What is a Waiting Period?

Health insurance plans have waiting period, which is the prohibited time period where in you cannot claim certain benefits under your plan during that time frame. Different insurers have different waiting periods for different benefits. Most common ones are

Initial Waiting Period: Where in post taking a policy there is a waiting period clause ranging from 30 to 90 days (as per different insurers). Any claim against your health insurance policy will not be admissible except for the hospitalization expenses due to an unforeseen accident. Such waiting period refrains the person from taking undue advantage from their health insurance as people might take the health insurance immediately post being diagnosed with any illness or disease.

2 Year Waiting Period: During this period some medical treatments will not be covered. Most common treatments that do not get covered in the first 2 years from the date of policy inception are Cataract operation, ENT disorders, hernia, osteoporosis, etc. for which health policies normally have one or two years of waiting period.

Pre existing Conditions: There are waiting periods ranging from 2 years to 4 years in the health plans regarding the medical condition which you had before taking the plan.

Maternity Benefit: The waiting period to get child birth related expenses covered ranges from 9 months to 48 months.

It is imperative to check all the waiting periods and opt the health plans offering minimal waiting periods.