or damage is beyond repair, insurance companies declare total loss. This rider will help you to replace your car with a new and equivalent car.

Are these riders worth buying?

All the above-mentioned riders help you to save your hard-earned money. However, you must be thinking that how much money it helps you save. Suppose accident occurs to your car and complete loss of the car stands for Rs 1 lakh. If your car does not have zero depreciation rider, your insurance company will pay only Rs 75,000 to Rs 60,000 after 25%-40% depreciation. However, if you had availed the mentioned rider, your insurance company will pay Rs 1 lakh, which is the full claim amount. Not only that, a personal accident cover can secure you and your family’s future in the time of any unfortunate incident of your death and one can get up to Rs 2 lakhs for damaged cost.

It is always better to be safe than sorry and in these times of unfortunate events a rider can bring you plenty of relief because doing the right thing at the right time can save you from the damage in future. So, next time when you buy your car insurance do not forget to add-on few riders according to your problem or requirements to get benefits at the right time.

Still confused on which riders are beneficial for you? Let Turtlemint help you.

Read more about Car insurance terminologies you should know.

Why to buy a dengue insurance cover?

Monsoon brings a relief from scorching heat and an array of diseases. Dengue is one of them. It is a mosquito-borne painful fever caused by dengue viruses and the claim of this disease is increasing every year. Data from health insurer Max Bupa shows that reimbursement of dengue claim went up by 200% in 2015 compared to the previous year and this year the number could increase and that is why it is always better to be safe than sorry. Any illness needs extensive care and treatment but when it comes to dengue, needless to say, all the tests, treatment cost and hospitalization burn a big hole in your pocket. Health insurance comes handy in such situations. Now-a-days health insurance companies are coming up with specialized plans that cover for specific ailments. But how helpful or important specialized health insurance plans could be? If this question arising in your mind too, this is the right article for you. Read on to know more about dengue insurance cover.

What is dengue insurance cover plan?

Dengue insurance comes under the section of specialized health insurance plan that covers all dengue-related medical expenses. Apollo Munich has developed such specialized health plan known as DENGUE CARE PLAN and DHFL Pramerica has developed DENGUE SHIELD designed to treat solely dengue patient.

What does the apollo munich’s dengue care plan cover?

Here are the coverage features of Apollo Munich’s Dengue Care Plan:

  1. Inpatient treatment: the patient has to stay in hospital for more than 24 hours if treatment arising from dengue fever and hospitalisation cost cover up to sum assured.
  2. Room rent: the plan covers the rent of single private A/C room.
  3. Pre and post-hospitalisation: the plan covers any pre and post hospitalisation expenses for periods ranging 15 days immediately before hospitalisation and 15 days immediately after discharging from hospital.
  4. Shared accommodation benefits: the plan covers shared accommodation expenses.
  5. Outpatient treatment: these following benefits are available and covered under this section and cover expenses up to Rs 10,000
  • Outpatient consultation by specialized doctor.
  • Diagnostic tests for dengue fever.
  • Expenses of medicine prescribed for dengue fever.
  • Home nursing facility.

On other hand, DHFL provides 100% of the sum insured if you are diagnosed of dengue fever under the following conditions:

  1. If your platelet levels decrease rapidly below the minimal level.
  2. Minimum 48 hours inpatient care and hospitalization in a hospital.
  3. If your blood tests report shows positive for dengue.

When is the right time to buy this plan?

The answer is as early as possible. This policy covers persons from 91 days baby to 65 years old. For child the minimum entry age is 91 days and the maximum is 25 years. For adult, the minimum entry age is 18 years and maximum is 65 years.

 Is the coverage beneficial?

A dengue patient entails a hospital stay of five to six days depending on the condition of the patient. In this scenario if you own such insurance plan, it makes life easier. The tests, the admission as well as the transfusion, if required, involve quite a lot of expenses. An article in Hindu states that Dengue treatment costs a bomb as corporate hospitals charge anything between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for a platelet separation, in case it is needed. Some people have ended up spending Rs 1.75 lakhs to Rs 2 lakhs for a dengue treatment of their children. With the rising cases of reported dengue, the need to look into this becomes very important.

