My husband doesn't appreciate me. Ours was a love marriage arranged by friends and family. Initially he used to shower me with compliments when I was working. After my delivery, my in-laws did not support me in raising our daughter. They wanted a grandson. They don't say it but it shows in their attitude. They are spreading all kinds of stories about my hygiene, cooking, and conversations with my mother. My daughter is 2 years old. I don't get time to groom myself. I quit my job last year so I could focus on our daughter. I try to help my mother in law in the kitchen whenever I can but she tells my husband that I am lazy, that I am good for nothing. This is causing a lot of fights due to misunderstandings. Now that I don't earn, I feel more guilty and dependent. My confidence is low. I don't remember the last time I visited a salon because my husband is the only earning member in the family. I can't visit my parents as they are also growing old and my daughter is so young. I honestly don't know how to fix these issues staying in this family. What do you think?

Ans: Hi Girish

You are 55, working in Dubai, and currently covered under your company’s medical insurance worldwide. That cover is excellent, but please remember one important thing: it ends the day your employment ends. Health insurance planning has to look beyond employment.

Can you take a health insurance policy in India at age 60?
Yes, you can. Most insurers in India do allow entry at 60 years and even later.
However, at that age:

Premiums are significantly higher

Medical tests and scrutiny are much stricter

Any lifestyle condition or past medical history can lead to waiting periods, exclusions, or higher premiums

So while it is possible, it is not ideal to start fresh at 60.

Will taking a policy now help reduce premium later?
The bigger benefit is not just premium, but certainty and continuity.

If you take a policy now at 55:

You enter at a lower age slab

Mandatory waiting periods (usually 2–4 years) get completed well before retirement

By the time you are 60, the policy becomes mature and far more useful

Underwriting happens when you are younger and healthier

Premiums will still rise with age, but you avoid the sharp jump and uncertainty of entering as a new senior citizen.

But since you already have full medical cover, is this necessary?
Think of this Indian policy as a retirement safety net, not a replacement for your employer cover.

You do not need to actively use it now.
You just need it to run in the background, so that when you return to India, you are not forced to buy insurance at the worst possible time.

Many NRIs make the mistake of postponing this decision and then struggle at 60 when options become limited.

What kind of policy should you consider?
Keep it straightforward:

A family floater for you and your wife

Decent coverage, not the bare minimum

Focus on hospitalisation benefits

Buy it with the intention of continuing it for life

Avoid over engineering the policy. Simplicity works best in health insurance.

Final advice
Health insurance is one area where early action quietly pays off later.
You may never thank yourself at 60 for buying a policy at 55, but you will definitely regret not doing it if a medical issue arises.

Most obvious question how can I take the family floater insurance most insurance will issue when you are visiting India

Few insurance will issue incase your are not able to visit Indian the cost of medical test in your abroad hospital or clinic will cost you heavy on pockets

Naveenn Kummar
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

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