Cancer is one of the deadliest conditions that is affecting people worldwide with no effective treatment for cure. Approximately India has around 1.5 million cancer patients and this number is rising every year. Moreover, between 1990 and 2013 India has seen the number of cancer patients double in number.With increasing lifestyle distortion and many other unknown reasons, cancer is on the rise in India.
One in 9 people in India are likely to develop some form of cancer. Cancer takes the form of tumors. A tumor could either be malignant or benign. Malignant forms of tumors are the cancer causing tumors that would seriously affect the host individual. The best treatment for cancer is surgery with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Surgery is usually done to remove the malignant tumors before they are spread to other locations. Radiation and chemotherapy therapy sessions are conducted to kill the cancer cells and prevent them from spreading to other parts.
Cancer treatment is costly in India and requires staggered investment as each time you visit a hospital for chemotherapy or radiation therapy treatment you need to spend some amount. Moreover most of the health insurance plans shun cancer survivors who approach them for health insurance cover. To overcome this issue, insurance companies have launched dedicated cancer health insurance plans that would cover the hospitalization expenses incurred for cancer treatments.
In this article we discuss the best cancer health insurance plans in 2024 and the benefits, inusins, exclusions and factors to consider before taking a cancer health insurance plan.
Best Cancer Health Insurance Plans 2024:
| Cover/ Insurer | Care Health Insurance | Aditya Birla Health Insurance | New India Assurance | Star Health Insurance |
| Name of the plan | Care Super Mediclaim | Active Secure Cancer Health Plan | New India Cancer Guard | Star Cancer Care |
| Minimum entry age | 5 years | 18 years | 3 months | 5 months |
| Maximum entry age | 50 years | 65 years | 65 years | 65 years |
| Cover type | Individual | Individual & Family floater | Individual & Family floater | Individual |
| Pre-policy medical check-up | At the discretion of the underwriter | At the discretion of the underwriter | Not required | Not required |
| Cancer payout | Not available | Early – 50% up to a maximum of Rs. 10 LakhsMajor- 100% of sum insuredAdvanced- 150% of sum insured | Advanced- 50% of the sum insured | Up to 100% of the sum insured |
| Co-payment | 20% for each and every claim | Not available | Not available | 10% for each and every claim |
| Initial Waiting period | Up to 180 days from the date of diagnosis with the illness | 90 days from the date of diagnosis with the illness (180 days for early stage cancer) | 90 days from the date of diagnosis with the illness | 30 months for lumps-um benefit in case of cancer |
| Survival Period | Not available | 7 days | Not available | Not available |
| Specific Ailment Waiting Period | 24 months | 24 months | Not applicable | 24 months |
| Pre-existing waiting period | 48 months | 48 months | Not applicable | 30 months |
| Minimum Sum Insured | Rs. 10 Lakhs | Rs. 5 Lakhs | Rs. 5 Lakhs | Rs. 5 Lakhs |
| Maximum Sum Insured | Rs. 2 Crore | Rs. 1 Crore | Rs. 50 Lakhs | Rs. 10 Lakhs |
| Pre & Post Hospitalization | 30 & 60 days | Not available | 30 & 60 days | 30 & 60 days |
| Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy | Up to Sum Insured | Up to Sum Insured | Up to Sum Insured | Up to Sum Insured |
| Ambulance Cover | Up to Rs.3000 per hospitalization | Covered | Up to Rs.3000 per hospitalization | Covered |
| Organ Donor Cover | Up to Sum Insured or Rs.15 Lakhs,whichever is lower | Up to Sum Insured | Up to Sum Insured | Not covered |
| Alternative treatments cover | Up to 25% of the sum insured | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered |
| Second Opinion | Once per policy year | Once per policy year | Covered up to Rs.5000 per policy period | Available |
| Annual Health Checkup | Available | Available | Available | Available |
| No Claim Bonus | 50%- First claim free year25%- Second claim free year25%- Third claim free year | 10% bonus for every claim free year | 10% bonus for every claim free year | 5% bonus for every claim free year |
| Dialysis Cover | Up to Sum Insured | Up to Sum Insured | Up to Sum Insured | Not covered |
| Room rent eligibility | Single Private Room | Not mentioned | Single AC room/ Deluxe Room | Single Standard AC |
| Global Cover | Available | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| OPD Expenses | Covered | Covered | Not Covered | Covered |
| International Second Opinion | Available as an add-on cover | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Air ambulance cover | Available | Available | Not available | Not available |
Stages of Cancer: There are a total of 4 stages in cancer which range from Early to Advanced which are discussed below:
Stage Zero: This is the starting stage in cancer. It is known as situ which means “in place”. In this stage the cancer is still in the same location where it has started and has not spread to any nearby tissues or cells. Cancer in this stage is usually curable with the help of a surgery.
Stage I: This stage is known as the early stage cancer where the cancer has not spread to the nearby nodes and other parts of the body. This stage of cancer can also be treated very easily and the probability of recovery is high.
Stage II & III: These 2 stages of cancer are the major stages where the cancer has grown more deeply into the nearby tissues and lymph nodes but most probably not to the other parts of the body.
