Hello Sir, first of all thanks for your valuable inputs in this column. Currently my age is 43 & i have corporate insurance policy with cover of 5 lacs . So is it advisable to addon some more additional health insurance cover now or wait till i quit/lose my job ( after next 3-4 years) & than take fresh health insurance. Incase of first case, if i take addon cover of only 1 lac now & than after quitting job at age 46, if i increase health cover to 5 lac, will it anyway help with premiums? I don't have any family/dependent so not planning for term insurance. Thanks in advance.

Ans: Hi Pradeep, yours is a legit concern. It would be best if you take advice from a professional person or company – having the necessary qualifications -- after discussing your issue with them.

Insurance is each to its own. Depending on your concerns and requirements a professional service provider will be able to give you the best advice, whether to tweak policy amount or switch to top up.

Ans: Given your current financial situation and insurance coverage, here's a breakdown of your existing coverage and suggestions on whether you need to increase your sum assured or alter your policies:

Current Coverage:
Term Insurance: ?1.5 crore
Traditional Insurance: ?5 lakh
Medical Insurance: ?15 lakh
Analysis:
Term Insurance
Current Coverage: ?1.5 crore
Purpose: Term insurance primarily serves to provide financial security to your dependents in case of your untimely demise.
Current Situation: As you are single with no dependents or financial commitments, ?1.5 crore seems adequate for now. However, this amount should be reviewed periodically as your life circumstances change (e.g., marriage, children, significant asset purchases).
Traditional Insurance
Current Coverage: ?5 lakh
Purpose: Traditional insurance policies (endowment, whole life, etc.) combine insurance with a savings component. However, the insurance coverage is typically lower, and the returns are modest compared to other investment avenues.
Current Situation: ?5 lakh is quite low in terms of coverage, but since it’s a traditional policy, the primary goal might be savings rather than pure risk coverage. Given that you are a minimalist and have a substantial term insurance cover, this might suffice, though you could reconsider future contributions depending on the policy's returns and your financial goals.
Medical Insurance
Current Coverage: ?15 lakh
Purpose: Medical insurance covers hospital bills and other medical expenses.
Current Situation: ?15 lakh is generally sufficient for most medical emergencies in urban India. However, given the rising cost of healthcare, you might want to consider adding a super top-up policy to increase your coverage at a lower cost.
Recommendations:
Term Insurance
Maintain or Slightly Increase: Your current coverage of ?1.5 crore seems adequate, but if you foresee significant financial responsibilities in the future (like marriage or starting a family), you may consider increasing it slightly, say by another ?50 lakh to ?1 crore, to keep pace with inflation and future liabilities.
Traditional Insurance
Reevaluate: Traditional insurance policies are not typically the best for maximizing returns. If your primary goal is to save and grow your wealth, you might want to focus more on pure investment products (like mutual funds, PPF, etc.) rather than increasing contributions to traditional policies. Consider surrendering or converting this policy depending on its terms and the financial implications.
Medical Insurance
Consider a Top-Up Plan: While ?15 lakh should suffice for now, healthcare costs are rising rapidly. You might want to consider a top-up or super top-up plan that can provide additional coverage (e.g., ?10-15 lakh) for a relatively low premium, ensuring you are well-protected against major medical expenses.
Overall Premium Commitment:
Given that you are a minimalist and have no financial dependencies, you should focus on maintaining a balanced approach:

Avoid Over-Insuring: Since you currently have no dependents, over-insuring might lead to unnecessary premium outflow, which could otherwise be invested for growth.
Focus on Investments: With your minimalistic lifestyle, channeling more funds into savings and investments might provide better returns over the long term, enabling you to meet future goals like retirement or potential family responsibilities.

Your current insurance coverage seems adequate for your current situation. Consider a slight increase in term insurance, add a top-up to your health insurance, and reevaluate your traditional insurance policy. Focus on growing your wealth through investments rather than significantly increasing your insurance premiums at this stage. Regularly review your coverage as your life circumstances change.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: It feels great to interact with evergreen people like you.

Here are few healthcare policies tailor-made for senior citizens:

1.Star senior citizen red carpet
2.Niva Bupa Senior First
3.Manipal Cigna Prime Senior
4.Care Senior Plan

Plz. Check the detailed policy wordings and seek help from your insurance advisor if needed.

Ans: Hello;

It would be better to have a personal healthcare cover apart from the corporate health insurance.

Because you are nearing 40 when typically lifestyle diseases begin, may god forbid.

Also if you change your job, during the intermittent phase, before joining new responsibility the personal healthcare plan comes in handy, if required.

In case you or anyone in your family has a pre-existing disease the waiting period of 2-4 years need to be factored in, before these can be covered.

My suggestion is that buying a personal healthcare cover would be a better option rather then enhancing sum assured in the corporate health insurance.

Do a thorough study or seek help of an insurance advisor before you sign-up.

Best wishes;

Ans: Hello;

You are absolutely right.

You must have healthcare policy covering both of you, other then the one provided by the employer.

I would recommend to buy higher healthcare cover(25-30 L). Right now this may seem redundant and a waste of money but both of you are on the verge of retirement.

New insurer will have 2 to 3 year exclusion for pre existing illnesses, if any.

After 60 typically people come across lifestyle or such other diseases so it's always better.

Seek help of an insurance advisor for proper selection of policy. He may also help in case of claims, if any.

Best wishes;