India: health insurance and mobile data rolled into one

According to local news reports, Indian-based medical insurance provider Aditya Birla Health Insurance (ABHI) and telecoms operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) have partnered to provide customers that purchase Combo prepaid recharge packs for their mobile phones (which include 500 SMS messages for 28 days, 1.5GB daily data and unlimited calls) with health insurance.

The combo packs come in two separate options, which are detailed on the Vi website. Vi explains that the medical coverage limit of both the ₹51 (US$0.7) option and the ₹301 ($4.14) option are the same: both include a limit of ₹1,000 ($13) per day for hospitalisation and double payout of ₹2,000 ($28) per day for ICU hospitalisation; claim ability up to a maximum 10 days at a time for hospitalistion, with a 30-days policy limit per year; and claims can begin from day one of coverage. The differences in each relate to the amount of gigabytes of mobile data, and call time, available.

Medical coverage

In its terms and conditions, Vi notes that policyholders must be in ‘sound health’ and are not ‘engaged in any occupation with exposure to hazardous materials or that is considered high risk’.

The partnership claims that the medical benefits (called ‘Vi Hospicare’), which are available to customers between the ages of 18 and 55, are applicable for all major hospitals, including government hospitals, as well as private allopathy and AYUSH hospitals. Vi added that customers would be able to claim the benefit by showing a scanned copy of their discharge certificate, which will then be verified.

Elsewhere in India, ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company Limited launched its lifetime healthcare plan available to both domestic and global customers. India has been heralded as one of the countries with the highest insurance potential, and where there is an increasing demand for health insurance.