Motherhood is probably the most cherished milestones in a girl’s life. Nonetheless, it also comes with emotional and financial responsibility. Before taking up this life-changing decision, it’s crucial to be financially prepared for the responsibilities that include motherhood. Furthermore, it’s equally vital to have a plan in place to counter any unexpected exigencies that one may encounter during or after the pregnancy.
A sound financial statement for moms also has to take cognizance of their evolving needs as they undergo different stages of motherhood, right from pregnancy to their old age. Here is how medical insurance needs evolve for moms during different stages of their life:
Mothers-to-be: The moment one decides to have a toddler, the journey to motherhood starts right from there, and so does the financial planning. To make sure a smooth pregnancy, the mother-to-be needs medical care right from the start. That is where a medical insurance policy with maternity profit comes into picture. Such an insurance policy covers all expenses related to childbirth as much as a certain period — involving each pre-pregnancy and post-pregnancy. In reality, now there are plans that even cover IVF costs for those attempting to conceive.
Nonetheless, it’s pertinent to grasp that generally there’s a waiting period of two to 4 years, depending within the policy, before one can avail maternity advantages. Nonetheless, now there are policies available which have reduced this waiting period to at least one yr. Hence, it’s important to get a medical insurance plan with maternity advantages early in life as an existing pregnancy is not going to be covered under maternity profit.
Aside from pre and post-pregnancy care, one major financial cost related to pregnancy is the price of delivery and childbirth which may run as much as a couple of lakhs, especially in surgical deliveries. Buying an insurance policy that covers this expense ensures you could avail one of the best facilities which can be available in your city. Not only would this guarantee quality take care of the brand new mother, but in addition her child. Because the financial liability is roofed — or at the very least reduced — through insurance, the mom can concentrate on having fun with the foremost milestone of her life and concentrate on other vital things.
Recent moms: The main focus while pregnant is on the health of the mother, and by extension, the unborn child. Nonetheless, soon because the child is born, the world then revolves around the infant. The newborn child has low immunity at this stage and is at risk of infections and ailments. He/she also must get vaccinated at regular intervals, which is also a significant expense. Nonetheless, because the young mother and her family deals with all this, it’s important to do not forget that the mother also needs time to totally get well from the results of the childbirth.
Many medical insurance policies with maternity coverage also offer cover for the newborn baby, which may come in useful at such times. Nonetheless, this coverage lasts only till a certain period. So a medical insurance plan that provides the flexibleness so as to add the kid to the bottom plan is good for moms at this stage. Furthermore, just about all leading insurance firms offer medical insurance plans that cover child vaccinations. The young mother may also go for the extra newborn care add-on feature together with her medical insurance policy if the terms and conditions of the policy allow it.
Nonetheless, healthcare at this stage will not be only restricted to the infant. The mother also must be covered against post-natal care. Furthermore, as time passes, her insurance needs would evolve beyond maternity and will cover her overall health. Most medical insurance plans serve that purpose. Nonetheless, she also needs to consider protection against illnesses which can be specific to women, like breast cancer, cancer of the reproductive system, and so forth.
Single moms: While not all medical insurance policies cover single women of their maternity plans, there are some plans available available in the market that provide maternity advantages to single women and single moms. Nonetheless, an important factor here is the waiting period. After the girl has accomplished the waiting period as laid out in the plan terms and conditions, she is eligible to say maternity advantages of the plan no matter her marital status. Such plans are perfect for single women as they could be bought, together with maternity advantages, even before they’re married.
Aged moms: As time passes and the kid grows as much as turn out to be an adult, the mother also ages and her healthcare and insurance needs evolve further. The kid, now an adult, would go away the family-floater plan and would go on to purchase his/her own. The mother’s medical care needs would now be more specific to her age reasonably than the maternity advantages. She would want a plan that covers critical illnesses. Women are also liable to conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis at the next rate compared to men as they age. It is sensible to contemplate a critical illness add-on cover at this stage, if it will not be already added to the policy earlier.
If at this stage, the aged mother is on the lookout for a latest health cover altogether due to her modified circumstances, she would want to search for a plan that covers pre-existing ailments from day one. There are such plans now available available in the market. There are also senior-citizen-specific plans that cover medical expenses incurred by people above 60 years old. Since she would want regular medical checkups, such plans are helpful as they supply cover for such expenses. The perfect part about such plans is that they supply lifetime renewability.
With healthcare costs rising at a quick pace, it’s crucial to have coverage against planned and unplanned hospitalisations. Especially for moms who should take care of their dependents, it’s crucial to have sufficient coverage at different stages of life. And just as their medical needs evolve over the course of motherhood, so should their insurance coverage. By making use of various riders, moms can customise their medical insurance plans to suit the stage of life that they’re at.
(By Amit Chhabra, Head-Health & Travel Insurance, Policybazaar.com)