But how beneficial these insurance plans are? To give you a clear idea on benefits of dengue insurance cover go through these pros and cons of such plan.

The pros:

  • The Apollo Munich Dengue Care Plan does not require you to undergo any medical health test. In the proposal form, just a self-declaration is more than enough to buy this plan
  • This plan allows upto Rs 10,000 for outpatient treatment, which is enough to avail treatment at your own house.
  • The dengue cover’s premium rate does not depend on age. It depends only on the amount of coverage one wants from this plan. There are two coverage options available in Dengue Care Plan- one is of Rs 50000 and premium for this is Rs 508 inclusive of taxes and the other option is of Rs 1 lakh with premium Rs 662 annually.
  • While DHFL Pramerica Dengue Shield plan offers a sum insured of Rs 25,000; Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000. Here, you can pay the premium either annually or a single installment for a 5 year term.

insurance

 

As seen here, the cost for the benefits provided is very low. You pay only Rs 55 per month for Rs 1 lakh of coverage irrespective of your age from Apollo Munich’s Dengue plan.The cons:

  • This plan only covers expenses for the treatment of Dengue. If you are suffering from any other ailment, this plan will not allow any coverage.
  • This is an annual policy, thus you have to give the premium annually.

If you compare between your regular health insurance and specialized dengue insurance, you will see that besides the benefit of treatment at home, there are no special benefits that your regular health insurance does not provide.

However if do not have a regular health insurance and if you see dengue symptoms prevalent in your area, you should definitely consider at least buying this specialized dengue plan. The specialized dengue plan comes at a very low premium and since a disease like dengue is very uncertain, it makes a lot of sense to opt for it without much thought especially if you do not have any regular health plans.

You can also buy a Dengue plan alongside your regular health plan, since this plan comes without much pinch in the pocket. Moreover, if you have a dengue claim, you need not disturb the No Claim Bonus of your regular health plan. So, with the rising risk of Dengue in this country, this dengue special health plan can be seriously considered.

For any other queries with health insurance, get in touch with Turtlemint representatives.

Read more about Separate health insurance plans for parents of floater?

Read also An anatomy of an health insurance plan

How does insurance cover “Day-Care” health procedures?

In recent years, modern advances in science and technology have changed the face of the Indian healthcare industry. Until a few years ago, carrying out medical procedures like eye surgery and kidney stone removal used to take some days. Today, complex treatments like these have become a lot faster and take just a few hours to complete.

However, in spite of the many scientific advances, healthcare costs have only increased. Very few people can afford treatment in case of a health emergency. For others, it’s either a huge dent in their savings or reliance on financial help from outside.

Surprisingly, most over-the-counter treatments cost almost twice as much as the cost for hospitalization! This is why most of the major health insurance providers have begun giving day-care health coverage to their customers. Day-care health insurance coverage offers the necessary financial relief by paying for costs related to medical treatments that need only short-term hospitalization and can be taken care of in less than 24 hours.

Example

Mr. Arvind holds a health insurance plan, which covers day-care health procedures. When he is diagnosed with kidney stones, his doctor advises lithotripsy (kidney stone removal surgery) as the required treatment. Incidentally, a decade ago, Mr. Arvind’s father too had suffered from kidney stones and had to be hospitalized a few days for the kidney stone removal procedure. Remembering this, Mr. Arvind worries that his surgery will not be admissible under day-care health coverage. He goes on to air his concern to the doctor. He is surprised to find, however, that due to technical advances, the surgery now lasts only a few hours and because of this, the hospital will discharge him the same day of the surgery. Therefore, Mr. Arvind, unlike his father, can make a hassle-free claim for the kidney stone removal surgery, as it is listed under day-care health procedures!

