The 3 key benefits of buying cancer insurance

Posted by Shaheen Shaikh on December 28th, 2018

We explore the important advantages of buying a cancer policy.

Cancer is a dreaded menace of our times. The incidence of cancer cases has gone up dramatically in the country in the last decade, with all age groups at equal risk. It is no longer an isolated disease, but a reality that must be faced up to at the earliest – it can strike anybody at any time, regardless of social class, income or gender.

What’s more, some people are genetically prone to certain cancers. In the light of this state of affairs, it is important to prepare for a time when cancer might strike. Apart from dealing with the disease itself, it is difficult to spare the large amounts of money required to treat it. This is where buying cancer insurance online can help.

#1 It pays a lump sum amount immediately upon the cancer diagnosis.

The cancer policy in India is devised to protect the policy holder against the high costs of cancer treatment. However, the policy holder is not made to fulfil any other obligations under the terms of the policy, except to submit a diagnosis report from the doctor testifying that major stage cancer has been detected. On receiving the report and the claim for the policy, the insurance provider pays up the entire corpus so that the policy holder may start treatment in earnest. This saves a lot of valuable treatment time, and the money can be used for hospitalisation, scans, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, daily medication, post-operative care, etc.

#2 It covers most forms of cancer.

At first glance, the cancer policy might appear to cover only the common types of cancer. Take a look at the inclusions in the policy outlined by a leading insurance provider. In India, most cancer insurance plans cover several types of cancer except skin cancer. The cancers typically covered include stomach, blood, breast, ovary, prostate, hypolarynx and lung cancer.

#3 The best cancer insurance plans are easy to buy and cost effective too.

Leading insurance providers have standalone cancer insurance policies as well as cancer insurance riders in their other health plans. But taking a cancer policy is always better, and it is easy to buy cancer insurance online as well. Most cancer policies have an entry age of 18 years while the maximum age varies from provider to provider. Meanwhile, these plans are quite reasonably priced. Another benefit of taking a cancer insurance plan is that its premiums offer tax benefits under Sec 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Do look up all inclusions and exclusions, premium payable and other clauses when buying cancer insurance online.