Do Couples Have to Buy Same Level Health Plan?

Our society is inching toward a scenario where both husband and wife are earning and contributing towards the family expenses. Life has become stressful, and more and more people require health care. The cost of medical care has also gone up considerably, therefore it becomes imperative for everyone to have a health plan. However, in the case of couples, couples have to Buy Same Level Health Plan, it is even more important for them to have a health cover to face uncertainties so that a health scare on one of the partners doesn’t derail the entire family’s life.

Factors that you must take care of:-

• Earning Member
• Special Plan for Women
• Pre-Existing Disease
• Family History
• Budget

Buy Same Level Health Plan

The question is whether the couple deserves an equal medical cover or whether one partner should be preferred over another when it comes to coverage. There are certain factors to be considered while selecting a plan. Here are those:

1) Earning Member

In case only the husband is earning and the wife takes care of the family, the husband will require bigger coverage so that his medical emergency doesn’t put his dependents in financial trouble. However, the wife also needs medical coverage even if a bit less than the husbands. Also, in case both are earning, in the majority of the cases, both the partners will be covered by their respective employers under group plans. In such a scenario the important thing to understand is whose policy is giving better coverage to dependents. For example, if a wife’s policy with an employer offers better benefits, that should be used on a priority basis for any claims while the husband should buy health insurance with separate benefits.

What if the wife leaves the job?

Well, nothing is permanent in life, and suppose the wife leaves the job then she will be out of the group policy, and in such a scenario husband’s policy will cover the wife but if she can’t get much coverage with the policy. It’s a family floater health policy and the husband will get bigger coverage.

2) Special Plan for Women

There are health policies in India that cater to the specific requirements of women. Various insurers offer specialized health plans for women. There are certain plans that even provide coverage for maternity expenses in case a child is born with congenital disabilities. Also, there are certain critical illnesses that women are prone to; hence an adequate cover should be bought to take care of such unforeseen circumstances. Whether a woman is working or not, they do need special health covers owing to their special health needs, because if your lady does not earn after that she is helping you financially, how?

Look, your wife did everything in the home. Everything means – cooking, babysitting, and taking care of everything like stuff related to home and child.  But, if your wife will leave you then you’ll face financial loss because you have to hire a maid for taking care of your child, cleaning the house, and everything. And you will pay the maid for doing all these things and this is how your lady does not earn after that she is helping you financially.

3) Pre-Existing Diseases

If either of the partners is having pre-existing disease, he/she should opt for an individual health cover with a bigger coverage instead of buying a family floater plan that can raise premium costs while reducing overall benefits for each other. Not all health policy offers you a plan that will cover the pre-existing disease, but some health policy offers you to cover the pre-existing disease but with certain term & conditions. You have to wait at least 48 months, after this period insurer will cover your pre-existing disease.

4) Family History

One needs to analyze their family history to understand if they are susceptible to any genetic disorders. If there is a family history of diabetes, heart disorders, or cancer, then an adequate individual health cover will be required with higher coverage even if costs a little bit extra. It doesn’t matter if the couple is young and healthy; a health plan has to be bought to safeguard against future risks.

5) Budget

Every household works according to a budget. You might need a cover against all kinds of medical emergencies, but your budget may not allow you to do so. Therefore, take stock of the individual health condition, risk factors, age, financial dependability, etc., and then buy health insurance accordingly.

There is no thumb rule when it comes to buying insurance for couples. Every family is different and so are their requirements. It is therefore suggested to understand individual needs and risk factors and based on that make a decision. Maybe there would be a family where the husband might require less insurance cover compared to the wife and vice-versa. The only thing to be considered is whether the health cover that you have, whether provided by the employer or self-bought, is enough to cover your and your family’s medical needs. as mentioned points in this article, you understand that do couples have to buy the same level of health plan in India.

There are various health policies in India, catering to individual and family needs. Take your time in studying your family’s requirements and then learning about various plans. Selecting the best plan is your duty!