Claim process

The claim filing process for a day-care health procedure is similar to that of the claim filing process for a regular hospitalization.

You must notify the insurance company beforehand in the case of a planned procedure and within 24 hours in the case of an emergency procedure. Make sure you maintain all your medical records for the reimbursement to go smoothly.

Procedures covered

Treatments that are usually admissible as a Day-Care Health procedure include:

  • Appendectomy
  • Angiography
  • Angioplasty
  • Fracture/dislocation excluding hairline fracture
  • Surgery of ligament tear
  • Chemotherapy
  • Colonoscopy
  • Dental Surgery
  • Eye Surgery
  • Ear Surgery
  • Radiotherapy
  • Lithotripsy (kidney stone removal)
  • Incision and Drainage of abscess
  • Hydrocele
  • Hemodialysis
  • Hysterectomy
  • Hernia
  • Tonsillectomy
  • Piles / Fistula
  • Prostate
  • Sinusitis
  • Liver aspiration
  • Dialysis
  • Sclerotherapy

Checklist

There are a few things you should consider while choosing a day-care health insurance coverage.

  • Cost:

Most of health insurance plans in India today cover day-care procedures. However, the costs vary. So, don’t forget to compare the benefits before you buy a plan to ensure you get your money’s worth.

  • Broad categories:

Though it may seem like a good idea, choosing a health insurance plan that lists a large number of procedures may not necessarily be in your best interests. Instead of going for the impressive quantity of specific procedures covered, go for quality; you’d be better off choosing a coverage that mentions broader categories of day-care health procedures.

  • Out Patient Department (OPD) clause:

To save spending from your pocket on minor procedures (that last only a couple of hours and don’t require hospitalization even for a day), check if the plan you are considering offers the OPD clause. Note that most dental treatments fall under the Out-Patient-Department category, but not all health insurance plans cover OPD diagnosis and treatment.

Read more about day care treatment vs outpatient expenses

  • Treatment at home:

This option covers the cost of treatment at home, when a patient cannot be moved to a healthcare center or hospital. This benefit can literally be a lifesaver but very few health insurance plans offer it.

  • Cashless treatment option:

Cashless medical transaction is generally available at hospitals or healthcare centers that have partnered with the insurance company. In case of planned procedures, you can easily avail this option by letting your insurance company know about it well in time.

Thus, by going for a health insurance plan that covers day-care procedures, you can also protect your finances while you protect your health.Visit our site to know more about health insurance plans.

Read more about  What is insurance and how does it works?

Read more about  An anatomy of an health insurance plan

Read more about Dejargonizing health insurance terms

12 tips to maintain your two-wheeler in monsoon

Planning for a long drive on your two-wheeler in monsoon? You and your two-wheeler can create magic on the open road in the pleasant weather. But monsoon is also a time when breakdowns and accidents are common because of water damage to the roads and vehicles. You can avoid mishaps by regularly servicing and protecting your two-wheeler. Here are 12 tips that can help you maintain your two-wheeler in the monsoon:

 #1 Apply anti-rust protection

Rain and the moisture in the atmosphere can rust and damage parts of your two-wheeler. Most two-wheelers have rust-resistant fibre bodies, but their main metal frames are prone to rust. As a precaution against the damp, coat the metal frame with a layer of anti-rust protection.

 #2 Look for covered parking spots

Are you parking your two-wheeler in the open, during monsoon?  Avoid doing that Rainwater can collect inside the vehicle and wear away major electrical parts, leading to long-term problems. Make sure you always park under a shade to shelter your vehicle from rain. Never park under a tree, however; heavy showers can cause a branch to fall and damage your two-wheeler.

 #3 Use a rain cover

It can be hard to find a covered parking while travelling. To protect your two-wheeler from the rain, you can carry a fitted rain-proof cover and use it when the proper shade is unavailable.