Stage IV: This stage is known as the advanced stage. The cancer would have spread to all other parts of the body. It is also known as metastatic cancer.
Highlights of Cancer health insurance plans:
- Lump Sum Payout: The most important feature in a cancer health insurance plan is the lump sum payout option. A cancer health insurance policy would pay the claim amount in a lump sum manner if you are diagnosed with the cancer. The claim amount may vary depending on which stage of the cancer. Under this plan, the claim amount can range from 50% to 100% of the sum insured in case of diagnosis with cancer.
Lump sum payout may be utilized by the insured to get treated at any of the hospitals of their choice. Once the lump sum payment is done, the policy would be closed and would not continue.
- No Claim Bonus (NCB): No claim bonus refers to the benefit offered by the insurance company for every claim free year. A no claim bonus in health insurance comes with increased sum insured. The sum insured may be increased by up to 50% for every claim free year. The no claim bonus sum insured would be added to the base sum insured and could be used in case of a claim. Most of the cancer health insurance plans offer no claim bonus in such a way that the NCB sum insured doesn’t exceed the base sum insured under the policy.
- Second Opinion: Cancer could be diagnosed at any stage and it is important to confirm if it is real. For this you may go for a second opinion which would incur certain costs. A cancer health insurance policy covers the medical expenses incurred by the policyholder to avail second opinion. Second opinion facility may be availed in India or abroad depending on the terms and conditions of the policy.
- In-patient Hospitalization: Cancer health insurance plans offer inpatient hospitalization cover up to the sum insured mentioned under the policy. Inpatient hospitalization covers the expenses incurred by the policyholder when the hospitalization is for more than 24 hours. Inpatient hospitalization could either be undertaken at a network hospital or a non-network hospital depending on the nearest hospital availability as well as the emergency.
- Day Care Treatment: Cancer health insurance plans also provide day care treatments where there is no requirement for a 24-hour hospitalization. Day care treatment includes surgeries, operations and other treatments that could be done within a few hours and the discharge would be on the same day.
- Pre & post Hospitalization: Pre and post hospitalization expenses are covered in a cancer health insurance policy. Whenever a hospitalization happens, it is usually preceded by frequent visits to hospital for verification of the condition and also succeeded by follow-up visits to the hospital. In such cases there would be certain expenses that are incurred by the policyholder pre and post hospitalization which are covered under the cancer health insurance plans. Pre and post hospitalization expenses are usually covered for 30 days and 60 days under the policy.
- Ambulance Cover: Ambulance cover is one of the important covers in cancer health insurance plans. Ambulance cover provides expenses incurred by the policyholder in transporting the patient to the hospital in case of an emergency.
- Domiciliary Hospitalization: Cancer and other related conditions may require the insured policyholder to undergo treatment at home due to various reasons. Domiciliary hospitalization facility is available in a cancer health insurance policy subject to the decision of the treating doctor. This section covers the expenses incurred by the insured to undergo medical treatment at home and the limit varies from one company to another.
- Reduced waiting Periods: The other highlight in a cancer health insurance policy is that it comes with reduced waiting period and even covers the cancer immediately after the initial waiting period. In most cases, the initial waiting period for cancer is 90 days and the survival period is as less as 7 days. This means if a policyholder is diagnosed with cancer, he/she should wait for at least 90 days before making a claim under the policy. Survival period refers to the period the policyholder should survive after diagnosis with cancer.
The other advantage of cancer specific health insurance plans is that they are offered to even the cancer survivors. A person who has undergone treatment for cancer can take the policy and avail claim benefits subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Cancer patients are outrightly declined when approached for health insurance as they are considering heavy risk but these plans provide them with relief.
- Chemotherapy cover: Chemotherapy is an important part of cancer treatment and it spreads across various time periods. Chemotherapy is done to kill the cancer cells and is one of the best treatments available for cancer. So, whenever the insured patient undergoes a chemotherapy session there would be certain costs associated with it which would be paid by the cancer health insurance policy.
Exclusions of Cancer health insurance plans:
- Any treatment that arises from or is traceable to pregnancy, maternity, miscarriage, childbirth, and abortion or complications resulting from these is not covered.
- Treatment undergone at a blacklisted hospital or treatment taken from a person who is not a medical practitioner is not covered.
- Unproven or experimental or investigational treatments are not covered.
- Routine examination expenses are not covered.
- Treatment of mental illness or psychological disorders are not covered except if they are mentioned under the policy.
- Cosmetics treatments are not covered.
- Expenses incurred due to self inflicted injuries, attempted suicide while sane or insane that could be linked to consumption of alcohol, intoxicating substances, drugs or other hallucinating substances.
- Expenses arising directly or consequently from an insured person while committing or attempting to commit a criminal act with breach of law.
Benefits of purchasing Cancer health insurance plans:
- No-claim Bonus: The major benefit of purchasing a cancer health insurance policy is that it comes with a no claim bonus for every claim free year. The no claim bonus is offered as a percentage of the base sum insured to the insured and it could go up to 50% of the base sum insured. With the addition of no claim bonus, the overall sum insured under the policy would increase and after a few claim free years, the overall sum insured would become double.
