Health Insurance in Kochi

• Premiums as low as Rs12/day for coverage of Rs.4 Lakhs*
• 10,000+ hospitals for cashless treatment
• Claim up to Rs. 55,000 deduction under section 80D**

Ideally, every individual should consider investing in a health insurance policy. We invest in our education, our future, our family’s future, our homes, etc., so why not invest in a health insurance policy too? The insurance company, i.e. the company you purchase your health insurance policy from, provides coverage for treatments and surgeries conducted for certain illnesses. Most developed countries have made it mandatory for their citizens to avail health insurance but it is optional in India.

Healthcare in Kochi

There is no dearth of healthcare facilities in Kochi. Many hospitals, different types of health centres, nursing homes and clinics are present in the city. The healthcare facilities can be classified into two categories - general and specialised. Under the specialised section, many eye hospitals, cardiac hospitals, cancer hospitals, paediatric hospitals, etc., can be found. In addition, Kerala is well-known for Ayurvedic treatments. Several people from across the globe visit the state to consult doctors and avail treatments in Kochi.

Need for health insurance in Kochi

According to a report, health care costs in Kerala rank among the top 10 most expensive in the entire nation. Kochi, being a metropolitan city with a 2.1 million population, contributes vastly to the aforementioned fact. Further, the rising inflation has made health care virtually inaccessible to the common man. This comes at a time when illnesses seem to have become immune to treatment. One way to take care of the major expenses is to use a health insurance policy, which gives people access to cutting-edge treatment at a nominal fee.

Health insurance companies in Kochi

Several health insurance companies are present in Kochi, a few of which are:

• Care

Care Health Insurance Co. Ltd. is a specialist health insurance company that provides various health insurance products. Some of the company’s shareholders are Care Enterprises Ltd., an international financial services company, along with Union Bank and Corporation Bank, two leading Indian banks. Care Health Insurance offers various specialised plans under three of its categories – travel insurance, health insurance, and fixed benefit insurance. The company has a network of hospitals in Kochi that includes Vasan Eye Care Hospital, Ernakulam Medical Centre Pvt. Ltd., Chaitanya ENT hospital, Polakulath Narayanan Renai Medicity, Varma Hospital, etc.

• Star Health

Star Health and Allied Insurance Co. Ltd. is yet another insurance company that is focused on health insurance products. The company started operations in the year 2006 and provides general health plans, overseas travel plans, accident care plans, and plans for corporates, among other plans. The insurer has partnered with several hospitals across the country. A few of the partnered hospitals in Kochi are Evershine Hospital, Laxmi Hospital, Welcare Hospital, Devi Hospital Pvt. Ltd., Krishna Hospital, Gautham Hospital, etc.

• Tata AIG

Tata AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd. started operations in the year 2001 and has successfully completed 18 years in the field of insurance. The company provides an array of innovative insurance products for the consumer sector as well as the commercial sector. Insurance products in the consumer sector include home insurance, motor insurance, health insurance, etc., and insurance products in the commercial sector include general liability insurance, property and business interruption insurance, environmental insurance, and so on. The company has a list of network hospitals and some of the hospitals in Kochi are Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Cochin Hospital, Krishna Hospital, Lourdes Hospital, Lakeshore Hospital and Research Center Ltd., etc.

• Apollo Munich

Apollo Munich Health Insurance is a leading health insurance company in India. The company is an amalgamation of Apollo Hospitals and Munich Health. Apollo Hospitals is a popular hospitals group in India and Munich Health is a globally-recognised health insurance provider. Apollo Munich offers special health insurance plans for individuals, families, and senior citizens. In addition, travel insurance plans and personal accidents plans are also offered by the insurer. The company has tie-ups with many hospitals in the country. A few of the network hospitals in Kochi are Welcare Hospital, Specialists Hospital, Vijaya Kumara Menon Hospital, Varma Hospital, Jishy Hospital, etc.

• Max Bupa

Max Bupa Health Insurance Co. Ltd. has been in the insurance industry for more than 60 years and has 2.9 crore customers across over 190 countries. The insurer offers three hospitalisation plans, one critical illness plan, and one personal accident care plan. The company has a network of hospitals throughout the country. A few of the network hospitals in Kochi include KIMS Hospital and Surgical Center, P.S. Mission Hospital, Laxmi Hospital, Krishna Hospital, Vasan Eye Care Hospital, Vatheyayath Hospital, etc.

The network hospitals of insurance companies provide the cashless transaction feature. This feature allows the insured individual to avail treatments from the hospital while the insurance company pays the hospital bill directly to the hospital. To avail this facility, the policyholder or their family member is required to notify the insurance company within a stipulated time, from the time of admission to the hospital, so that the insurer can verify and foot the hospital bills of the insured person.