 #4 Oil chains, hinges, and levers

Water can rust the chains, hinges and levers, restricting the proper movement of your two-wheeler. Oiling of these parts will allow their free movement and help keep your two-wheeler in a good working order. You can also coat the battery terminals with grease to prevent moisture from getting at them.

 #5 Service your two-wheeler’s brakes

Water can cause damages to the brakes. Brakes become less responsive when the brake pads get slippery, rusty or jammed. Be sure to check the condition of the brake pads while servicing your two-wheeler. Also, never brake too hard in the rainy season as it can cause the two-wheeler to skid on the wet roads. Two-wheelers have either drum brakes or disc brakes. Clean the insides if your two-wheeler has drum brakes, and ensure the discs’ alignment plus the correct amount of brake oil in the case of disc brakes.

 #6 Check tyres

To avoid skidding, the tyres of your two-wheeler should be able to maintain a good grip in standing water or on a wet surface. Consider changing the tyres if they are balding or the treads are less than 2-3 mm deep. Tyre pressure also affects the grip. In the rainy season, keep the PSI level a little lower than the recommended level for dry conditions.

 #7 Clean up air-filter

Moisture can cause the tearing up and blockage of the air-filter. This can limit the clean air passing through and lead to your two-wheeler to stall or jerk on pulling the accelerator. Clean up the air-filter routinely in the rainy season to avoid these issues.

 #8 Check headlights

Visibility is usually low during a shower. Good lighting helps it, however. Thus, each time before you hit the road, check that the headlights work as well as they should. Also, put reflective stickers on your bike so that other drivers on the road can see you well.

 #9 Wash and wax in-between trips

Routine washes will prevent the build-up of dirt and muck that can be damaging to your two-wheeler. In addition, waxing after each wash will prevent rusting and keep the vehicle looking good and functioning well.

 #10 Wear protective gear

Your safety is much more important than your two-wheeler’s safety. Only when you are healthy, can you protect your two-wheeler. So, don’t forget to wear a helmet to protect yourself from a fall, and a raincoat to avoid getting a cold.

 #11 Choose a comprehensive two-wheeler insurance

Basic insurance is mandatory by law Read more about Motor Insurance act.. However, it only covers the loss or damage to life and property of a third party caused by an accident involving the insured two-wheeler. However, a comprehensive coverage also offers protection against theft, natural disasters, and other risks in addition to accidents.

Read more Everything you know know about two wheeler policies in India

To compare the best prices and get your insurance renewed, you can visit Turtlemint.

 #12 Get add-on insurance covers

  • Zero Depreciation: This add-on pays for full costs of repair and replacement of parts instead of only paying according to depreciated value.
  • Personal Accident: This covers accidental death, temporary or partial disability and permanent disability.

Read more about Two wheeler insurance plan’s add-ons

Read more about 5 tricks to get the best quote for bike insurance

If you follow the tips above, you will not just protect your bike against the dangers of monsoon, but also enjoy a good bike-ride in the beautiful weather.

Check out our video below to know these 12 bike maintainance tips in detail

11 factors that affect your car insurance rate

If you own a car, chances are that you love it, much as your parents love you. What you might not love, however, is the high premium that you may need to dole out every month just to insure your mechanical baby!

There are 11 rating factors used by car insurance companies to decide what premium amount they should be charging you. Read on to check and ensure that most of them are in place so that your car insurance plan doesn’t make a deep hole in your pockets:

 #1 Car model and age

Insurance rates are greater for car models that have a high market value and need costly spare parts or fuel. Therefore, new cars, imported cars, and cars that run on diesel, all carry high insurance rates. Insurers know that though damage to an old car may need more repair, you are likely to junk or replace it in the case of an accident

 #2 No Claim Bonus (NCB)

Depending on the number of continuous claim-free years, you can get up to 50% discount on your car insurance premium. You can find the NCB amount in your policy document.

