Maternity insurance can bring couples and families peace of mind knowing that the expectant mother will be able to receive the best of care, regardless of the hospital costs.

Many companies offer maternity insurance as a part of comprehensive health coverage. But there are others that offer it as an add-on option with basic health insurance. When choosing maternity insurance plans, you need to consider buying one with the most benefits and coverage options based on your needs.

Key Features of Maternity Insurance Plans

When buying maternity insurance, look for the key benefits along with some additional coverage options as part of the comprehensive policy.

• Check if the policy covers both normal and C-section deliveries. The ideal policy will also cover expenses related to pre and post natal care. When looking into this aspect of the policy, carefully check what is covered under these expenses. If the details are not clear to you from the company’s website, feel free to send them an inquiry or discuss the same with an insurance agent. Without proper information at your disposal, it is futile to buy Maternity Insurance. You need to clearly know if the maternity cover offered by a company is actually worth the extra cost to you. Expenses related to C-section delivery and critical post natal care can run into significant amounts. A maternity cover can offer a cushion by supporting you in times of your health needs.
• Choose a policy that also offers some coverage for your newborn child. But know that vaccinations of a newborn child are not covered by the maternity policy. But many companies offer cover for the newborn child’s care for up to 90 days after birth. It is best to know in advance the kind of care your newborn is entitled to under the maternity cover.
• Inquire about the maternity sum insured separately for normal and C-section deliveries. Before you buy a maternity cover, assess if the sum insured amount works out for you. If you believe the sum insured won’t be sufficient for your needs, feel free to check with your insurer if there are any top-up options you can buy. Your insurer might be able to offer you some solution if you are not sure about the sum insured amount.

Maternity polices come with a waiting period. For instance, you will be able to avail your maternity benefits only after certain time has lapsed. The waiting period can be up to 48 months after purchasing the policy. So, it is important to carefully consider the waiting period of maternity benefits, and purchase the policy accordingly. For instance, if you buy it just a year before starting a family, then you won’t be able to claim any benefits of your maternity cover.

Considerations When Buying Maternity Insurance Plans

If you wish to purchase a maternity insurance plan, it can be helpful for you buy it as part of your family health coverage.

• Many insurance companies offer discounts if more members are covered under the same family policy. Such offers are often available for policies with lengthy tenures. You can use savings from the discounts to purchase additional covers as per your requirement.
• Family health policies also offer many general benefits that you can utilize for any member of the family covered under the plan. For instance, many companies offer no restrictions on hospital room rent, offer a wide range in terms of sum insured, and have no age restriction as well. You might be able to claim some of these benefits for the expectant mother. Make sure you inquire about using the benefits under the family health plans for the maternity cover at the time of buying the policy.
• If you are planning to start a family within the next 4-5 years, you can purchase a health plan with many different benefits. By the time you are ready to start a family, the waiting period for maternity insurance will also lapse. This way you will be able to enjoy general as well as maternity benefits included in the family health plan. In fact, you should buy the maternity cover as soon as you are clear about the time frame of starting a family. More importantly, if you bought the maternity cover along with your health plan from the very start, you won’t need to worry about not being ready in case you need to avail of the policy unexpectedly.
• Another important consideration when purchasing maternity insurance is to choose a company with a wide network of hospitals. If the insurance company offers cashless options for their entire network, it is even better for maternity plans. Availability of a large network of hospitals is essential for expectant mothers in case of an emergency. You should be able to seek medical assistance anywhere without having to worry about the level of care or travelling long distances to reach a network hospital. Such situations are not ideal for the expectant mother.
• Choose a company with excellent customer service too. In case of an emergency situation, the expectant mother or her family should be able to reach a customer service executive easily in order to clarify any details of the insurance plan without delay.  

When it comes to maternity insurance plans, it is better to choose a company that offers reliable and hassle-free services both before and after purchasing the policy.