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Critical illness Insurance

Q: How much critical illness cover do I need?

Considering India's skyrocketing price of medical treatment costs, you should opt for the critical illness policy with the maximum possible cover. While calculating the critical illness cover amount, consider the factors such as inflation, number of dependent family members, debt obligations, and rising medical expenditures.

Q: Can I get critical illness cover after cancer?

You must disclose your complete medical history at the time of purchase. Your proposal acceptance will be subject to medical underwriting guidelines

Q: Do all insurance providers in India cover the same critical illness?

The list of critical illnesses covered under critical illness insurance differs from one insurance provider to another. Therefore, before applying for a critical illness insurance policy, read the policy wording mentioned on the insurer website. At ICICI Lombard, we offer critical illness for 9 diseases, including cancer, open-chest CABG, and end-stage kidney disease.

Q: How to select an ideal critical illness cover?

While choosing the ideal critical illness insurance cover, consider illnesses covered, waiting periods, compare premiums from various insurance providers, and then decide.

20 critical illnesses covered

Cover starts from ₹3 to ₹12 lakhs

You are going about your regular routine – work, family, maybe catching up with friends over the weekend. Everything seems perfectly fine. Suddenly, one day, you are hit with a piece of devastating news from your doctor: a life-threatening illness. The diagnosis is overwhelming enough, but as reality sinks in, so does the financial burden. How will you manage the costs of treatment, recovery, and the income you might lose if you can't work? This is where a critical illness insurance plan comes into play.

About critical illness insurance add-on

A Critical Illness Insurance Add-on is an optional rider you can opt for by paying an additional premium over and above your standard plan. This rider provides a one-time payout if you are diagnosed with a specified critical illness, such as permanent paralysis, kidney failure, or cancer. The payout you receive under this plan helps cover treatment costs, recovery expenses, or income loss during recovery.

Benefits of critical illness add-on

Covers major illnesses

You receive financial protection for 20 severe illnesses that involve extended hospital stays and pose life-threatening risks.
Tax deduction

You can lower your taxable earnings by up to Rs 25,000 (or up to Rs 50,000 if you are a senior citizen) under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act by claiming the premiums you paid for critical illness coverage.
Income substitute

The lump sum you receive with critical illness cover can be used flexibly. It can cover your hospitalisation bills, help with existing obligations like debt repayment, or contribute to your child’s education costs.

Features of critical illness insurance cover

The following are salient features of critical illness insurance cover -

Payout: You receive a one-time lump sum payment if you are diagnosed with a covered illness.
No Hospitalisation Required: Unlike health insurance, critical illness insurance does not require hospitalisation for a claim. A confirmed diagnosis is enough for you to receive the payout, easing the process.
Flexible Usage: The money you receive can be used per your needs. Whether it is for treatment, medication, rehabilitation, or clearing debts, you can use the payout in any way.
Affordable: Critical illness insurance is generally affordable, especially if you buy it at a younger age.

What is covered in critical illness insurance add-on?

What’s covered

Cancer of specified severity

If the medical screening detects tumours with uncontrollable growth of malignant cells invading and destroying normal tissues, the policy will provide coverage. Some common types of cancer covered under this include lymphoma, leukaemia, and sarcoma.
Stroke resulting in permanent symptoms

If you are diagnosed with a cerebrovascular condition resulting in permanent neurological damage, such as intracranial vessel thrombosis, brain tissue infarction, embolism, or haemorrhage, the policy will cover the condition. However, to qualify for coverage, the disease must be confirmed by a CT scan or MRI. You must also provide evidence of lasting neurological deficits over the past three months.
Open-chest CABG

A critical illness plan covers heart surgery to treat blockages or narrowing in one or more coronary arteries. The procedure must be performed via coronary artery bypass grafting through either minimally invasive keyhole surgery or a sternotomy. To ensure a successful claim processing, you must provide a coronary angiography along with confirmation from your cardiologist.
Permanent paralysis of limbs

