A critical illness rider is an optional add-on feature that can be bought to compliment the life insurance policy.

Avail a crucial additional cover for a nominal additional premium.

The recent Global Burden of Disease (GBD) studies show that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths in India. These diseases include ischemic heart disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and stroke.

Treatment for all of these critical illnesses is very expensive. While basic health insurance policies do cover these illnesses, the sum assured they offer is highly inadequate. For example, most health insurance policies offer a sum assured of 2 to 5 lakhs (family floater), while the treatment for ischemic stroke itself amounts to 6 lakhs. Here, traditional life insurance policies are also of little help because they grant the sum assured upon the demise of the insured.

This is where the critical illness rider is useful.

What is a Critical Illness Rider?

A critical illness rider is an optional add-on feature that can be bought to compliment the life insurance policy. It ensures that a lump sum (Sum Assured) is paid to the policyholder if he or she is diagnosed with any of the critical illnesses specified -inthe policy. Once the payout is made, the rider terminates while the life cover under the Base Plan and other riders (if any) continue.

What are the illnesses covered under the Critical Illness Rider?

Each insurance company covers a different array of illnesses under this rider. However, the critical illness rider typically covers:
  • Cancer
  • Open Chest CABG
  • First Heart Attack
  • Stroke
  • Some companies also offer special Women Critical Illness riders.
What are the conditions of the Critical Illness Rider?

Although the critical illness rider covers the specified illnesses completely, there are a few scenarios where claims are rejected. Generally:
  • The rider does not cover pre-existing or hereditary conditions
  • Claims can be made only if the illness is diagnosed after the waiting period
  • Claim is paid only if the insured survives a specified time frame after diagnosis of illness
What are the types of critical illness riders available?

Core/ Non-Accelerated Critical Illness Benefit

Here, the sum assured under the critical illness cover is independent of the death benefit. The benefit paid by the rider does not affect the death benefit of the life insurance policy. Accelerated Critical Illness Benefit Under this kind of critical illness rider, the benefits paid can reduce the death benefit of the base policy.
 
Top | Back
 
  Please do not reply back to this mail. This is sent from an unattended mail box.
Please mark all your queries / responses to webmaster@dreamzunlimited.org
 
  Information provided on this newsletter has been independently obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, such information may include inaccuracies, errors or omissions. dreamzunlimited.org and its affiliates, information providers or content providers, shall have no liability to you or third parties for the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or correct sequencing of information available on this newsletter, or for any decision made or action taken by you in reliance upon such information, or for the delay or interruption of such information. dreamzunlimited.org, its affiliates, information providers and content providers shall have no liability for investment decisions or other actions taken or made by you based on the information provided on this newsletter.