Corona Kavach Policy vs Top Up Plans: Which should you consider for your existing Health Insurance Policy

People all around the world are losing their jobs in the midst of the Coronavirus syndrome. Sanitizers, masks, and safety measures are all that everyone is talking about these days. Lockdowns all over the globe have forced people to lock themselves inside their own homes. Well, at least the ones fortunate enough to have one.

From toilet paper shortages to curfews, we’ve probably seen it all this year. And all of this just because of a virus no one had even ever heard of before. Among all this chaos, one thing that can be said is that all this has caused a lot of confusion. Many things may cause this confusion, one of which can be your insurance. 

After all, no one wants to be burdened with high hospital bills. Generally, people are confused because there are many options available in the market. Don’t worry, though! Read on to find out details about both; The Corona Kavach Policy and Top-Up plans. We have compared these two on points that matter the most to you. 

Coverage

If we compare these two types of plans based on coverage, Top-Up plans might seem better. The Corona Kavach Policy, as the name suggests, only helps you in the case of COVID-19. So it has very limited coverage. Of course, that reflects in its price as well. But will this plan be enough for you? If you are diagnosed with any other condition, Corona Kavach cannot help. 

Look at a top-up only if you feel that your current plan may not be enough to cover COVID-19 costs. This may help only if you are looking for some extra amount in case you do get COVID-19. Seeing the way that lakhs of people are catching COVID-19, buying this might not be a bad idea after all. 

On the other hand, if we talk about Top-up plans, these come with many conditions. Their coverage is better and wider. You can buy these if you are scared that the plan you already have is not enough to meet your needs. The money you invest in this plan will not only be useful in the case of COVID-19 but even otherwise. 

This may make you feel that these plans are better than the Corona Kavach policy in a way. These plans help you give a boost to your plan. COVID-19 or not, Top-up plans will still cover your costs. There can be many other reasons why you might need medical care, so this might be more useful. Here are a few of them.

Costs

Talking about Corona Kavach, the cost of this policy can be very budget-friendly for you. And you can see the same feature in other plans too. The more limited the cover, the cheaper the plan may be (this is also why heart and cancer insurance plans may be cheaper). This plan may cost you anywhere between Rs.1000 to Rs.7000 depending on your age. 

The price may also depend on the insurer you choose. At this price, you can get up to RS.5 lakh sum insured. Although some plans might be more costly, it might be a better idea to go with a good company. Don’t forget to check the claim settlement ratio of the policy. Reputed companies might charge more because of the trust people have in them. 

On the other hand, Top-up plans may be slightly more costly. This is because they cover many conditions and thus more people may put claims for a policy like this. The coverage is greater, and so will be the price. The factors on which the price depends are yet again your age, the company you choose and the plan you choose.

Waiting Period

In normal circumstances, the waiting period might not matter a lot. However, that may not be the case considering how quickly the virus is spreading. If you are buying a policy against a virus like COVID-19, you obviously want it to help you as soon as it could. The pandemic is still raging on, after all. 

Since Corona Kavach is specially designed for COVID-19, this plan keeps time in mind. The waiting period is only 15 days. That means; you can claim the benefits of this policy only after 15 days of buying the policy. Talking about Top-up plans, they usually have a waiting period of about 30 days. This might not be the best solution to the problem in the current circumstances.

Payment Schedule and Renewability

The Corona Kavach requires only a one-time investment from you. So forget monthly premiums, all it takes is 1 payment, and that too of a very low amount. This 1 payment can help you secure for many months to come. However, the number of months depends on the variant you choose. You can issue the Corona Kavach anytime, either on 31st March 2021 or before that. 

It must be noted here that these policies are only for a limited time. Hopefully just like this pandemic. So there may not be an option to renew your Corona Kavach at the end of your current plan. You would have to buy another plan after this period elapses to meet your medical needs. The Top-up plan may be better for you here. You can renew it easily which can be very useful for you later on.

All that Corona Kavach covers

Although I have mentioned before that it covers the cost of treating COVID-19, here is a detailed plan of all that it covers. Some of these might shock you. For example, you may be surprised to know that Corona Kavach also covers AYUSH treatment. So be it Homeopathic, Ayurvedic, Unani, or any other included treatment, you are covered.

Another reason why I especially mentioned the coverage of Corona Kavach again is that it does not cap the rent of your hospital room. This can be especially helpful in today’s times. We have all heard one of those recent hospital horror stories right? This may prevent that. 

Why buying a top-up plan may not be useful

Sure top-up plans have good coverage. But one major problem you may face with them is deductibles. It is said that in some Coronavirus cases may be covered under 1 lakh. In this case, if your deductible is more than this, you may not get any help from your policy and insurer! This is why it may not be the best option for the current problem.

In conclusion, look at your insurance portfolio. Only you can aptly judge the policy which may be best for you and your family. 

In the beginning, it may be a tad confusing to choose between various plans. However, your decision can be based on the coverage that your current plan offers. Ask yourself, will this be enough for you? Will it be enough for the treatment of COVID-19? If your current policy offers a good sum insured (SI), you might not need the Corona Kavach policy. This is because your existing policy will cover your treatment costs. If you feel it is insufficient, it may help to look into Super Top-up plans and of course, the Corona Kavach. 

We’ll be happy to help you choose a policy that’s perfect for you!