With an uptick in lifestyle-related diseases, heart ailments are becoming a growing concern for all - even the younger age groups. While traditionally these were seen as a problem for older generations, heart conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and even strokes are increasingly affecting people in their 20s and 30s.
A recent report by National Geographic highlighted a disturbing trend for the younger groups. It notes rising cases of stroke among younger adults, often tied to high blood pressure and lifestyle factors such as stress, lack of physical activity, and poor diet choices. This shift has significant implications for how the young cohort should approach health insurance, especially when it comes to coverage for health-related conditions.
Young Adults At Higher Risk Of Strokes: Why?
“Among adults aged 18 to 44, stroke prevalence rose by a tenth of a percentage point, which was a relative increase of 15 per cent,” the report highlights.
It points out that lifestyle changes and urban living are key reasons contributing to the rise in cardiovascular issues among younger adults. The stress from fast-paced jobs, unhealthy diets, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles increases the risk of developing hypertension condition much earlier in life.
This, in turn, heightens the risk of heart attacks and strokes, making insurance coverage for such ailments more critical than ever. Therefore, having insurance that covers heart-related ailments would be a good option for young individuals. But what should you be looking for in your plan? Let’s decode.
Here’s What To Look For In Heart Ailment Coverage
1. Waiting Periods For Pre-existing Conditions (PEDs): Says Siddharth Singhal - Head of Health Insurance, Policybazaar.com, Waiting periods for PEDs such as hypertension is mostly common in all health insurance plans - ranging from 2 to 4 years in all standard policies. Young buyers should consider policies that offer shorter waiting periods or go for a PED reduction rider, which can reduce the waiting period from years to day 0.
“Ideally, purchasing health insurance early before developing conditions like hypertension is the most effective way to avoid long waiting periods,” he emphasises.
2. Critical Illness Problem: This type of add-on or rider can provide a lump sum payment upon diagnosis of serious conditions like heart attack or stroke.
But should you go for it?
Yes! Says Singhal. “They (younger adults) should definitely consider adding critical illness riders focusing on heart conditions to their health insurance policies. Adding such riders might slightly increase premium costs but the investment ensures broader coverage for heart-related risks.”
Though this may affect your premium outgo, Singhal states that the increase in premiums is typically nominal for younger, healthier individuals.
3. Comprehensive Cardiac Care Plans: Many insurers offer dedicated cardiac care plans, designed to provide coverage for diagnosis, hospitalisation, and treatment of heart conditions, including surgeries. Says Singhal, “Cardiac plans have a special focus on heart-related conditions and may offer more comprehensive treatments for surgeries and treatments. They also tend to have higher coverage limits for heart conditions.”
However, these plans have slightly higher premiums compared to general health insurance.
But is it required of you to specifically choose for such plans?
Singhal notes that general health insurance plans provide broad coverage across various illnesses and hospitalisation needs, including heart conditions, but with a lower specified limit for heart treatments.
“A younger individual with a family history of heart conditions or early symptoms of hypertension should go for a cardiac special plan, while general health insurance may suffice for others. The choice depends on the individual's risk factors and health concerns,” he adds.
4. Preventive Health Check-ups & Wellness Programs: Given the rising risk of heart or lifestyle-related ailments, some insurers now offer preventive health check-ups and wellness programs, including heart health screenings. “These are excellent features being offered by many health insurers now and should be utilised by all policyholders. OPD coverage in health insurance plans also includes diagnostics - which can help individuals to monitor their health regularly,” says Singhal.
But is it significant for the younger cohort?
Regular screening can help younger individuals with early detection of high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, which are precursors to heart conditions. In fact, many insurers now offer wellness benefits - where if policyholders stay healthy and fulfill the wellness criteria, they get discounts on their insurance premiums.
“These discounts can even go up to 100 per cent off on the premiums. Additionally, many insurers also offer access to workout tutorials, nutritional advice, and more. Policyholders should make use of these services and prioritise preventive care,” Singhal suggests.
Heart ailments, when caught off-guard, can significantly drain your savings leading to financial burdens. Conditions that are tied to lifestyle often require long-term medication and regular medical check-ups, leading to substantial out-of-pocket expenses if not covered adequately. Though young people might assume that they are too healthy to need this level of coverage, there is no harm in early intervention to prevent more severe conditions later on. As such, investing in the right insurance plan with robust heart ailment coverage is a prudent financial plan for the younger generation.
