Corona Kavach Policy : Buy Corona Kavach Health Insurance Online

The country is reeling under the devastating effects of Coronavirus. One thing that this virus has brought to the forefront is- the importance of health and health insurance in these times. With less than ever financial and health security available, it has become all the more important to own a health policy in the case of a financial meltdown. Unfortunately, if any of the family members get infected and need medical assistance the treatment costs can be sky-high.

We have realised that medical insurance will prove to be our best friend if we want to protect our finances from melting away. Along with the numerous efforts taken up by the government of India, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) has also come up with corona related medical insurance plans. 

What is the Corona Kavach Policy?

Corona Kavach Policy, a standard and basic health insurance plan, is affordable and is specifically related to Covid-19 and the complexities that may arise due to it. This plan takes care of the medical expenses incurred during the treatment of Covid-19 or any comorbid medical conditions arising during the hospitalization period because of Covid-19. This is the most pocket-friendly insurance plan that can keep you and your loved ones protected from any financial woes, in case of Covid infection. 

Covid Kavach Policy at a glance:

Corona Kavach Health Insurance Policy Benefits in details

This plan comes with its long list of benefits which are mentioned below:

1. Short Initial Waiting Period
   Corona Kavach Plan comes with a short waiting period of 15 days only. The policyholder can avail of benefits 15 days from the date the policy comes into effect. A regular indemnity health insurance plan has an initial waiting period of 30 days other than accidental claims.
   
   
2. Affordable Premium
   The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) has launched Corona Kavach Policy to soften the financial pressure during this pandemic. Hence this plan comes at a very affordable health insurance premium which does not burn a hole in your pocket in anyways.
   
   
3. One-Shot Payment
   The Corona Kavach Policy Holder has to pay the premium only once at a single shot while buying the policy. This eases off the financial burden.
   
   
4. PPE Kits covered
   The consumables, especially PPE kits are usually not covered by most indemnity health insurance plans, which is covered by Corona Kavach Plan.
   
   
5. All Expenses Covered
   Hospitalisation expenses like room charges, cost of nursing, ICU charges, doctors’ fees are covered. Both Pre and Post hospitalization expenses are also covered in the Corona Kavach Plan. There is no upper limit on the room rent.
   

List of expenses covered are:

The regular expenses towards Surgeon, Doctor, Medical Practitioner, Nurses, Anesthetist, Consultants, Specialists, etc. would be paid, whether paid directly to the treating doctor / surgeon or to the hospital.

All additional expenses would also be covered such as Oxygen, anesthesia, OT Charges, blood, all types of surgical appliances as well as ventilator expenses along with associated drugs, implants and medicines, all expenses for diagnosis, imaging, gloves, masks, PPE Kits and other associated expenses. 

6. AYUSH Treatment
   AYUSH treatment expenses are covered including Unani, Siddha, Ayurveda and Homeopathy.

7. Emergency Ambulance
   The expense of an emergency ambulance is covered up to a certain limit of usually INR 2000 each way.

8. Short Tenure
   Corona Kavach Plan is a short term insurance plan of 105, 195 or 285 days only.

9. Tax Benefits
   The policyholder can enjoy tax benefits if the premium is paid in any mode other than cash. This policy comes under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and a deduction upto INR 25,000 can be availed for premium paid for self, spouse and dependent children.

However, you must keep in mind that Corona Kavach Insurance Plan caters to the expenses incurred only for the treatment of Covid-19 and the Co-morbidities arising due to it, no other illnesses or injuries are covered in this policy.

What is Covered Under Corona Kavach Cover? <Inclusions>

1. Pre and Post Hospitalization Expenses
   15 to 30 days pre and post hospitalisation expenditures subjected to the treatment of the policyholder infected with the coronavirus.
   
   
2. Intensive Care Unit Expenses
   In the unfortunate case of a patient needing ICU care, the policy will cover the expense up to the insured sum.
   
   
3. Road Ambulance Charges
   Up to a sum of INR 2,000 can be claimed if the need for an ambulance arises whilst the patient is to be transported to the hospital. 
   
   
4. AYUSH Treatment
   Expenditure incurred for the care of any Coronavirus infected patient in any government authorized AYUSH hospital is covered under the Corona Kavach Policy cover.
   
   
5. Homecare Treatment
   In case the healthcare provider advises homecare treatment, the policy will cover the expenses incurred due to the same. Expenses like- consultation charges, medicines, oxygen cylinder, pulse oximeter and nurse are also taken care of.
   
   
6. Hospital Daily Cash (Available as an add-on only)Hospital Daily Cash is an optional cover that can be purchased as per the requirement, by paying an extra premium. Under this, the policyholder can avail benefits of 0.5% of the sum assured which can be used as per the needs, such as meeting extra expenses not covered under the policy otherwise.
   
   

What Is Not Covered Under Corona Kavach Cover? <Exclusions>

• Any hospitalisation under 24 hours
• Covid-19 claims made for diagnosis made before the policy came into effect
• Medicine not prescribed by the doctor or any treatment unrelated to Covid-19
• Diagnosis or treatment outside India
• Testing that is done in an unauthorised government testing centre
• Corona Kavach claims do not apply to the OPD and Daycare procedures

It is important to keep in mind that inclusions and exclusions differ from company to company. Hence it becomes mandatory to go through the terms before choosing your policy provider, that caters to your needs and requirements.

Corona Kavach Policy Premium Comparison Chart

Corona Kavach is a health insurance plan that is being offered by all General and Standalone health insurance providing companies in India. Here are some Corona Kavach premiums offered by various companies. The Claim Settlement Ratio is for the financial year 2019-2020, as issued by IRDAI. 

The table given below shows the premiums across the age group of 25 to 30 years for a sum insured of INR 1 lakh:

This Table shows the premium for the individuals between 25 to 30 years of age and for the Sum Insured of INR 3 lakhs and 5 lakhs: 

Source: (Economic Times & Live mint)

How To Buy Corona Kavach Policy Online?

You will be surprised to know how easy it is to buy Corona Kavach Policy online. You just need to keep the following simple steps in mind.

Step 1
Visit the online website of different insurance providers and provide basic information like age, gender, contact number and insurance requirements.

Step 2
Make the online payment for the premium through a secured payment mode. You can pay through credit/debit card or net banking.

How Can I Cancel My Corona Kavach Policy?

If the policyholder is not satisfied with the terms of coverage or in case the policy does not meet the personal requirements, the policyholder can cancel the policy within 15 days of buying it. The premium paid will be adjusted as per the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) prevailing norms. This feature makes the policy more flexible for the policy providers. 

On the other hand, the policy provider can also cancel the policy at any time if the policyholder provides misleading information like non-disclosure of material facts pertaining to medical history, any fraudulent activity at the time of making the claim of the policy. Submitting false documents or misrepresentation can also lead to the cancellation of the policy by the policy provider. In case of any fraud, the company is not liable to pay anything to the policyholder.

Conclusion

Words like – mask, stay home, social distance, sanitization, quarantine have become part of our daily life. Coronavirus has affected millions of people all around the world. It has brought the economies of countries to their knees. There are financial crises, people are losing their livelihood and suffering at the hands of this virus. 

Despite all the efforts of the government and enormous optimism, India is the 2nd worst-hit country in the world. Numerous people have been affected adversely. And the worst part is- the count is still rising! In such a grim situation, the ray of hope is keeping yourself and your loved ones as safe as possible and shielding them with a good health insurance plan. Buying Corona Kavach Health Insurance Policy gives you a headstart in case any member of the family is infected by this deadly virus.