Read more about Car insurance terminologies you should know

 #3 Coverage and deductibles

If you’ve failed to get the recommended coverage in the past, you may need to pay a higher premium now. The good news, though, is that you can lower the premium costs by selecting a higher deductible (the amount you will need to pay to claim the cover). Although add-on covers increase the premium rate charged, they are well worth it as they increase the protection provided. The No claim Bonus Protect add-on by Turtlemint is totally value-for-money, as it lets you make an annual claim without losing your NCB discount!

 #4 Car usage

Insurance premium rate will be higher than normal for you if you use your car for commercial purposes. This is because your car probably covers more ground than a car engaged in personal use. The time when you drive the car also affects the insurance rate; in the case you frequently drive at night, you’re at a higher risk of going bump in the dark, and because of this, you’ll pay a higher premium.

 #5 Location

Your neighbourhood and car registration zone too influence the insurance rate. You’ll get a much better deal if you live in a safe neighbourhood with a lower crime rate. As a rule, premiums are higher in the metropolitan cities than smaller towns. This is because, a car in a densely populated area is more vulnerable to crime, traffic and accidents, as well as, higher repair costs.

 #6 Profession

A profession that requires a lot of travelling will attract a higher insurance rate; If your job asks you to travel a lot, chances of a mishap on the road are greater for you than for someone with a shorter or fixed work commute.

 #7 Anti-theft and safety devices

If your car is susceptible to damage or theft, it’ll carry a higher insurance rate. An easy way to improve the security rating of your car is by buying an anti-theft device (as offered by AutoCop, Minda, Nippon and Xenos). This will give you a 2.5% discount on your premium.

 #8 Credit Score

An insurer will usually go over your credit history and financial status to find out your credit score before deciding what to charge you. If you’ve been smart about how you manage your finances, you’ll have a healthy credit score, and a lower insurance rate.

Know more about Credit score.

 #9 Gender and Age

Be ready to pay a higher premium if you are a man and/or under the age of 25. Studies have shown that men and younger drivers are more prone to rash driving and collisions than women and older drivers who tend to be cautious on the road.

 #10 Marital status

If you’re married, you can drive the premium costs down by combining insurance policies with your spouse. In addition, married drivers are generally believed to be more responsible since they get into fewer traffic violations and accidents as compared to unmarried drivers. Therefore, tying the knot can really bring down your car insurance rates, especially if you are 25 years or less!

 #11 Driving history

A perfect driving history with a clean record of no violations or prior claims will come in handy when you go to apply for or renew your car insurance. A bad record, on the other hand, can raise your premium rate or even cost you the insurance, as not many insurers will safeguard a risky driver. So, remember to drive safe!

Contact a specialist today to review your car insurance policy and learn how these 11 factors are affecting your car insurance rate. You can also click here to compare car insurances and save up to 60%.

Read more about Anatomy of car insurance

Read more about Car insurance terminologies you should know

11 daily health hacks for everyone (Infographic)

You may not be competing in Olympics for which you need a lot of practice, dedication and a good control over your diet. It’s possible that you may have sedentary day jobs with less time to take care of your health.

However, short and simple activities can keep you pepped up for the day. Here are some Health Hacks to win the OLYMPICS of your daily life.

Opt 1 Health Hacks-01 (1)

As they say, prevention is better than cure. But it is wise to stay prepared for the future too. Stay future assured, find the best health insurance plans in India with Turtlemint.

Read also What is insurance and how does it works?

Read more about What is health insurance?

Maximizing your health insurance benefits with riders that are worth buying

Health insurance riders are added benefits that you can purchase along with the base health insurance plan. It is like a topping on a pizza. You need to pay extra amount for an additional cheese on top! Thus riders are like add-ons which come with extra coverage and features but are charged over and above the regular premium.

The riders make your policy more flexible and you can use the benefits to your advantage. If you opt for riders, you become entitled to get additional sums assured, which you can use in any way you wish at the time of an emergency.

