You must already be aware of the importance of buying a health insurance plan. It can help you save on medical expenses in times of health emergencies. Multiple coverage benefits are stated in the policy that you can use whenever required till the policy is active.
Speaking of active policy, it is basically renewing the policy so that it doesn’t expires and you can enjoy the benefits. You can claim against your health insurance plan in order to get financial support from pay-out. However, there can be instances where your claim may get rejected. One of the reasons could be that you missed out on mentioning your pre-existing health condition to your insurer.
What to do if you forgot to declare your pre-existing condition?
Not declaring your pre-existing health conditions to the insurer, leads you to the risk of policy cancellation or claim rejection by the insurance provider. Either way, you risk losing out on your premium as well as your source of financial aid during critical times. Hence, it is essential for you to declare your pre-existing health issue (if any) when buying the health insurance policy. However, if you miss out on declaring the same then, the first thing you can do in such a situation is make use of the free-look period. This is a period which begins immediately after you purchase the policy. For policies bought online, this period is usually 30 days, whereas for those purchased offline, the free-look period is usually of 15 days. So, you can use this period to inform your insurer of your pre-existing conditions if not done earlier. Another option to consider, if you have also passed your free-look period, is to declare the pre-existing conditions when you renew your health insurance policy.
Why is it important to mention the pre-existing health conditions?
When purchasing a health insurance plan, you may or may not be required to go through a health check-up. This process varies from insurer to insurer. However, you may be asked to mention if there are any health conditions that you are currently facing. This is done to make sure you get the right kind of coverage at the right premium price. If you fail to declare your pre-existing health conditions, it may create issues with your insurance policy for e.g. – your insurer could reject the claim when you decide to raise one, or they may also cancel your policy.
This condition specifically applies to major and chronic diseases. For example, if you have cancer, diabetes, or thyroid, you must mention the same to your insurer when buying the health insurance plan. On the other hand, if your previous conditions have been relatively minor, such as appendicitis or a fracture, then it is not necessary to mention these. Even when it comes to a COVID-19 infection, if you have successfully recovered from it, then you don’t need to mention about it. However, if the Covid infection has left you with any further complications owing to the infection, and the condition is something you are currently dealing with, then you should mention it on your health insurance application. Keep in mind that pre-existing health conditions, if significant, may also end up affecting your premium.
We hope you now have a clear idea about the importance of declaring your pre-existing health conditions beforehand to the insurer. And in case you forgot to do so, above mentioned are the ways you can still update your insurer about your health conditions (if any).
To know or explore insurance plans online, you can visit our Bajaj Finserv app.
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