Star Health
Medi Classic Gold
Medi Classic Gold does a pretty good job for the most part. It has pretty decent coverage. It has a few useful benefits. It's not too expensive. However, the policy does make you wait 4 years before covering pre-existing diseases (like diabetes). So you could look at other options within the Star stable. Maybe YoungStar?
What's good here?
You most likely don't have to split the bill
If you bought this policy after you turned 61, you have to pay 10% of the bill every time you make a claim. Otherwise, you are good to go. The insurer will pay all costs up to the sum insured.
If you bought this policy after you turned 61, you have to pay 10% of the bill every time you make a claim. Otherwise, you are good to go. The insurer will pay all costs up to the sum insured.
You can pick a Single Private room but nothing fancy
You can share a room or you could have a single room for yourself. But if you are looking for anything slightly fancy, be ready to foot a part of the bill.
Day Care treatments covered
If you’re hospitalized for less than 24 hours in lieu of a minor procedure, then the insurer will cover these costs too. Think dialysis, chemotherapy or minor surgeries.
Free Health Checkups every year
If you’re planning on getting a full body checkup every year just to make sure you’re in fine working condition, the insurer will cover the costs.
Pre & Post hospitalization expenses covered
No worries if the doctor had to run a host of diagnostic tests before or after hospitalizing you. The insurer has your back. They will cover this amount in full for a pretty reasonable duration - 30 days before you are hospitalized and 60 days after discharge. This includes the cost of medication by the way.
Special Bonus for being healthy and not claiming insurance
Your sum insured increases by 25% on first year, so long as you make no claims during this period. But you get this exorbitant benefit only for 1st year. After that, it’ll grow at 20% each year until your bonus cover tallies up to 100% of the sum insured. So if you start with a cover of ₹100. Then it’ll keep growing till it reaches ₹200.
Full coverage even if you are forced to hospitalize at home
The insurer will bear the costs even if you are hospitalized at home due to a condition or the hospital running out of beds. In insurance lingo, they call this a policy with domiciliary cover.
What's bad here?
Long waiting period for pre-existing diseases
If you’re already dealing with diabetes, cardiovascular problems or any such illnesses, the insurer will cover all costs arising out of these pre-existing problems only after 4 long years. It could be much shorter you know? Like 2 years perhaps!
If you’re already dealing with diabetes, cardiovascular problems or any such illnesses, the insurer will cover all costs arising out of these pre-existing problems only after 4 long years. It could be much shorter you know? Like 2 years perhaps!
What's okay here?
Your insurer won’t pay the full bill for certain diseases
Your insurance cover won’t be fully available in case you are treated for eye related diseases, max. of 30,000 will be covered per eye. In case of 5 Lakh sum insured, 40,000 will be covered per policy year and this changes with change in cover amount. Additionally, there are other sub-limits.
Your insurance cover won’t be fully available in case you are treated for eye related diseases, max. of 30,000 will be covered per eye. In case of 5 Lakh sum insured, 40,000 will be covered per policy year and this changes with change in cover amount. Additionally, there are other sub-limits.
Some Restoration Benefit
Even after you claim part of the cover on one occasion, you will have 200% of the cover restored, if you are hospitalized one more time in a bid to treat a different complication. In the same year, by the way.
Some Cover for Alternative Medicine
Think of getting Ayurvedic, Homeopathic or other alternative treatments to cure an illness? Your insurer will pay up to 25% of the cover in case you’re availing these treatments. However, the maximum limit is ₹25,000.
Add-on
Hospital Cash
The insurer pays a lumpsum by adding a fixed sum (daily cash) every day until the day of discharge so you can deal with any potential loss in income during this time. The money will be reimbursed to you after you submit the required documents post-discharge, and while this looks like a neat benefit to have, we don’t recommend it since the benefit doesn’t compensate for the extra premium you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Talk to IRDAI-certified experts
Health is tricky, and insurance trickier. But we’ll simplify it for you - for FREE! Book a call now. Limited slots available.