What else does critical illness insurance protect

Radhika’s mother was diagnosed with a pancreatic cyst recently and was admitted to the hospital. When the time came for paying dues, the cashier refused to accept the cashless hospitalisation smart card that came with Radhika’s health insurance. According to him, her health insurance did not cover any critical illness such as the one her mother had been diagnosed with. Radhika finally had to pay the entire amount in cash.

Critical illnesses go beyond cardiovascular diseases and can take a toll on your life especially if your health insurance does not provide adequate coverage for them. These can range from chronic kidney ailments to life threatening conditions such as cancer, and even stroke.

Such conditions can throw life completely out of gear and it helps to stay financially secured with a critical illness insurance cover. Here are a few conditions covered under a critical illness insurance plan:

  • Minor conditions: For these, 25 percent of critical illness sum assured is given upto a maximum of two conditions. Apart from early stage cancer and carcinoma in situ these also include:
    • Guillain Barre syndrome: A rare and serious condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system and can eventually lead to paralysis.
    • Nephrectomy: A surgical procedure that requires removal of all or a part of the kidney either due to cancer or other kidney diseases or injury. It can also be done to remove a healthy kidney from a donor for transplantation.
    • Chronic glomerulonephritis: This condition develops due to long term inflammation and scarring of the glomeruli, microscopic structures that make up our kidneys and assist in filtration of blood and production of urine.
    • Portal vein thrombosis or a blockage of the vein bringing blood to the liver from the intestines due to a blood clot.
    • Severe COPD or a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes a blockage in airflow from the lungs leading to shortness of breath
    • Ulcerative colitis which is characterised by irritation and inflammation as well as ulcers in the large intestine which may lead to severe diarrhoea
    • Pancreatic cysts that may be cancerous in nature
  • Moderate conditions: For these, 50 percent of critical illness sum assured is provided for a maximum of two conditions.
    • Endovascular surgeries performed by a neurosurgeon for the treatment of neurological disorders
    • Insertion of a cerebral shunt in the brain to treat excess cerebrospinal fluid
    • Bacterial meningitis that can lead to death or permanent disability if not treated promptly
    • Cirrhosis of the liver that leads to an impairment in liver function
    • Chronic pancreatitis characterised by the inflammation of the pancreas over time leading to an inability to digest food and regulate blood sugar
    • Brain surgery to repair structural problems in the brain
  • Major conditions: 100 percent of the sum assured is paid out for these critical illnesses. Apart from major stage cancer, these include:
    • Stroke resulting in permanent symptoms
    • Multiple sclerosis with persisting symptoms
    • Permanent paralysis of limbs
    • Coma of specified severity
    • Kidney failure requiring regular dialysis
    • Major organ or bone marrow transplant
    • End stage lung failure or liver failure
    • Blindness, deafness, loss of speech or loss of limbs
    • Third degree burns
    • Major head trauma
    • Apallic syndromes
    • Medullary cystic disease
    • Aplastic anaemia
    • Benign brain tumour
    • Alzheimer’s disease
    • Motor neuron disease with permanent symptoms
    • Muscular dystrophy
    • Parkinson’s disease
    • Poliomyelitis
    • Systematic lupus erythematosus

Critical illness insurance cover like the Future Generali Heart and Health Plan not only acts as a shield against heart related conditions but also provides protection from upto 59 critical illnesses. It provides financial support to deal with long term medical costs right from the diagnosis to hospitalisation in case of an emergency, treatment as well nursing post treatment.

Health is wealth, so goes the old saying. A critical illness insurance plan helps you stay prepared for any eventuality so you can deal with any challenge that life has to offer. So secure the health of your family and yourself by opting for an insurance plan that protects you against such conditions in the future.