I am 28 and in good health. Should I still take a health insurance policy?
Sameer Kapoor, Gurgaon
Good health in youth should not be taken for granted forever and assume that you do not need any health Insurance policy. Healthcare risks persist heavily these days – dengue, viral fevers requiring hospitalisation are common. Moreover, even young people can be sick and require hospitalization as is evident from the unfortunate evidence of life style and epidemic diseases hitting younger people. Likewise, accident related hospitalisation can happen to anyone.
Do not wait for something to happen you health wise before thinking of a health policy. In fact, if you wait for something to go wrong, like high blood pressure or diabetes to set in before you think of taking a health insurance policy, you may find that once such diseases set in, it is extremely difficult to get a health insurance policy.
Chances of getting a policy is bleak and, even when you get one, it could be expensive or come with restrictive conditions such as partial payments or exclusions that would not be there if you had bought the policy when you were still hale and hearty. Building a long no claim history ensures faster payment of claims when the inevitable claims do happen in later life. Do not interpret not claiming on the policy as no return on the premium you are investing in a health policy. It is in your good interest that your health insurance is not used or rarely used for claims.
