Home > Money > Question
Need Expert Advice?Our Gurus Can Help
Sanjib

Sanjib Jha  | Answer  |Ask -

Insurance Expert - Answered on Nov 28, 2022

Sanjib Jha is the CEO of Coverfox Insurance. His expertise includes health and auto insurance. He has over 22 years of experience in the financial sector. He has completed his post-graduation from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.... more
Chiraag Question by Chiraag on Nov 28, 2022Hindi
Listen
Money

Good evening! I have gone through your answers on reading getahead. I have question for “AYUSH” for which I’m paying premium and the insurance company is not advising how to make claims for my Homeopathic treatments where I’m being charged special premium for “AYUSH”.

The insurance company is asking me minimum 24 hours of admission to claim. Unfortunately, there’s no facility for Homeopathy Treatment Hospitalisation. I request you to please share your knowledge on the same.

Ans: Hi Chiraag, hope reading my answers cleared your doubts. To answer your personal query, the insurance company must have mentioned in your policy document that to raise a claim under your policy, you will need to be admitted for minimum 24 hours and without that the claim will not stand.

Also, the treatment in this case needs to be done in an AYUSH recognised hospital to avoid failure of claims.

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.
Money

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 16, 2024

Listen
Money
Good Health Plan of New India Assurance Co Covers OPD Ayurvedic/Homeopathic treatment also ?
Ans: The coverage for OPD (Out-Patient Department) Ayurvedic/Homeopathic treatment under New India Assurance's Good Health Plan depends on the specific plan variant you have chosen. Here's how to find out:

Review your policy documents: The brochure or policy wording you received with your Good Health Plan will detail the inclusions and exclusions of the plan. Look for sections related to OPD benefits or Ayurvedic/Homeopathic treatment coverage.

Contact New India Assurance: Their customer service representatives can clarify your specific plan details. You can find their contact information on the company's website (https://www.newindia.co.in/) or on your policy documents.

Here's some general information based on publicly available details (it's crucial to confirm with your policy documents):

New India Premier Mediclaim Policy: This popular plan offers OPD coverage for Plan B after every block of two continuous claim-free years. This OPD benefit covers consultations, medicines, investigations, and dental treatment, but it likely excludes Ayurvedic/Homeopathic treatments.
Other Plans: New India Assurance offers various health insurance plans. Some might offer OPD coverage with Ayurvedic/Homeopathic treatment inclusion, but it depends on the specific plan variant.
Here's a recommendation:

Check your policy documents for the most accurate information.
If you're unsure, contact New India Assurance customer service for clarification.

..Read more

Moneywize

Moneywize   | Answer  |Ask -

Financial Planner - Answered on Jan 16, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jan 15, 2024Hindi
Listen
Money
How do I make a claim in case of an insurance event? I have a cashless mediclaim from United India but somehow I am not able to understand how I should initiate a claim settlement in case of hospitalisation. Could you please give me step-by-step procedure for filing claims and reimbursements?
Ans: Certainly! The process for filing a claim for cashless mediclaim with United India Assurance may vary slightly based on the specific policy and the nature of the medical event, but here is a general step-by-step guide that you can follow:

1. Inform the Insurance Company:

In case of planned hospitalisation, inform United India Assurance in advance. For emergencies, inform them as soon as possible.

2. Verify Network Hospitals:

Ensure that you are admitted to a hospital that is within the network of hospitals affiliated with United India Assurance for cashless claims.

3. Pre-Authorisation Process:

For planned hospitalisation, you need to obtain pre-authorisation from the insurance company. This involves submitting relevant documents such as the doctor's recommendation, estimated medical expenses, and other required information.

In an emergency, if pre-authorisation cannot be obtained in advance, inform the insurance company at the earliest opportunity.

4. Collect Necessary Documents:

Gather all relevant documents, including the policy document, ID proof, claim form, medical records, hospital bills, diagnostic reports, and any other documents required by the insurance company.

5. Submit Claim Form:

Fill out the claim form accurately. You can obtain this form from the hospital, the insurance company's website, or their customer service.

6. Submit Documents to the Hospital:

Provide the necessary documents to the hospital's insurance desk. The hospital will then submit the claim form and documents to the insurance company for processing.

7. Approval/Rejection of Claim:

The insurance company will review the submitted documents and decide whether to approve or reject the claim. If approved, the insurer will directly settle the bills with the hospital.

