Not Buying Crackers This Diwali? Buy THIS Instead

The festival of lights is upon us, and every person celebrating it is thankful for the positive energy and spirit of hope it infuses in the soul. But a growing number of Indians are beginning to wonder if the festival of lights should really be celebrated as the Festival of Noise — they are opposed to bursting firecrackers that cause sound and air pollution, and which cause health problems to humans and animals alike. Besides, firecrackers cost a lot of money. If you have been buying firecrackers for your children, you might wish to spend that money in something worthwhile and which literally does not go up in smoke — such as a good health insurance plan.

Health insurance: The best investment for your family

Money spent on firecrackers is a considerable sum which can easily be spent on something of more enduring value. Crackers are used up once and they cannot be used again, so the money you spend on them is lost forever. Besides, all they do is cause pollution — so why not junk the idea of buying them altogether? Instead, you can buy a comprehensive family health insurance plan that can protect your family for years.

You have been buying firecrackers primarily for your children’s happiness — ensure their continued wellbeing, and that of your other family members, by buying a family health plan. There are many benefits of doing so:

· You and your family members get hospitalisation and treatment expense coverage in case any of you fall ill or are injured

· It protects your income and savings from being spent on expensive private healthcare

· You can insure all immediate family members, from parents to dependent siblings and children, under one plan. Thus, you pay one premium on the plan and its benefits are equally shared among all participating members. The best plans have affordable premiums

· New family members may be added to the existing plan easily

· All major insurance providers offer the option of coverage enhancement during the plan renewal stage, if you feel that the existing coverage is insufficient

· You can buy COVID health insurance policies for the family, or opt for individual plans

· Comprehensive health polices may offer critical illness insurance and personal accident coverage, too

· With a good health insurance policy for the family, you need not defer expensive but essential treatment for want of funds. The health plan takes care of all the related expenses. If you have a critical illness insurance plan, it pays a lump sum pay-out immediately upon diagnosis of a potentially fatal illness (it should be part of the listed critical illnesses as outlined by the insurance provider)

How to buy health insurance this season

ü Start by shortlisting the three best family health insurance plans in India. You can research them online and find the best one by checking out policy documents for each and comparing premiums, plan benefits, add-on features, etc.

ü Initiate the policy purchase online as directed on the insurer’s website. The premium can be paid online after the insurer-mandated health checks and submission of documents is complete

ü The policy is considered as ‘purchased’ when the first premium is paid. Thereafter, the next premium is paid the next year on the policy renewal date as prompted by the insurance provider. The renewal is done online

ü Study the policy document carefully to know policy exclusions. In the case of cashless mediclaim, check the network hospitals allowing admission in your city

ü Please remember that just as you have the option to enhance plan coverage during the renewal stage, you also have the option to port to another insurance provider in the future in case the policy you buy does not meet your expectations. Health insurance is a friendly sphere for customers, with the best providers settling claims quickly and making the purchase and porting process quite hassle-free

Make it a Happy Diwali for yourself and your loved ones this year with the best ever investment of your income. You and your family can have a firecracker of a future with a good health policy to protect you all — save the money you would spend on crackers towards the premium for your family health plan.