Applying for Health Insurance with Pre-Existing Diabetes Condition

14th November is World Diabetes Day; an exclusive day dedicated to spreading awareness on growing diabetic health concerns across the globe. This day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation in association with WHO, and was made an official day by the United Nations in 2006. With more than 463 million diabetics (1-in-11 adults) world-wide,  (IDF Diabetes Atlas Ninth edition 2019) of which 62% were diagnosed in the last decade alone, the situation demands that a day every year be devoted to alert the world of the long-term health risks of living with diabetes.

Our country, too, doesn’t fall far behind: Out of 88 million people living with diabetes in the South Asian region, 77 million diabetics hail from India. That’s 8.9% of our country’s population! An article published in Health World (from The Economic Times) is captioned, “India is the diabetes capital of the world!” – a bold, yet factual statement. The condition usually manifests itself post the age of 40. However, more cases of younger people diagnosed with type II diabetes have been registered in the recent past, both in India and the world. Besides, gestational diabetes – a condition specific to pregnant women – is also on the rise.

Unhealthy eating habits, lack of mobility and exercise, extended working hours, inadequate sleep: these are the main culprits leading to increasing cases of diabetes. While the condition is not fatal, it is the main cause of long-term serious health complications such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure and cancer. In addition to the altered lifestyle that   diabetics have to live with, there is also the high cost of treatment to consider. This cost increases further with complications that might occur with age.

Aside from medicines and special diet prescribed by your doctor to better manage the condition, it would be comforting to also have sufficient health insurance cover, to support you with hospitalisation expenses for untimely and unforeseen medical exigencies.

The main objective is to relieve yourself from the additional burden of getting the funds in place to afford necessary treatment, and focus instead on getting your health in order.
Applying for health insurance with diabetes, which is considered a “pre-existing health condition”, is not unimaginable any longer. True, it is treated differently compared to a “regular” health policy, owing to its nature and higher risk. But, that does not mean that people living with diabetes cannot apply for a comprehensive health insurance plan.

Some key points to consider when applying for health insurance with pre-existing diabetes are as follows:

• Disclosure of health issue right at the start: If you are applying for health insurance and you have a prevailing diabetes or any other health condition, it is crucial to disclose the condition in the proposal form at the time of taking the first insurance. With knowledge of this the insurer will apply a “pre-existing disease” “waiting period” ranging from 36-48 months for diabetes and its complications. However post the waiting period, you will be fully covered.
  Transparency and acknowledgement of all existing health conditions right at the time of purchasing your health plan is a must. Should your condition not be known in the beginning, and is revealed during the course of time and with future diagnosis, an insurance company may reject any related medical claims.
• Inclusion of cover for diabetes: Some plans may cover your diabetes condition from the start. Hence, seek pertinent information right at the start, to avoid any unpleasant surprises in future.
• Comparatively Higher Premium: Diabetes is a lifetime condition, so the propensity to raise claims is always on the higher side. Insurance companies usually charge a higher premium for a health insurance policy with pre-existing conditions, as compared to that charged to a healthy person.
• Waiting Period: Most pre-existing conditions come with a higher waiting period, usually between 2 – 4 years. This means that you, as the policy holder, will have to wait for that long before your specific condition is covered for cost of treatment or reimbursement.
• Claiming medical expenses: Again, since it is a specific condition, certain companies might have a different procedure to claim for expenses incurred.

Health Insurance Plans in India covering diabetes:
Star Diabetes Safe Plan
Care Freedom for Diabetes
Aditya Birla Active Health Platinum Enhance
National Parivar Mediclaim Plus

For more information on various health plans in India that cover diabetes as a pre-existing health condition, related expenses considered, and specific terms and conditions, we recommend visiting www.SANA.INSURE, a specialized health insurance portal.

They host information on product features, provisions, inclusions and exclusions, all in an easy-to-view tabular format, making it that much easier to choose a plan best suited to you. Besides, a Sana Expert will help navigate you through the buying process online, with 24*7 connectivity via WhatsApp, or a call back to you at a convenient time.

Wish you a healthy and happy life!