Should you buy a top-up plan to extend group health insurance?

-Name withheld on request

Group mediclaim floater policy compulsorily covers the life assured and his/her family. Since you and your family are already covered under the group mediclaim ₹3 lakh, you can go for top-up cover with a deduction of ₹3 lakhs. This will enable you to get a policy cover of higher sum assured at very low premiums. A nominal hospitalization expense may be covered under your group mediclaim and a claim that arises more than ₹3 lakh will be taken care of by the top-up Health insurance policy.

If you plan to go out of employment in the near future, you will have only top-up cover and no cover will be available for the first time. ₹3 lakhs. It is always advisable to keep individual/family cover at the base level and build it up over time as it will give you the benefit of cumulative bonus; Pre-existing diseases cover etc. Getting insurance cover at an older age is costly and at times unavailable.

My father aged 55 will have to undergo a one-day ligament tear procedure in the hospital, what is the eligibility for room rent during hospitalization?

-Name withheld on request

The room rent entitlement is the per day hospitalization fee which depends on the type of room you choose. These are mentioned in the scope of cover in your policy copy, and are usually the room, boarding and nursing charges provided by the hospital/nursing home. These fees are as follows:

• Normal Room – Up to 1% of Sum Assured or as mentioned in the policy schedule

• Intensive Care Unit – Up to 2% of Sum Assured or as mentioned in the policy schedule

For more details, you must refer to your policy document.

Answered by Atul Deshpande, Principal Claims, Digital & Projects, SBI General Insurance. Questions and thoughts at mintmoney@livemint.com