How obesity, other health issues affect your insurance premium

Health insurance is a tricky area and many people entertain several apprehensions over the matter. Here are some guidelines in this regard.

Insurance for obese persons

It is a common doubt whether obesity would affect the health insurance premium. Some people also wonder whether the premium would come down for an obese person who is already insured if he reduces his weight before the next renewal.

As BMI (Body-mass index) is one of the factors being considered while a health insurance policy is issued, obesity would indeed influence the premium. If you are overweight as well as suffering from various other diseases, your application for insurance could even be rejected.

If you manage to shed weight before the next renewal, approach the insurance firm and a new underwriting might be carried out. However, this depends on the terms and conditions given in the policy document.

Coverage for road trips

Some insurance companies give coverage to road trips also. Suppose you are in need of it, select the suitable policy.

Misdiagnosis

Sometimes, incorrect treatment may be carried out based on wrong lab reports and misdiagnosis. An insured person faced this situation in connection with a skin disease. He was concerned over whether he would benefit from health coverage.

Often misdiagnosis occurs as a result of wrong lab reports, unusual symptoms or unique nature of the disease. When an expert doctor is consulted and treatment carried out under his or her instructions, insurance coverage would be available.

However, many skin diseases do not need hospitalization and taking this into account, ensure that your insurance policy covers treatment in the out-patient department.

Disclosing ailments

Whether to reveal details of diseases suffered is an issue that bothers a number of people while applying for a policy. Health insurance policies have a provision to include the waiting period of various diseases, which may extend from one to four years.

All people seeking health insurance should disclose details of the health problems they suffer from. The firm can then offer the policy based on the respective waiting period or loading. On the other hand, the insurance firm can also reject the proposal citing the health issues mentioned.

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