8. Paying Non-Covered Expenses:

If there are any expenses not covered by the insurance policy or if the claim is rejected, you may need to settle those directly with the hospital.

Reimbursement Claims:

• If you paid the medical expenses out of pocket, you can file for reimbursement
• Obtain all original bills, receipts, and medical reports
• Fill out the reimbursement claim form
• Submit the form along with the supporting documents directly to the insurance company within the stipulated time frame.

Follow-Up:

• Keep track of your claim's status by following up with the insurance company if necessary.
• Retain copies of all documents submitted for your records.

Always refer to the specific terms and conditions of your insurance policy and contact United India Assurance's customer service for any policy-specific details or clarifications. The contact information for United India Assurance can typically be found on their official website or in your policy documents.

..Read more

Moneywize

Moneywize   | Answer  |Ask -

Financial Planner - Answered on Mar 18, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Mar 17, 2024Hindi
Listen
Money
Why do third party agents hesitate to reimburse genuine health expenditure incurred on ayurvedic treatment {all conditions fulfilled including admission in ayurvedic hospital}. All proofs submitted. What should I do if the TPAs don't process my claims for ayurvedic treatment?
Ans: There are a few reasons why third party administrators (TPAs) might hesitate to reimburse genuine health expenditure incurred on Ayurvedic treatment, even if all conditions are fulfilled and proofs are submitted.

• Ayurveda is not mainstream medicine: While Ayurveda is an ancient and recognised form of medicine in India, it is not considered mainstream medicine by some insurance companies. This means that TPA might not have clear guidelines for processing and approving Ayurvedic treatment claims.
• Lack of standardisation: There can be a lack of standardisation in Ayurvedic practices and treatments. This can make it difficult for TPAs to assess the validity and legitimacy of a claim.
• Cost-containment: TPAs work for insurance companies, and insurance companies are in the business of making money. This means they may be looking for reasons to deny or delay claims. Ayurvedic treatments can sometimes be expensive, and TPAs may be looking for ways to control costs.

Here are some things you can do if your TPA is not processing your claims for Ayurvedic treatment:

• Review your policy documents: Carefully read your insurance policy documents to understand the coverage for Ayurvedic treatment. Look for exclusions or limitations that might apply.
• Contact your TPA: Call your TPA's customer care department and ask them to explain why your claim was denied. Be polite but persistent in getting answers.
• File an appeal: If you are not satisfied with the TPA's explanation, you can file an appeal. The appeal process will vary depending on your TPA, but there should be information on how to file an appeal in your policy documents or on the TPA's website.
• Contact your insurance company: If the appeal process is unsuccessful, you can contact your insurance company directly. Explain the situation and ask them to intervene on your behalf.
• Consider legal action: If all else fails, you may want to consider taking legal action against your TPA or insurance company. This should be a last resort, as legal action can be expensive and time-consuming.

Here are some resources that you may find helpful:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is the regulatory body for the insurance sector in India. The IRDAI website has information on filing complaints against insurance companies and TPAs https://irdai.gov.in/.
• The Consumer Affairs Department of the Government of India also has a website where you can file complaints against companies https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/.

..Read more

Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Dec 06, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 06, 2025Hindi
Money
Dear Sir/Ma'am, I need some guidance and advice for continuing my mutual fund investments. I am a 36 year old male, married, no kids yet and no debts/liabilities as such. I have couple of savings in PPF, NPS, Emergency funds and long term investing in direct stocks. I recently started below mentioned SIPs for long term to grow wealth. Request you to review the same and let me know if I should continue with the SIPs or need to rationalize. Kindly also advice on how to invest a lumpsum amount of around 6lacs. invesco small cap 2000 motilal oswal midcap 2700 parag parikh flexicap 3000 HDFC flexicap 3100 ICICI prudential largecap 3100 HDFC large and midcap 3100 HDFC gold etf FOF 2000 ICICI Pru equity and debt fund 3000 HDFC balanced advantage fund 3000 nippon india silver etf FOF 2000
Ans: You already built a solid foundation. Many investors delay planning. But you started early at 36. That gives you a strong advantage. You have no liabilities. You have long term thinking. You also have diversified savings like PPF, NPS, Emergency funds and direct stocks. That shows clarity and discipline. This approach builds wealth with less stress over time.