If the injury or spinal cord or brain disease results in irreversible loss of the use of two or more limbs, our critical illness cover will take care of the same.
First heart attack of specified severity

If you have suffered a myocardial infarction for the first time and a portion of your heart muscle has stopped working due to inadequate blood supply, the insurance becomes active.
Open heart replacement or replacement of heart valves

Detection of abnormalities in the cardiac valve(s) where the doctor has advised open-heart valve surgery to replace or repair the valve is covered under this plan. However, any catheter-based techniques are subject to the policy’s exclusions.
Kidney failure requiring regular dialysis

The policy pays out for end-stage renal disease where both kidneys have stopped functioning, and the condition requires frequent peritoneal or haemodialysis or if the doctor has advised you to undergo renal transplantation.
End stage liver disease

Irreversible liver failure that has caused Ascites, Permanent Jaundice, and Hepatic Encephalopathy are covered under this plan.
Major organ transplant

The policy provides coverage for the transplant of the liver, kidney, lungs, heart, and pancreas in cases of irreversible end-stage failure of the respective organs. It also covers bone marrow transplants using haematopoietic stem cells.

What’s not covered

The policy does not cover a rise in Troponin T, I, or cardiac biomarkers without evidence of ischemic heart disease. It also excludes acute coronary syndromes and angina pectoris.
If the cause of end-stage liver failure is alcoholism or drug abuse, critical illness cover won't make a payout.
• If you have been diagnosed with non-melanoma skin carcinoma and there is no evidence of metastases to lymph nodes, the policy won't make a payout.
• The policy won't offer coverage for malignant melanoma if the invasion is restricted to the epidermis.
• The policy excludes pulmonary hypertension, any disease on the left side of the heart, pulmonary thromboembolism, and chronic hypoventilation.

Policy documents:
Critical illness policy wordings

Who should buy a critical illness insurance add-on?

A critical illness insurance add-on is essential for those who meet one or more of the following criteria -

Critical illness in the family

If someone in your family has previously had or is still dealing with a life-threatening ailment, like cancer, there is a chance that you could develop the same illness in the future, as some ailments are hereditary. Critical illness coverage, in this case, prepares you for any possible adverse situation.

Sole earning member

If you are the sole breadwinner of your family and are diagnosed with a critical illness, it might impact your ability to work and halt the flow of income due to prolonged hospitalisation. The payout from a critical illness plan ensures you can support your family to cover their living expenses.

High-pressure jobs

If you work in a toxic work culture, stay in the office for more than 10 hours, and are burdened with added responsibilities, you are more likely to develop a critical illness. Having insurance that offers coverage for such life-threatening diseases is handy in this scenario.

How to buy critical illness insurance cover online at ICICI Lombard?

Visit

Visit the health insurance page on the ICICI Lombard website.
Share

Provide details such as your name, age, email address, PIN code, and contact number.
Customise

Tailor your policy by selecting the desired sum insured and riders.
Pay

Make the premium payment online using various payment methods.
Policy

Receive the soft copy of your policy document at your registered email ID.

How does critical illness insurance cover work?

A critical illness insurance cover provides you with financial assistance if you are diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, such as cancer. When you take out this cover, you pay regular premiums. If you are diagnosed with one of the listed illnesses during the policy term, the insurer pays a lump sum amount.

This payout can be used as per your specific needs, such as covering medical expenses, paying off loans, or simply supporting daily living costs if you cannot work. Unlike health insurance, which typically covers hospital bills, critical illness insurance gives you a set amount once the diagnosis is confirmed, giving you the freedom to use the money where it is most needed.

What’s covered?

