New India Assurance will shortly launch a special health insurance product for senior citizens.

Unique features: The period for which the pre-existing disease clause is applicable is four years“ under most health insurance policies. Under this new plan it has been reduced to 18 months, especially for senior citizens. · By paying a simple 10 per cent loading on the premium, persons suffering from hypertension and diabetes can also avail themselves of New India’s new scheme.· Persons between 60 and 80 years after a pre-acceptance health check-up are eligible for the scheme. · For a cover of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh the premium under the plan ranges from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,600. · By paying an extra 10 per cent in premium policyholders between 80 and 85 can renew their plan while those between 86 and 90 will have to chip in an extra 20 per cent. Compulsory Co-payments in the case of claimThe insured has to make a compulsory co-payment of 10 per cent in the case of a claim under this scheme and the policyholders can opt for increasing the co-payment of a claim to 20 per cent for a 10 per cent discount in the premium Sub limits that are woven into the policy· For instance, if a person is hospitalized, not more than 1 per cent of the sum assured can be spent on the room rent per day and not more than 2 per cent per day on the rent for the Intensive Care Unit. · An overall limit of 25 per cent of the sum assured has been fixed per illness for rent charges.· The policy also fixes a limit of 25 per cent of the sum assured on the fees of the surgeon or anesthetist and 50 per cent of the sum assured on services like blood, oxygen and X-rays, among others.