You also started systematic investments in equity funds. That is a positive step. Your selection covers multiple categories like large cap, mid cap, small cap, flexi cap, hybrid and precious metals. So the intent is right. You are trying to create a broad portfolio. That gives balance.

» Your Portfolio Composition Understanding
Your current SIP list includes:

Small cap

Mid cap

Flexi cap

Large cap

Large and mid cap

Hybrid category

Gold and Silver FoF

Equity and Debt allocation fund

Dynamic hybrid fund

This shows you are trying to cover many segments. But too many categories can create overlap. When there is overlap, you get confusion during review. It also makes portfolio discipline difficult. You may think you are diversified. But the holdings inside may repeat. That reduces efficiency.

Your portfolio now looks like:

Equity dominant

Hybrid for stability

Metals for hedge

So the broad direction is fine. But simplifying helps in long-term habit building.

» Fund Category Duplication
You hold:

Two flexi cap funds

One large and mid cap fund

One pure large cap fund

One mid cap fund

One small cap fund

Flexi cap funds already invest across large, mid, small. Then large and mid also overlaps. So the large cap exposure gets repeated. That may not add extra benefit. But it increases monitoring complexity.

So I suggest rationalising. Keep one fund per category in core. Keep satellite space for only high conviction.

» Core and Satellite Strategy
A structured portfolio follows core and satellite method.

Core portfolio should be:

Simple

Long term

Stable

Satellite portfolio can be:

High growth

Concentrated

Based on your thinking level, you can structure like this:

Core funds:

One large cap

One flexi cap

One hybrid equity and debt fund

One balanced advantage type fund

Satellite funds:

One mid cap

One small cap

One metal allocation if needed

This division gives clarity. You can continue SIPs with review every year. No need to stop and restart often. That reduces behavioural mistakes.

» Your Current SIP List Review with Suggested Streamlining

You can consider continuing:

One flexi cap

One large cap

One mid cap

One small cap

One balanced advantage

One equity and debt hybrid

You may reconsider keeping both flexi caps and both gold silver funds. One of each category is enough. Because too many funds do not increase returns. It complicates tracking.

Precious metal funds should not be more than 5 to 7 percent in your portfolio. This is because metals are hedge assets. They do not create compounding like equity. They act as protection during cycles. So keep them small.

» How to Use the Rs 6 Lakh Lump Sum
You asked about lump sum investing. This is important. Lump sum should not go fully into equity at one time. Markets move in cycles. So use a staggered method. You can invest the lump sum through STP (Systematic Transfer Plan). You can keep the amount in a liquid fund and set STP toward your chosen growth funds over 6 to 12 months.

This reduces timing risk. It also creates discipline. So your Rs 6 lakh can be deployed gradually. You may use 50% towards core equity funds and 30% toward satellite growth category. The remaining 20% can go into hybrid category. This gives balance and comfort.

» Regular Funds Over Direct Funds
One important point many investors miss. Direct funds look cheaper. But they demand deep knowledge, discipline, and behaviour control. Most investors lose more through emotional selling and wrong timing than they save on expense ratio.

With regular funds through a Mutual Fund Distributor with Certified Financial Planner qualification, you get guidance, structure and correction. The advisory discipline protects you during market extremes. That is more valuable than a small saving in expense ratio.

A personalised planner also tracks portfolio drift, rebalancing need and category shifts. So regular fund investing gives long-term benefit and behaviour coaching.

» Actively Managed Funds over Index or ETF
Some investors choose index funds or ETF thinking they are simple and cheap. But they ignore drawbacks.

Index funds or ETF will not avoid weak companies in the index. They will invest whether the company grows or struggles. There is no fund manager decision making. So when markets are at peak, index funds continue aggressive exposure. In downturns also they fall fully. There is no cushion.

Actively managed funds work with research teams. They can avoid bad sectors. They can shift allocation based on market and economy. Over long term, this gives better alpha and stability. So continuing with actively managed funds creates better wealth compounding.

» SIP Continuation Strategy
Once the rationalisation is done, continue SIPs every month without interruption. Pause and restart behaviour damages compounding power. SIP works best when you go through all market cycles. You benefit more during corrections because cost averaging works.

So continue SIP amount. You can also review SIP increase every year based on income. Increasing SIP by 10 to 15 percent every year helps you reach large corpus faster.

