1 week ago
Employer Group Health Cover May Not Meet Maternity Needs
A couple planning to have a baby should check their health insurance early.
Employer-provided insurance may help pay maternity costs, but it can change if the person changes jobs.
Some newer maternity plans start coverage after a waiting period of only three months.
Older plans often required waiting two to four years.
Couples should check how much the policy will pay for childbirth.
They should also see whether it covers both types of delivery, care before and after birth, and the newborn.
Expert Sarbvir Singh recommends having broader family health insurance, not just maternity coverage.
This can help protect the family from other medical expenses too.
Maternity insurance waiting periods can now be as short as three months, compared with traditional periods of two to four years.
Plans may limit maternity payouts to ₹50,000–₹2 lakh rather than covering the full sum insured.
Couples should check coverage for normal and C-section deliveries, prenatal and postnatal care, newborns, vaccinations, and congenital conditions.
A comprehensive family floater with at least ₹50 lakh cover was recommended for the couple, potentially supplemented by a super top-up.
Employer group insurance is useful but tied to employment, while an individual policy can provide coverage continuity after a job change.
- Who
- A 31-year-old man and his 29-year-old wife planning to start a family, with advice from Sarbvir Singh of PB Fintech.
- What
- The article explains how couples should evaluate maternity insurance and why employer group cover may not be sufficient on its own.
- Where
- When
- The couple plans to start a family within a year; some available maternity plans have waiting periods as short as three months.
- Why
- To prepare financially for childbirth and maintain health coverage even if employment changes.
Key facts
- Traditional waiting period
- Two to four years for maternity benefits.
- Shortest waiting period cited
- As little as three months on some newer plans.
- Typical maternity benefit limit
- ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh, depending on the plan.
- Recommended broader cover
- At least ₹50 lakh through a family floater, or higher coverage with a super top-up.
- Delivery coverage
- Policies should be checked for both normal and C-section deliveries.
- Additional benefits to check
- Prenatal and postnatal care, newborn coverage from Day 1, vaccinations, and congenital conditions where applicable.
Quotes
Sarbvir Singh
Joint group chief executive of PB Fintech
“Since you're both in your early 30s, this is a good time to build a comprehensive family floater with at least ₹50 lakh cover, or a higher cover supplemented by a super top-up, to protect against both childbirth and future healthcare costs.”
livemint.com
“The good news is that maternity health insurance has become more practical for young couples than it was a few years ago.”
livemint.com
Sources
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