Expert tips on picking the right super top-up plan for your needs

So, the insurance companies have introduced top-up plans. These plans allow additional coverage protection on exhaustion of your base plan limit. However, you can enjoy this coverage only once per year. 

Here comes the concept of a super top-up plan. Since health issues are unpredictable, you never know when or how you will get affected. These plans allow you to enjoy additional coverage protection multiple times a year as required.  

What are super top-up plans? 

Super Top-Up Plans are health insurance policies that provide additional coverage once your total medical expenses in a year exceed a predefined deductible limit. It works alongside your existing policy or out-of-pocket payments, covering multiple claims within the same year. This makes it an affordable way to get higher coverage without increasing your base policy premium. 

Let’s explain with an example. Say, if you have a base health insurance plan of  Rs 10 lakhs, you opt for a Super Top Up plan of Rs 40 lakhs with a deductible of Rs 10 lakhs. 

• So, for your hospitalisation claim upto the initial Rs 10 lakhs, your base health insurance plan will pay. 
• Once your aggregate claim for the year exceeds the threshold deductible limit of Rs 10 lakhs, your super top-up plan gets triggered. 
• All hospitalisation claims from Rs 10,00,001 to Rs 50,00,000, i.e. an additional amount of Rs 40 lakhs from Rs 10 lakhs, would be paid by the Super Top Up Health Insurance Plan. 

Important aspect: The premium for a super top-up plan is minimal as compared to the base plan, as the super top-up plan does not pay the initial amount of Rs 10 lakhs. So, this is a great way to enhance your overall health insurance coverage without much pressure on your wallet! 

Why consider a super top-up plan? 

The medical inflation in India is about 14%¹ year-on-year. It comes in handy with the soaring prices of healthcare and medical treatments. An all-inclusive plan may not suffice with skyrocketing hospitalisation costs and rising incidents of critical illnesses.  
 
This is why everyone should consider enhancing their health insurance coverage. A super top-up plan increases your coverage beyond your base coverage. It benefits middle-class families looking to secure their savings against unforeseen medical emergencies. The super top-up plan benefits patients with lifestyle diseases or public healthcare infrastructures with high medical costs that break their budgets.  

You might enjoy an employer’s health insurance protection as a corporate employee. However, they often prove to be insufficient. If you maintain a super top-up plan, you can feel the difference.  

If you have health insurance but the sum insured amount is low, you can purchase a top-up or super top-up plan on top of it rather than buying a whole new base plan wherein you can ensure enhanced health insurance coverage protection with this plan.  

Key benefits of a Super Top-Up Plan: 

Super top-up plans are exclusive, unlike any other health plans. Some of the essential benefits of this plan are: 

1. Effective booster: A super top-up plan is an effective booster to your existing plan maintaining an affordable approach. 
2. Multiple claims: This allows multiple claims in one policy year, provided the deductible is met. 
3. Ensures effective management: This ensures easy management of significant medical expenses.  

Expert tips for choosing the right super top-up plan 

To ensure choosing the correct super top-up plan, you must follow these tips and tricks: 

Understand the deductible:  

This is the technical term used to refer to the sum you must pay out of your pocket during claim settlement. This is considered the threshold after which the concept of super top-up plans comes into the picture.  

Pro Tip: Ideally, you must match the deductible with the essential coverage limit of your base health insurance to avoid your out-of-pocket expenses..  

Evaluate premiums:  

You can enjoy the protection of a super top-up plan at a nominal additional premium, provided you have an existing health insurance plan. You can use the premium calculator to assess the premium payable amount. Some of the important determinants of premiums include the age of the insured, medical history, the sum insured, and the deductible amount.  

Pro Tip: Ideally, you should research multiple competent plans across several insurers to understand the scenario well. You must strike a proper balance between adequate coverage and affordability. 

Coverage limit:  

Since super top-up plans are comparatively cheap, you can opt for high coverage. However, you must compare different plans before zeroing in on one. 

Pro Tip: If you feel your family is prone to health risks involving high treatment costs, opt for a relatively high coverage limit. Ensure that it complements your existing protection. 

How do you pick a wallet-friendly super top-up plan? 

To enjoy enhanced health insurance protection amid such steep inflation, you can use these tricks to enjoy a super top-up plan. Picking a wallet-friendly super top-up plan in India requires careful consideration of your healthcare needs and budget: 

1. Start by assessing your existing health insurance coverage and identifying potential gaps. 
2. Look for plans with a deductible amount that aligns with your current policy’s sum insured, ensuring the top-up plan activates when needed.  
3. Compare premiums across insurers, but don’t compromise on coverage—opt for plans that offer comprehensive benefits, including coverage for critical illnesses, pre- and post-hospitalization expenses, and daycare procedures.  
4. Check for co-payment clauses, waiting periods, and network hospitals to avoid unexpected costs.  
5. Lastly, read customer reviews and claim settlement ratios to ensure the insurer is reliable.  

By balancing affordability and coverage, you can choose a super top-up plan that provides financial security without straining your budget.