» Asset Allocation Based Approach
One key point in wealth creation is having the right asset mix. Equity gives growth. Hybrid gives balance. Metals give hedge. Debt gives safety. Your asset allocation should stay aligned to your risk profile and time horizon.

Since you are young and have long term horizon, higher equity allocation is fine. But as time moves, rebalancing is important. Rebalancing protects gains and restores allocation.

So review your asset allocation every year or during major life events like child birth, home buying or retirement planning.

» Behaviour Management
Many portfolios fail not due to bad funds. They fail due to bad decisions. Selling during correction. Stopping SIP when market falls. Chasing past return performance. These mistakes reduce wealth.

Your discipline so far is good. Continue to stay patient during volatility. Equity rewards patience and time.

» Financial Goals Clarity
Since you have no children now, you can decide your long-term goals. Typical goals may include:

Retirement

Future child education

Dream lifestyle purchase

Health care reserves

When goals are clear, investment purpose becomes stronger. So you can map each fund category to goal horizon. Short-term goals should not use equity. Long-term goals should use equity with hybrid support.

» Role of Review and Monitoring
Review once in a year is enough. Frequent review can create anxiety. Annual review helps check:

Fund performance

Expense drift

Category relevance

Allocation balance

Then adjust only if needed. This progress helps you stay confident and aligned.

» Taxation Awareness
Equity mutual funds taxation rules are:

Short term (below one year holding) taxable at 20 percent

Long term (above one year holding) gains above Rs 1.25 lakh taxable at 12.5 percent

Debt mutual funds are taxed as per your income slab.

So always hold equity funds for long term. That reduces tax impact and gives better growth.

» SIP Increase Plan
You can create a simple plan to increase SIP over time. For example:

Increase SIP at every salary increment

Increase SIP during bonus time

Use rewards or extra income for investing

This habit accelerates wealth. So by the time you reach 45 to 50 years, your investments could reach a strong level.

» Insurance and Protection
Before investing large, ensure you have term insurance and health insurance. If not already done, it is important. Insurance protects wealth. Without insurance, even a small medical event can impact investment plan. So review this part also. Since you are married, cover both.

» Wealth Behaviour Mindset
You are already disciplined. Just keep these simple principles:

Invest without stopping

Review once a year

Avoid funds overlap

Follow asset allocation

Avoid reacting to media noise

This helps you reach long term milestones.

» Finally
You are on the right track. Only fine tuning and simplification is needed. Your discipline is visible. Your portfolio will grow well with structure, patience and periodic review. Use the Rs 6 lakh with STP approach. And continue SIP with rationalised categories.

With time and consistency, wealth creation becomes effortless and peaceful. You just need to stay committed and avoid overthinking during market movements.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1837 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 05, 2025

Career
Dear Sir, I did my BTech from a normal engineering college not very famous. The teaching was not great and hence i did not study well. I tried my best to learn coding including all the technologies like html,css,javascript,react js,dba,php because i wanted to be a web developer But nothing seem to enter my head except html and css. I don't understand a language which has more complexities. Is it because of my lack of experience or not devoting enough time. I am not sure. I did many courses online and tried to do diplomas also abroad which i passed somehow. I recently joined android development course because i like apps but the teaching was so fast that i could not memorize anything. There was no time to even take notes down. During the course i did assignments and understood the code because i have to pass but after the course is over i tend to forget everything. I attempted a lot of interviews. Some of them i even got but could not perform well so they let me go. Now due to the AI booming and job markets in a bad shape i am re-thinking whether to keep studying or whether its just time waste. Since 3 years i am doing labour type of jobs which does not yield anything to me for survival and to pay my expenses. I have the quest to learn everything but as soon as i sit in front of the computer i listen to music or read something else. What should i do to stay more focused? What should i do to make myself believe confident. Is there still scope of IT in todays world? Kindly advise.
Ans: Your story does not show failure.
It shows persistence, effort, and desire to improve.

Most people give up.
You didn’t.
That means you will succeed — but with the right method, not the old one.

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

Close  

You haven't logged in yet. To ask a question, Please Log in below
Login

A verification OTP will be sent to this
Mobile Number / Email

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to

Resend OTP in120seconds

Dear User, You have not registered yet. Please register by filling the fields below to get expert answers from our Gurus
Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our
Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to Mobile

Resend OTP in120seconds

x