Comprehensive Health Insurance Vs Disease Specific Plans: Differences

  • postauthorOnsurity Editorial
  • postdateFebruary 14, 2024
  • postreadtime4 min read
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Comprehensive Health Insurance Vs Disease Specific Plans

If you are new to health insurance, your scepticism on the choice of product may become a tedious task. It can be confusing to choose from the diverse types of health insurance policies available in India. However, if you try to understand the distinct types of health coverage in detail then the concepts can become much clearer. Two of the most common types of health insurance plans available today are comprehensive health coverage and disease-specific plans. 

What Is a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan? 

A comprehensive health insurance plan, also known as a traditional health plan, provides cover for all types of illnesses, accidents, injuries, seasonal illnesses, etc. Based on the type of plan opted for, the sum insured and the coverage for illnesses may vary.  

What Is a Disease Specific Insurance Plan? 

A disease specific insurance plan provides coverage only against a specific type of disease. There are several types of plans available for coverage of cancer, diabetes, heart attack and other such medical conditions. This plan may cover all stages of the disease.  

Difference Between Comprehensive Health Insurance and Disease Specific Insurance Plan

Parameter  Comprehensive health insurance plan  Disease-specific illness plan 
Meaning  A comprehensive health insurance plan provides coverage in case of an accident, illness or any other health condition.  As the name suggests, this type of health insurance plan provides coverage against a specific illness i.e., heart attack, cancer, etc. It does not cover any other medical condition 
Coverage  This type of plan covers hospitalization expenses up to the sum insured. If the insured opts for coverage of Rs. 5 lakhs then hospital bills up to Rs. 5 lakhs would be covered. Any amount above the sum insured must be borne by the insured.  This type of plan on the other hand provides a lump sum amount for the treatment of the specified medical condition. 
Premium  The premium for this type of plan is comparatively higher than that of a disease-specific plan  The premium for this type of plan is lower than a comprehensive health insurance plan 
Waiting period  This type of plan comes with an initial waiting period of 30 days during which only accident-related claims can be filed. The plan also comes with a waiting period for pre-existing diseases i.e. 3-4 years, disease-specific waiting period-1-2 years and a waiting period for maternity cover i.e. 2-4 years.  Usually, this type of health plan does not come with any waiting period and claims can be filed easily 
Who should buy it?  Every individual should have health insurance coverage as it provides coverage against rising medical expenses.  This cover should be purchased by individuals who have a family history of specific illnesses like cancer, diabetes, etc. 

What Should You Expect from a Comprehensive Healthcare Plan?

To put it simply, choosing the comprehensive health insurance plan is a better option as it offers wide coverage for all types of medical conditions. A comprehensive health plan takes care of all your medical requirements instead of providing coverage only for one specific medical condition. Furthermore, you can also buy comprehensive health coverage for your entire family unlike disease-specific plans. It is best to focus on long-term healthcare and a comprehensive plan just does that. 

  • Specialized plans are often purchased in times of unfortunate events like COVID, swine flu, etc. However, as time passes, such plans become futile 
  • Specialized plans also come with a set of limitations and do not extend coverage to all individuals 
  • Employers, and individuals, should long beyond their immediate health requirements and think long term. The best option for long-term healthcare is comprehensive health and wellness memberships that are the future of the healthcare industry 

Benefits of Availing Comprehensive Health Cover for the Organization 

Most organizations today offer comprehensive health insurance coverage to their employees which covers basic medical expenses like pre and post-hospitalization and in-patient hospitalization. 

However, with lifestyle diseases on a rise, it is important to offer health plans that offer wellness benefits to employees. When it comes to disease-specific plans, you can purchase them as an additional top-up plan. 

Onsurity Healthcare Membership Plan 

If you are an employer looking to avail comprehensive group health membership for your team, then Onsurity can be a smart choice. You can provide health and wellness benefits to your team beyond health insurance coverage. The company focuses on providing healthcare to SMEs, start-ups, etc. With Onsurity group health membership, you can extend wellness benefits like pharmacy discounts, teleconsultation, etc. to your team members. The membership starts only at Rs. 145/month. 

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