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Financial Planner - Answered on Jan 31, 2024

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Asked by Anonymous - Jan 30, 2024Hindi

Hi I have taken an insurance Policy : Click 2 Protect 3D policy. its a combi policy where Term Insurance is from HDFC Life and Health Insurance from ERGO (In first year it was Apollo Munich). Its been 5 years since I have been paying the premiums, every year the health premium increased. Recently I paid 60k as premium where initially it was 54k. here Term is around 18K odd, rest is for health. I feel I am being charged more for lesser benefits, the insurance covers my wife and two kids (9 years) and me. By God's Grace till date its no claim policy. The base cover is 4L and added benefits is 4L. I see , their counter parties offer more benefits for such an amount say 40K. i tried to shift to Star Health but portability denied saying it is not possible since it is combined policy. Here i want more cover or able to port to other service provider. What shall I do?

Ans: It's understandable that you're concerned about the increasing premiums and the perceived lack of benefits in your current insurance policy. Here are some steps you can consider:

• Review Your Policy Documents: Make sure to thoroughly review your insurance policy documents. Understand the terms and conditions, coverage details, and any clauses related to premium increases. It's essential to be aware of the specifics of your current policy before making any decisions.
• Compare Policies: Compare the benefits and premiums of your current policy with those offered by other insurance providers in the market. Look for policies that provide similar or better coverage at a more reasonable cost. Take into account the coverage for both term insurance and health insurance.
• Contact Your Current Provider: Reach out to HDFC Life and ERGO to discuss your concerns. Inquire about the reasons for the premium increase and whether there are any options to customise your policy to better suit your needs without compromising coverage. Sometimes, providers may have different plans or options that could better fit your requirements.
• Explore Portability Again: Since you mentioned that Star Health denied portability, consider reaching out to other insurance providers to explore portability options. Different providers may have different policies on porting combined policies, and it's worth checking with multiple companies.
• Seek Professional Advice: Consult with a financial advisor or insurance expert to get personalised advice based on your specific situation. They can help you understand the nuances of your policy, assess your needs, and guide you on the best course of action.
• Consider Separate Policies: If portability remains challenging, you may explore the option of having separate term insurance and health insurance policies from different providers. This way, you can tailor each policy to your specific needs and potentially save on costs.
• Stay Informed About Regulatory Changes: Keep yourself informed about any regulatory changes in the insurance industry that may impact your policy. Sometimes, regulatory changes can affect premium calculations or portability options.

Remember that making changes to insurance policies requires careful consideration, and it's crucial to ensure that you maintain adequate coverage for your family's needs. Always read the terms and conditions of any new policy thoroughly before making a decision. If needed, seek legal or financial advice to make an informed decision.

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.

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Question by Rajeev - Aug 03, 2021Hindi

My wife and I have been insured for a Reliance Health Policy since 2007 without a break. We have never filed a claim for any illness/hospitalisation. Our coverage in the Policy document has been Rs.5 lace since inception. We tried porting the policy to some other insurer but no other company agreed to have it ported. My wife (73) and I (70) have been requesting Reliance to increase the coverage to at least Rs.50 lacs for which we are prepared to pay the enhanced premium. However, Reliance is refusing to do so despite our paying them a premium for 14 years with a No Claim record. Please advice how we can get higher coverage since in these times Rs.5 lacs is a pittance.

Ans: It is very unfortunate that you are unable to obtain a higher limit at the age when it is required the most. This is the precise reason why health insurance needs to be taken at an early age with sufficient coverage. It is easy to enroll with higher Sum Insured and better covers at early age than after crossing 60 years of age.

Usually, the insurance cover is limited beyond this age. Due to unavailability of higher health insurance coverage the best option for you is to spend less and save more with most of your savings allocated towards liquid assets to meet emergency medical spends.

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