Zero Waiting Period in health insurance is one of those important terms that as a policyholder you must be aware of. Such terms help you understand your health plans better and you can use your coverage in a hassle-free manner during a medical emergency. In this article, we will deep dive into what is a zero waiting period in health insurance along with all the things related to this concept.
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Zero waiting period means you don’t have to wait for any fixed amount of time before raising the claim. Understand that the waiting period in health insurance is a fixed time in which you cannot raise a claim except for an accident. There are different types of waiting periods applicable when you buy health insurance. Some health plans like ACKO Platinum Plan is a type of health insurance with no waiting period. Under this plan accidents and pre existing diseases are covered from day 1.
Health insurance with zero waiting period for pre-existing diseases offer coverage from day 01 of the policy. You can check the policy start date on your health insurance policy. If you have this coverage then you can raise a claim for hospitalisation related to the treatment of a pre-existing disease.
For calculating the pre-existing diseases waiting period, your health insurance company will evaluate your medical history and then decide the duration of the waiting period. Pre-existing diseases like hypertension, asthma, diabetes, etc. can trigger a waiting period. The waiting time can be between 2 to 3 years. You need to pay the hospital bills in case you or a family member needs hospitalisation for medical treatment of any of the listed diseases during the waiting period.
You need to buy health insurance with zero waiting period to get this coverage. For example, the 1 Cr ACKO Platinum Health Insurance Plan offers zero waiting period. Usually, there are four main types of waiting periods applicable when you first buy a health insurance plan. These include, initial waiting period, pre-existing diseases waiting period, maternity waiting period, and specific diseases waiting period. With health insurance with no waiting period for pre-existing conditions, you can claim from the first day of your policy. Some insurance companies may exclude only a few types of waiting period and still apply others.
For example, the initial waiting period would be waived off but pre-existing conditions and specific diseases waiting period may still apply. At ACKO we offer the Platinum Plan with zero waiting period, it means none of the four types of waiting period apply to your policy.
Here is a detailed list of different types of waiting periods in health insurance and how they work.
| Health conditions | How does the waiting period work? | Waiting period |
| Pre-existing diseases (diabetes, hypertension, etc.) waiting period | Most traditional health insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions after the completion of the minimum waiting period. Group health insurance waiting periods may have different terms and conditions. | 1 to 3 years |
| Psychiatric health conditions, Bariatric surgery, Specific diseases/illnesses | Certain diseases or medical conditions and procedures may come with a specific waiting period. These may include cataracts, ENT disorders, osteoporosis, hernia, joint replacement surgery, etc. The waiting period for such illnesses can vary from 2 to 3 years, depending on the policy’s terms and conditions. | 2 to 3 years |
| Maternity waiting period | If the maternity waiting period is applicable under your health insurance plan, then you cannot raise a claim for this benefit until the waiting period is over. | 9 months to 3 years |
| Newborn baby inclusion | Most health insurance plans cover maternity-related expenses and include a newborn baby only after the specified waiting period. It can range from 9 months to 3 years. The maternity benefit covers the delivery expenses and the newborn baby for the first 3 months. However, there are plans that do not cover maternity expenses. | 9 months to 3 years |
| Initial waiting period | The initial waiting period in health insurance is the duration from the date of policy commencement to the date from when you can start using the policy’s benefits. Except for accidental hospitalisation, no other medical expenses are covered during this initial waiting period in health insurance. | 0 to 30 days |
| Accidental hospitalisation | There is no waiting period applicable for accidental injuries under health insurance. | 0 days |
| COVID-19 coverage | Usually, health insurance companies apply COVID-19 waiting period when you buy the policy for the first time. | 30 days |
Are there health insurance plans with no waiting period in India? Yes, there is no waiting period health insurance in India. With ACKO Platinum Health Plans, you get coverage from Day 01. Provided you disclose all the pre-existing conditions. Additionally, you get benefits like No Room Rent Capping, No Deductions on claims, and much more.
Here are more details about these features.
Your coverage begins from the first day of your ACKO Platinum Health Plan. This is a no waiting period health insurance plan. For example Initial waiting period, pre-existing diseases waiting period, etc. are not imposed.
Note: Get access to this feature by disclosing all the pre-existing conditions. Claims for undisclosed conditions may be rejected.
You get the full claim amount including coverage for non-medical expenses (these are generally deducted from the claim amount). Besides, we also do not consider other deductions, such as deductibles, sub-limits, copay, etc.
Choose a hospital room of your choice without worrying about its effect on the final hospital bill. This is one of the best zero waiting period health insurance on the market.
While it may not be possible to reduce the waiting period for health insurance, you can opt for health insurance without waiting period. Go for ACKO Platinum Health Insurance Policy to get zero waiting period for pre-existing diseases. Make sure that you disclose all the medical conditions of all insured members while buying the plan.
Here are some important points to keep in mind about health insurance with zero waiting period.
The survival period in health insurance refers to the specified time duration the policyholder needs to survive after being diagnosed with a critical illness (cancer, heart or kidney failure, etc.). This period can be anywhere between 14 days to 180 days, depending upon the type of plan and the illness. Note that the survival time period is in addition to the waiting period of a policy.
The survival period in health insurance is an important part of critical illness plans. If a policyholder has a critical illness and raises a claim, the insurer will pay a pre-defined lump sum amount. However, this amount will only be paid if the policyholder survives through the specified survival period. Once this lump sum amount is paid for the surviving policyholder, the policy is terminated.
Health Insurance without waiting period may also come with coverage without survival period. Here are the differences between survival and waiting periods in health insurance.
| Criterion | Survival period | Waiting period |
| Applicable for | Critical illness policies. | All types of health insurance policies (excluding ACKO Platinum Health Insurance Policy). |
| What is it? | The specified time period during which the policyholder needs to survive after being diagnosed with a critical illness to get the claim amount (lump sum) | The specified time period before the policyholder can start raising claims against the policy |
| What’s the time period? | 14 - 180 days | 0 - 30 days of initial waiting period, 0-3 years for pre-existing disease |
| Factors affecting the time period | Depends on the critical illness and the insurance provider | Depends on the disease and the insurance provider |
| Continuity of the coverage | Terminates after the one-time lump sum payment of the sum insured | Exists post the waiting period with continued premium payments |
Now that you understand the definition of the waiting period in health insurance, it’s time to choose a plan that suits your requirements. However, you need not worry much about the waiting period in medical insurance if you buy a health insurance plan at an early stage of your life. Health insurance plans with zero waiting periods are ideal for coverage from day 1. Take advantage of ACKO’s Rs.1 Crore plan with zero waiting period and zero deductions at claims for optimum coverage.
Here are some common questions and answers about the waiting period in health insurance.
Disclaimer:
*Except for exclusions like maternity benefits, undisclosed diseases, etc. Please check policy wordings for more details.
**In case the pre-existing disease surfaces after a policy is issued. However at the time of claim, if it is found that the policyholder did not disclose any known pre-existing diseases while buying the policy, the claim may get rejected.
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