Top Health Insurance Policies with Maternity Cover in India

The health insurance plans covering maternity are necessary as they include the costs of normal and caesarean deliveries up to the sum insured in the policy. A maternity cover would ensure the parents worry less about the tests, delivery expenses and newborn baby care.

With this insurance, the woman can concentrate more on herself and her child’s health, and plan for a better future. Let's take a look at a few pointers that depict the importance and need for maternity coverage in Insurance: 

1. Financial security: With maternity cover, parents can enjoy the most important moment in their lives and leave behind worries about expensive tests and other financial constraints. 
2. Peace of mind: With the finance part covered, parents can have peace of mind and not stress about the costs. 
3. Long-term benefits: Many maternity covers provide the added benefit of long-term values like a sum insured at the time of a second child. 
4. Medical abortion: In some emergency cases, medical abortion is advised by the doctor. Many maternity covers provide the option for medically terminating the pregnancy.

After evaluating the need and importance of insurance plans with maternity cover, one might wonder about the top insurance plans. Let's take a look at the best insurance plans that provide maternity coverage. 

1. Bajaj Allianz Health Guard family floater health insurance plan with maternity cover
   1. Sum assured between the range of ₹ 3 lakhs to ₹ 50 lakhs.
   2. Age requirement is between 18 and 65 years.
   3. Over 6500 networked hospitals. 
   4. 24/7 customer support.
   5. Fast claims settlement. 
   6. Under this plan, the woman is allowed to have a maximum of 2 deliveries.
2. Aditya Birla Activ Health Platinum: Enhanced plan with maternity cover 
   1. Expenses covered under this are the ones incurred for the baby, for treatment post birth, pregnancy complications, and the need for medical abortion or immunisations, among others. 
   2. Sum insured under this plan is between ₹ 2 lakhs and ₹2 crores.
   3. Pre- and post-hospitalisation costs covered.
   4. Chronic illness and modern treatments coverage.
3. Digital Health Insurance with maternity cover
   1. The expenses covered under this plan include newborn child cover, delivery charges, missed abortion and infertility cover among others. 
   2. 200% sum insured at the time of the second child.
4. Niva Bupa: Heartbeat family floater with maternity cover
   1. 9100+ networked hospitals.
   2. Cashless claim processing within 30 minutes.
   3. Delivery and labour expenses coverage, whether it is in the country or internationally.
   4. Pre- and post-hospitalisation care.
   5. Ambulance cover.
5. Edelweiss Health Insurance Gold and Platinum Plan with maternity cover
   1. Waiting time is of 4 years.
   2. Sum insured is between ₹ 50,000 and ₹ 2 Lakhs.
   3. Pre and post-hospitalisation care.

Ayushman Insurance only provide pregnant women with financial coverage of up to ₹ 5 lakhs. Even though a woman may have an Ayushman Card, it does not cover the delivery charges.

To benefit from the Ayushman Insurance coverage, you need to cater to the following eligibility criteria (that is divided into urban and rural category): 

1. Urban Areas
   1. Ragpicker 
   2. Beggar 
   3. Transport worker/driver/conductor 
   4. Home-based worker/artisan/tailor
   5. Watchman 
   6. Electrician 
   7. Delivery worker 
2. Rural areas
   1. Families with at least one physically challenged member 
   2. SC/ST households 
   3. People living in single-room houses with kutcha roofs and walls
   4. Families led by a female without a male member between the age of 16 and 59

Welcoming a new member to the family is a beautiful journey, however, with the budget constraints many people stop focusing on the baby and fixate more on how they can cover the expenses. This issue has been solved by many maternity insurance plans available in the country.

Let's take a look at the benefits associated with maternity insurance plans.

1. Financial Backup: The high cost of prenatal and postnatal care can be expensive. However, with a good insurance plan with maternity cover, one can have a financial backup.
   From the cost of delivery to the cost of medical abortion in some cases, everything is covered under a maternity cover.
2. Can be customised: A health insurance plan with maternity coverage can be curated as per the needs and requirements of the parents to be. One can easily choose the amount of coverage and duration of the policy as per their preferences. 
3. Covers pre- and post-hospitalisation costs: If there is a need for hospitalisation during any stage of the pregnancy, it is covered under health insurance with maternity cover. 
4. Newborn coverage: Maternity insurance plans also provide coverage for newborns for a certain period of time after birth. This coverage includes medical expenses related to the baby's health, including vaccinations and doctor visits.

Here is a list of things that are included and excluded in the maternity cover policy in India:

Things included:

1. Pre and post-natal expenses
2. Medical abortion
3. Normal and Caesarean deliveries
4. Newborn baby coverage (which is mostly up to 90 days)
5. Vaccination coverage (which is limited to a certain number)
6. Pregnancy complication
7. Doctor and anaesthetic consultation

Things excluded:

1. Ectopic pregnancy
2. IVF treatment
3. Stem cell preservation
4. Pre and post-hospitalisation expenses
5. Medical tests and consultation before delivery
6. Check-ups
7. Surrogacy
8. Hospital cash benefits

For new parents bringing life into the world, they should be aware of how to make a decision when it comes to choosing health insurance with maternity cover.

Choosing the best plan may seem like a daunting task, yet it is very crucial. With some research and knowledge, one can make an informed decision. To choose the best health insurance plan with maternity cover: 

1. Research: Before opting for a plan, it is advised to research the available plans. Compare the cost of premiums and waiting period, and get familiar with the features and benefits of the plan.
   Check whether it is the right one or not. One should look for a plan that fits their budget and meets their requirements. 
2. Look for comprehensive coverage: Many insurance providers offer comprehensive coverage. Choose a plan that offers coverage for prenatal and postnatal care, delivery, hospitalisation and any other pregnancy-related expenses.
   Make sure the plan covers both normal delivery and caesarean section.
3. Read the reviews: It is imperative to read the reviews and ratings to make an informed decision. One can also talk to people who have had insurance plans before and take guidance.

After getting hospitalised, the first thing to do is call the insurance provider and inform them about the admission. The below steps are applicable for both cashless and reimbursement processes in the case of health insurance plans covering maternity:

1. Fill out the claim form available at the hospital.
2. The hospital will verify and forward the claim form to the insurance company.
3. In case of a claimless process, the insurance company will verify the details and transfer the money to the hospital directly if it's a network hospital.
4. For reimbursement: In case of admission in a non-network hospital, the claim will not be forwarded or rejected. In those cases, people can apply for a reimbursement post getting their discharge.

It is important to collect all the bills for the reimbursement process and submit them to the insurance company.

Maternity coverage is very important for all women if you plan to start your family. It is also imperative to look for health insurance plans covering maternity as several insurance companies don't offer maternity coverage or may have additional conditions.

A maternity cover will give you peace of mind from financial burden, and you will be able to welcome your child in a happy environment. Thus, this guide will give you a detailed overview of choosing the best maternity insurance plan, and the need and benefits of having maternity coverage, which is enough to make an informed decision. 

However, if you are looking for more information on health insurance for maternity cover in India, head on to HexaHealth to get solutions to all your queries related to maternity cover. Here, you can consult the experts to get some of the best suggestions.