Am I adequately insured? Deepak, 47, Nagpur, Rs 50 lakh term cover, daughter 15.

Ans: If your family is fully dependent on you, it is very important to take an appropriate cover. At first sight, your cover looks very less. You at least need to take as much cover to cover so that the capital that you generate will take care of your family expenses for their lifetime (or children become independent) plus their needs like education. If you are unable to assess, pls use a financial planner. You can use a term cover so that you are not overburdened on the premiums. However, term covers are pure risk covers and there is no maturity value that you get.

Ans: Taking the right health insurance coverage is crucial, especially given the rising medical costs. With your current family floater policy of Rs. 22.5 lakhs and considering your wife's family history, it’s essential to evaluate your needs. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you decide on additional coverage and whether a critical illness or cancer policy is necessary.

Current Health Insurance Coverage
Your existing policy has served you well, accumulating a bonus of Rs. 7.5 lakhs, increasing your coverage to Rs. 22.5 lakhs. This is a good base, especially since you’ve prioritized a public sector insurer due to concerns over private insurers.

Public sector insurers have a reputation for reliability and fewer complaints. Your choice is wise, given your specific concerns.

Assessing Your Coverage Needs
Health insurance needs can vary based on several factors, including age, family medical history, and lifestyle. Considering these factors, let's analyze your situation:

Age: At 49 and 44, you and your wife are approaching an age where medical issues become more common. Your daughter, at 16, still has a relatively low risk.

Medical History: Your wife’s family history of heart problems and cancer is a significant factor. This history increases the likelihood of needing substantial medical care in the future.

Rising Medical Costs: Medical inflation in India is high. Treatments for severe illnesses can easily exceed Rs. 20 lakhs, especially in metropolitan areas.

Given these points, it might be wise to consider additional coverage. A coverage of Rs. 30-50 lakhs could be more appropriate.

Evaluating the Need for Additional Coverage
To determine if you need more coverage, consider these aspects:

Hospitalization Costs: Major treatments and surgeries can be very expensive. Even with Rs. 22.5 lakhs coverage, a few hospitalizations could exhaust your policy limits quickly.

Treatment Advances: Medical technology is advancing, leading to higher costs for newer treatments and procedures.

Geographical Location: If you live in a metro city, medical costs are generally higher compared to smaller towns.

A top-up or super top-up policy could be a cost-effective way to increase your coverage without significantly increasing premiums. These policies kick in after a certain threshold is met, offering higher coverage at a lower cost.

Critical Illness and Cancer Policies
Given your wife's family history, a critical illness policy or a specific cancer policy could be beneficial. These policies provide a lump-sum payment on diagnosis of specific illnesses, which can be used for treatment, recovery, or even daily expenses.

Critical Illness Policy: Covers a range of severe illnesses like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and more. It provides financial support at a crucial time, helping to cover costs that may not be included in a regular health policy.

Cancer Policy: Specifically designed for cancer treatment. Cancer treatment can be prolonged and expensive. This policy ensures that financial constraints do not hinder the treatment process.

Benefits of Critical Illness Policies
Lump-Sum Payment: On diagnosis, you receive a lump-sum amount which can be used for any purpose, giving you flexibility.

Wide Coverage: Covers several major illnesses which can be financially draining if not insured.

Peace of Mind: Knowing you have coverage for major illnesses can reduce stress and allow you to focus on recovery.

Benefits of Cancer Policies
Specialized Coverage: Tailored specifically for cancer, ensuring comprehensive coverage for all stages of the disease.

Enhanced Support: Provides financial support for expensive treatments, ensuring quality care without worrying about costs.

Flexibility: The payout can be used for treatment or other related expenses, providing financial flexibility during tough times.

Premium Considerations
Health insurance premiums do rise with age and medical inflation. To manage premium costs while ensuring adequate coverage, consider the following strategies:

Top-Up Plans: As mentioned, these can provide high coverage at lower premiums compared to base policies.

Family Floater Plans: These can sometimes be more economical than individual plans, especially when covering multiple family members.

Regular Review: Periodically review and adjust your coverage to match your current needs and financial situation.

Practical Steps to Enhance Coverage
Assess Your Needs Regularly: Health needs change over time. Regularly assess your insurance coverage to ensure it aligns with your current and future needs.

Consider Top-Up Policies: If you find your current coverage inadequate, a top-up policy can provide additional coverage at a reasonable cost.

Evaluate Critical Illness and Cancer Policies: Given your wife's family history, these policies can provide financial security in case of serious illnesses.

Consult a Certified Financial Planner: They can provide personalized advice, ensuring your insurance strategy fits within your broader financial plan.


You’ve taken commendable steps to ensure your family's health and financial security. Your proactive approach to health insurance is admirable. It’s evident that you care deeply about your family's well-being, and you're making informed decisions to protect them.

Final Insights
Ensuring adequate health insurance coverage is crucial, especially with rising medical costs and potential health risks. Your current coverage of Rs. 22.5 lakhs is a good start, but considering additional coverage could provide more security.

A top-up policy could enhance your coverage cost-effectively. Given your wife's family history, a critical illness or cancer policy could offer additional peace of mind and financial support.

Health insurance is not just about covering hospital bills; it's about securing your financial future against unforeseen medical expenses. By carefully evaluating your needs and considering additional coverage options, you can ensure comprehensive protection for your family.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP

Chief Financial Planner

www.holisticinvestment.in

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: Hello;

It is nice to know that you have good health care cover for yourself and family.

But you must also have adequate term life insurance atleast till the age of 60.

Life is full of uncertainties and hence to ensure financial security for your dependents, in case of any unforeseen event, life insurance is highly desirable.

Cheapest life insurance in India is the one offered by Indian Post Deptt. Also known as Postal Life Insurance.

Ofcourse it's not available for all and max cover is 50 L, but you may check eligibility by visiting nearest post office.

If you are eligible then you may supplement it with another term life cover of 1.5 Cr.

I have live example in front of me where a hale and hearty young person(32 years) postponed buying life insurance and suddenly he expired in a freak swimming accident.

Now his young son and wife are literally on the road.

Don't look at premium as a cost rather an investment to protect your family in unfortunate circumstances.

Best wishes;

Ans: Hello;

What is the approx current value of the 2 old flats?

I am presuming that you are not occupying any of these flats.

What is your current annual income, from business and other sources?

Do you have any healthcare insurance coverage for the family? If yes how much?

Based on your answer to the above queries, we can advise you suitably regarding additional life insurance.

Thanks;