TOP UP VS SUPER TOP UP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY

It is a challenging task to choose the right health insurance policy. You have to consider many aspects such as eligibility age, premium payable, coverage amount or sum insured, policy benefits, and exclusions, among others. The sum insured is the most important factor that you need to take into account because it tells you how secure you are with respect to coverage. If you are not adequately covered, you will have to compromise on your treatment quality. Sometimes, you might end up spending money from your savings.

Health insurance companies offer plans such as top-up and super top-up to ensure that you do not have to compromise on the coverage amount. These plans are designed to provide additional coverage by enhancing the existing sum insured. The biggest advantage offered by these plans is that you don’t have to buy a new health insurance policy. Now, the question is whether these two plans are the same or different and which one should you choose.

Top-Up Vs Super Top-Up Plans

Top-Up Policy

• Covers expenses related to a single illness
• Takes into account one hospitalization only over the basic coverage

Super Top-Up Policy

• Covers expenses related to single/multiple illnesses
• Takes into account all the bills submitted

Top-up health insurance plans provide you with additional coverage over the threshold limit of your existing health insurance policy. This means that the insurance company reimburses expenses that exceed the base coverage amount only and that too for a single hospitalization.

The super top-up policy, on the other hand, covers all hospitalization bills above the specified threshold limit. This means that the insurance company that has provided you with the super top-up policy reimburse all the bills that you submit as it does not matter whether they are for one or multiple illnesses.

Super Top-Up Health Policy – Advantages

• Covers pandemics – These are uncertain times as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives. In addition to other illnesses, the super top-up policy covers even the expenses related to COVID-19 treatment.
• Deductibles have to be paid only once – If you have a super top-up policy, you are required to pay the deductible only once. After that, you can claim many times, if needed, in a year.
• Can be customized as per your healthcare needs – This means that you can choose the deductible amount as allowed by the insurance company and opt for Rs. 10 lakhs or 20 lakhs as the sum insured.
• No restriction on room rent – Each individual has a different preference. You can undergo treatment in a network hospital of your choice without worrying about the room rent to be paid.
• Easy online processes – Right from buying the super top-up health insurance policy to filing claims, the processing is done online. This means that there is no paperwork to be done. No hard copies required even when filing claims.

Top-up or Super Top-up – Which One Should You Choose

If you are not suffering from any chronic ailment or faced with a terminal illness, the top-up health insurance plan would suffice. This is because the chances of you, unless you are extremely unlucky, finding yourself in a couple of life-threatening situations in a year are very rare.

However, if you are likely to be hospitalized a couple of times in a year because of chronic medical conditions that you are suffering from, it is best that you for a super top-up insurance policy. The premium that you have to pay is nothing compared to the money you could save on hospitalization charges.

Top-Up and Super Top-Up Policies – FAQs

Q1: Top-up and super top-up health insurance plans – What is different?

A1: In simple terms, top-up plans cover costs for a single claim if it is in excess of the deductible amount. On the other hand, super top-up plans cover costs related to multiple hospitalizations in a year even when the total claim amount exceeds the deductible limit.

Q2: What is the meaning of deductible in top-up and super top-up policies?

A2: A deductible is defined as the amount that you or your primary insurance company have to pay prior to top-up or super top-up insurance can settle your claim.

Q3: I am considering buying a top-up or super top-up plan. Which one should I buy?

A3: Most people opt to purchase the top-up plan due to cost considerations. Though both the plans cover your expenses when they are in excess of the deductible amount, a top-up plan is helpful only when there is one claim in a year and a super top-up plan is beneficial when the total amount from multiple claims in a year add up to more than the deductible.

Q4: Is AYUSH treatment included in super top-up health plans?

A4: Yes, expenses incurred in undergoing AYUSH treatment are covered.