Usually, if you want to buy insurance, you have to prepare and procure a long list of documents with you. Especially during the process of buying health insurance, the applicant is required to submit a series of proofs and reports. However, with the decline in the use of physical documents and the rise of electronic documents, the paperwork burden has been significantly reduced.
Nowadays, when purchasing a health insurance plan online, a soft copy of the documents must be submitted. This reduces the paper used in any application process and can provide details into the database for easy access. However, less paperwork does not always mean less submission of documents or evidence. Hence, this article will inform you about the documents you need to have when buying any health insurance policy. Note that different insurance companies may have different documentation requirements.
Documents required when purchasing a health insurance plan
- Proof of age
This is a very important document when purchasing health insurance, as many policies have a specific entry age. You will have to submit a photocopy of at least one of the following documents:
- Voter ID card
- PAN card
- Aadhaar card
- Driving license
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Proof of identity
This document is required for the purpose of records. In the future, proof of your identity will help your insurance company determine the type of coverage you will be offered. Moreover, it will serve as a reference for your identity in the case of a health insurance claim.At least one of the following documents would have to be submitted:
- Voter ID card
- Passport
- Aadhaar card
- Driving license
- Address proof
Your health insurance company will need to send various bits of information to your postal address. You can submit any of the following to prove that you live at the address you mentioned in your application:
- Ration card
- Driving License
- Passport
- Lease agreement if applicable
- PAN card
- Aadhaar card
- Utility bills such as electricity bill, telephone bill etc.
Other documents you need while buying health insurance include:
- Passport size photographs (if requested by the insurer)
- Medical report (if requested by the insurer)
- Duly filled and signed proposal form
Documents required when filing a claim
When it comes to health insurance, the submission of documents and reports does not stop at the purchase of the policy. When you have to make a claim, these are the documents you have to submit:
- Properly filled claim form
- Medical reports
- Patient discharge summary or card (original)
- Prescription and cash challan from pharmacies / hospitals
- FIR or Medico Legal Certificate (MLC) at the time of the accident.
Things to remember while purchasing health insurance
Health insurance is not a product that you randomly browse and buy. If you go through the hassle of procuring and submitting documents, you have to make to most of your policy after buying it. In order to do that, you need to know your requirements and the basics of health insurance. Only then will you be able to buy a good policy. Here is everything you need to keep in mind during the purchase:
- Coverage
The feature that is most important when purchasing your policy is the sum insured amount. This determines the coverage limit when you encounter an unfortunate event. Keep in mind that the higher the sum insured, the higher the cost of your health insurance policy.
- Waiting period
Many policies have a waiting period before providing financial assistance for a specific medical condition. For example, the waiting period for maternity benefit in a women’s health insurance plan may be 2 years. You should be aware of all the different waiting periods that may apply to you.
- Network hospital
When faced with a situation where you can claim, you can claim in two ways – cashless or reimbursed. The second is to contact your insurance company after you have already paid the bills and then they will reimburse you for the money you spent.
To make a cashless claim, you need to seek treatment at a network hospital. This is because your insurance company has a network of hospitals where the company settles the bill directly with the hospital billing department. You do not have to pay anything except the deductibles. Look for an insurance company with a large network of hospitals for your convenience.