The popular health insurance riders include the critical illness rider, the hospital cash rider and the room rent waiver rider. Each rider has its own set of benefits and so you must look at the features very carefully before selecting a rider.

Benefits of health insurance riders

Like mentioned above, health insurance riders help you in customising your policy. Let us understand this with an example. Anil bought a regular health insurance plan and a critical illness rider as he had a family history of heart ailments. He himself was a patient of hypertension. Sadly, at the age of 46, Anil suffered a cardiac arrest and needed urgent hospitalisation.

Thankfully for him, the extra sum assured from the critical illness rider took care of his hospital bills and he went home healthy and happy. The sum assured from the base plan would not have sufficiently covered Anil’s health costs and so the rider proved to be very beneficial.

So, for Anil’s family is the cost of the Critical Illness Rider an additional cost? Of course not! Because they have got the benefit for the same by paying a very small amount for the rider. However, if Anil had to opt for a stand alone Critical Illness Plan all on his own, his premium would be much more than the additional premium he opted for the rider for the same coverage.

Who needs a health insurance rider?

Everyone needs coverage. So, technically speaking, everyone can benefit from these riders just by paying a small amount of extra premium. However, to maximise your health insurance plan, you first have to understand the features of the riders available to you. This is important because you need a rider that would serve you.

For example, a maternity expenses rider would be of no use to a 50 year old person and a critical illness rider wouldn’t be crucial for a healthy 25-year old. So you have to assess your own needs and then look at the riders from that angle to understand if you need to opt for the riders.

Are the riders worth buying?

This is a very valid question as many people wonder if taking a rider would cost them a huge sum of money. A rider comes at an added cost and that in turn pushes up the cost of your health insurance premiums. As a result, you have to be very careful and see if you can afford the rider.

If the plan, along with the rider, becomes too expensive then you may end up defaulting on your premiums. This will lead to closure of your policy and you will not only lose the added benefit, but the entire health cover! So opt for the health insurance riders only if you feel you can afford to have them.

However, riders come with additional benefits at a nominal cost. Thus, on the flipside it may be worth it.

Now the worry is, how do you know which rider is worth and which is not?

The extra premium may not really pinch if the benefit of the rider is well identified. Some of the most common riders of a health insurance plan are:

  • Maternity Coverage and New Born Coverage for a young couple, even though it may sound like a burden to an older couple
  • Critical illness Coverage for a family who has closely seen the emotional and financial stress of a critical illness patient or has heard about it
  • Personal Accident Coverage for a person who does a lot of travelling especially road travel for work or pleasure
  • Room rent waiver for a family who wishes to opt for a higher room rent and doesn’t want a limit on the coverage
  • Alternate Therapies coverage if you believe alternate treatment to the regular antibiotics

Conclusion

Speak to your financial confidante or look through our website for more information on the specific riders available from the various insurance providers and then make your choice. If you feel that your base health plan is sufficient and you do not need any extra coverage, then you would do well without the riders. If however you feel the base cover isn’t going to support you during an emergency and you find a suitable rider, then definitely opt for it. All you need to do it to click on I’m interested tab and then choose Apply Online to buy the policy online at the click of a button.

Just remember, the best time to opt for a coverage is when you don’t need it because you never know whether you will be given the coverage when you really need it! Prevention is surely better than cure.

Read more about Dejargonizing health insurance terms

Read more about How to choose health insurance plans

5 tips for having a great first bike-ride date

A drive out of the city limits on a bike to enjoy the weather, sounds like a good idea for a date. And you wouldn’t want to leave anything unprepared for a date like that, be it in terms safety or precaution, or ensuring that the ride is smooth and enjoyable, especially when it’s your first bike-ride date. So here’s a bunch of tips we believe will help you make your first bike-ride date trouble-free and memorable.

Bike ride Date-02

Always use this as a checklist before going for a bike ride date to make the best impression. Visit Turtlemint for any help with your bike insurance.

Read more about Everything you need to know about two wheeler insurance policies in India.

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