Bacterial Meningitis	Fulminant Hepatitis	Terminal Illness	Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
Third Degree Burns	Coma of Specified Severity	Surgery to Aorta	Multiple Sclerosis with Persisting Symptoms
Aplastic Anaemia	End Stage Liver Failure	Myocardial Infarction	Kidney Failure requiring Regular Dialysis
End Stage Lung Disease	Cancer of Specified Severity	Major organ /bone marrow transplant	Open Heart Replacement or Repair of Heart Valves
Open Chest CABG	Motor Neuron Disease with Permanent Symptoms	Coronary Artery Disease	Stroke resulting in Permanent Symptoms

Why should you buy a critical illness cover from ICICI Lombard?

Extensive protection

Get coverage with us for around 20 life-threatening illnesses and stay stress-free during a medical crisis, knowing you are financially covered.
24×7 assistance

Regardless of the time on your clock, if you need assistance regarding claims, locating a network hospital, or any other help related to your critical illness cover, our team is available round-the-clock to serve you.

How to file a claim for critical illness cover?

Listed below are the simple steps you need to follow when making a claim -

Inform

Immediately after the diagnosis of the disease, inform our customer support team.
Documentation

Keep all the medical screening reports, prescriptions, and treatment-related invoices handy.
Submit

Fill out the claim form and submit it along with the required documents.
Claim settlement

After verifying the details, we will process the assured sum to your account.

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How much critical illness cover do I need?

The ideal coverage amount depends on your existing health conditions, family medical history, and lifestyle. Usually, it is recommended that the coverage amount should be at least 5-10 times your annual income, allowing you to manage medical conditions and existing financial obligations.

What are the documents required for critical illness cover?

If you want to buy critical illness insurance, you need to furnish some basic documents such as proofs of your identity, address and age, etc. In some cases, you may need a medical test report.

Can I get critical illness cover after cancer?

Whether you receive coverage after being diagnosed with the disease depends on your insurer and the stage of the disease. Typically, if the cancer is in the third or fourth stage, coverage is not available.

Do all insurance providers in India cover the same critical illness?

No, the list of diseases covered under a critical illness plan varies by insurer.

What are the tax benefits under a critical illness insurance?

The premium you pay towards critical illness insurance is subject to tax deduction under section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In addition, the money you receive as a payout of a critical illness claim settlement is also tax-free.

How to select an ideal critical illness cover?

To choose an ideal cover, start by checking the list of life-threatening illnesses your policy covers. Next, evaluate the sum assured, review the claim settlement ratio, and understand the claim process.

What are the factors to keep in mind while opting for critical illness insurance?

Before buying critical illness insurance, you should consider a few important aspects. Some of the important factors to keep in mind are the number of illnesses covered, exclusions in the policy, amount of premiums, survival period, claim settlement ratio of the insurer, and sub limitations, among other things.

Do I need to take medical tests to get critical illness coverage?

Yes, medical screening is necessary to obtain critical illness coverage. It gives insurers insight into your existing health conditions and allows them to decide on the premium based on the risk you pose.

Got questions? Let's talk! Share your contact details and we'll give you a call.

Thank You for your interest in our product.

Critical illness Insurance

About critical illness insurance add-on

Benefits of critical illness add-on

Covers major illnesses

Tax deduction

Income substitute

Features of critical illness insurance cover

What is covered in critical illness insurance add-on?

What’s covered

Cancer of specified severity

Stroke resulting in permanent symptoms

Open-chest CABG

Permanent paralysis of limbs

First heart attack of specified severity

Open heart replacement or replacement of heart valves

Kidney failure requiring regular dialysis

End stage liver disease

Major organ transplant

What’s not covered

Who should buy a critical illness insurance add-on?

Critical illness in the family

Sole earning member

High-pressure jobs

How to buy critical illness insurance cover online at ICICI Lombard?

Visit

Share

Customise

Pay

Policy

How does critical illness insurance cover work?

What’s covered?

Why should you buy a critical illness cover from ICICI Lombard?

Extensive protection

24×7 assistance

How to file a claim for critical illness cover?

Inform

Documentation

Submit

Claim settlement