This way you can increase your sum insured and avail higher sum insured even if you are a cancer survivor. No claim bonus sum insured would also come handy at the time of treatment.
- Cover for Cancer Survivors: The major advantage of specific cancer health insurance plans is that it also covers the cancer survivors. Any person who had cancer and recovered from it would understand the value of health insurance. But a regular health insurance policy would usually not be given for a cancer survivor as they are considered high risk and the chance of developing cancer again is high in those people.
A cancer specific health insurance plan is designed specifically for cancer survivors and people who want a cover for critical illnesses such as Cancer. Moreover the policy comes with a waiting period which also includes the survival period. Star health insurance for cancer patients is the famous cancer health insurance plan for cancer survivors which has the lowest waiting periods and other benefits.
- Lump-sum Benefit: Cancer patients need to undergo one time surgery or continuous chemotherapy or radiotherapy sessions. These sessions as well as the surgery are costly. A cancer health insurance policy provides lump-sum benefits to the policyholder so that they can use this amount to get treated at any hospital of their choice.
The lump-sum benefit in a cancer health insurance policy is paid based on the diagnosis with cancer and not based on the expenses incurred by the policyholder for treatment of cancer. Most cancer health insurance plans cover Chemotherapy and radiotherapy expenses up to the sum insured limit mentioned under the policy.
- Chemotherapy & Radiotherapy Cover: The best proven treatment to kill cancer cells and prevent them from spreading to other regions is to undergo frequent chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions. These sessions are usually done on a frequent basis depending on the various factors such as the growth of the cells, and stage of cancer etc. A cancer health insurance policy would cover the expenses incurred by the policyholder to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions.
These sessions are paid for a certain period of time and up to the sum insured mentioned under the policy. There are rarely any sub limits on the amount payable in case of chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions.
- Tax Benefits: The best health insurance for cancer patients comes with tax benefits as well. Health insurance for cancer survivors can have double benefit with a cancer health insurance plan as they can avail health insurance and at the same time claim tax benefits. The premium paid towards cancer cover health insurance plans get income tax exemption under Section 80D of income tax.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Cancer Health Insurance Plan:
- Family history: The first thing to consider before taking a cancer health insurance plan is to check the family history. Genetic specialists have estimated that 5-10% of people who are diagnosed with cancer have a family inheritance of faulty genes that lead to cancer. There are common cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer that are inherited from parents to children. In addition to these more common cancers there are less common cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian cancers that are also inherited.
If any of your family members have been diagnosed with any form of cancer, then it is advisable that you take a cancer health insurance policy for safeside. You should be more cautious in taking the policy if your close family members have some kind of cancer. You may either opt for health insurance with cancer cover or take a stand-alone cancer health insurance plan depending on your requirements.
- Cover Type: Cancer cover in insurance can either be taken as a stand-alone policy or as an add-on in a regular health insurance policy. In addition, cancer cover is available as an add-on in a life insurance policy as well. Health insurance plan with cancer add-on provides you with a lump-sum amount in case of diagnosis with cancer but it is very difficult to get this policy once you are diagnosed and treated for cancer. The best health insurance for cancer patients or cancer survivors is stand-alone cancer health insurance plans.
A health insurance policy that covers cancer has an advantage to a life insurance policy that covers cancer. A health insurance policy covers the medical expenses incurred towards the chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions or provides a lump-sum amount whereas the life insurance policy with cancer cover provides a lump-sum amount in case of diagnosis with the illness.
- Compare and Buy: The other important factor to consider before buying a cancer cover health insurance is to compare different plans offered by different insurance companies and then buy the cancer insurance plan. There would be various hidden terms and conditions and very often complicated terms and conditions that might not be easily understandable to a common man with limited insurance knowledge. Therefore one should always take the advice of an insurance broker when purchasing a health insurance with cancer cover.
An insurance broker can provide multiple quotes from multiple insurance companies and then give the best advice based on your requirements. Click here to get in touch with our health insurance experts for advice on the best health insurance for cancer patients.
FAQs:
- Does Health Insurance Cover Cancer?
Yes. Almost all the health insurance plans cover cancer and other critical illnesses either as a part of the base policy or under a critical illness add-on.
- Will I Get Health Insurance If I’m a Cancer Survivor?
Yes. To provide health insurance cover for cancer survivors, insurance companies have launched stand-alone cancer cover health insurance plans.
- What Is the Survival Period in a Cancer Insurance Plan?
Survival period is the minimum amount of time or number of days a policyholder has to survive before getting benefits from the cancer insurance plan. The survival period starts from the day of diagnosis and it varies from 7 days to 90 days.
- Do Cancer Cover Health Insurance Plans Require Me to Pre-policy Medical Check-up?
Most of the health insurance plans that cover cancer do not require a pre-policy medical checkup, but the final decision would be taken by the underwriter based on the proposal submitted by the customer.
- Will Cancer Health Insurance Plans Provide Payout at Every Stage of Cancer?
Yes. Cancer cover health insurance plans provide claim payouts at various stages of the cancer. For example, most plans provide payout based on the Early stage, Major stage or Advanced stage of the cancer.
