Health insurance is a policy that provides financial assistance by covering several medical and hospitalization-related bills and expenses during the time of a health-related crisis, either through the cashless facility or via reimbursement method. But in this recent era of increasing costs of medical treatments, the premium for these health insurance policies has also been increasing. This is diminishing the interest in health insurance policy purchases to a certain level. However, companies are offering individual programmes through which they reward the insured for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
How Does it Work?
People who are keen on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and staying fit, are less likely to seek frequent medical care. This type of lifestyle lowers their liability/risk level to the insurers and helps the policyholder to get great discounts on their health care plan premium. In short, it makes owning a health insurance policy very affordable in today’s time.
Steps Enforced by Health Insurance Providers
The leading health insurance providers in the country have taken various initiatives through their version of a wellness programme that not only promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle but also rewards members with various perks. For example, the name of the initiative taken up by ICICI Lombard is called “Do The Difficult”, and it recognises activities like sporting events, including marathons, cyclothon and swimathons, quitting smoking, sharing their self-fitness story, winning health quizzes hosted by the insurer, Medical Risk Assessment (MRA), etc. The insured earns points by completing these, which they can redeem for the included perks under the policy.
Another leading health plan provider, HDFC ERGO, offers their initiative wellness program called “Stay Active,” where the insured can get a discount on the basis of the total number of steps taken each day. The “Stay Active” benefit is calculated depending on the average value of your daily step count within the policy term year, and it is rewarded in the form of a discount of up to 8% in regards to the health insurance policy premium.
There are various other providers with their version of a wellness programme that helps the policyholders to earn points, which they can use to redeem various perks or benefits.
Types of Benefits Offered
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has also been supporting this type of wellness programme implemented by the various health insurance providers, as this helps the policyholders to stay fit and promotes health insurance. Some examples of rewards that these insurance companies offer through their wellness programme are:
- Discount on health care policy premium
- Free annual health check-up facility
- Discounts on pharmacy
- Out-patient treatment or consultations via network hospitals
- Various vouchers for memberships, products, outlets, etc.
Note: These are just some examples of the benefits, and the actual offering depends on the insurer.
Conclusion:
This is how you can get a chance to reduce the premium of your health insurance policy and enjoy coverage at lower prices. There are various other benefits that can be availed under your health care plan, just by staying fit and living a healthy lifestyle.
