Today, women are breaking the glass ceiling and seeking equality in every aspect of life. However, while they manage to juggle various roles in their personal and professional lives, women tend to neglect their health.

Some of the reasons that this happens is that women might be covered by their husband’s health plan, or their employer’s corporate health plan. However, both family floater plans and group health plans may not be sufficient.

So, in addition to these, women can look into getting a health insurance plan that is made specifically for them and helps to cover common women-specific conditions like pregnancy, reproductive issues, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, etc.

1. Gynaecological Issues

A health insurance tailored for women will be more likely to address all the healthcare problems related to a women’s reproductive system. This includes chronic conditions and ailments like uterine fibroids, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease.

2. Critical Illnesses Coverage

Unfortunately, women are more susceptible than men to a number of critical diseases like cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer, osteoporosis, heart ailments, anaemia, and arthritis. This is likely due to a variety of factors, including genetics and a sedentary lifestyle.

However, since this can lead to higher medical expenses, it is essential that women have critical illness coverage that can help them out in such times of need.

3. Treatment for Cancer

The most common cancers among women are cancer of the breast, followed by cancers of the cervix, ovaries, lung, and stomach. In fact, one in 28 women in India is likely to develop breast cancer during their lifetime.

Given this prevalence, and the fact that if it is detected and treated early, women are more likely to have a higher survival rate, it is important to ensure that your health insurance plan covers the disease and its treatment.

4. Coverage for Diabetes

Cases of diabetes are on the rise in women. One common reason is due to gestational diabetes, which is a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy even in women who did not already have diabetes. While the blood sugar usually returns to normal after the baby is born, having this puts women at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

At least 2% to 10% of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes, and this number will only go up as women choose to have children later in life. Thus, it is important to ensure that your health insurance plan covers diabetes.

5. Increase of Heart-Related Diseases

Women today live stressful lives, meaning that they are more likely than men to be at risk for heart diseases. In fact, three out of five women (around 69% of housewives and 67% of working women) over 35 are at risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Thus, it is very important to get a health plan that covers these issues while you are still young and healthy, so that your premiums will be lower.

6. Hypertension

Hypertension is another very serious issue that is often overlooked in women. Hypertension and high blood pressure have contributed to the deaths of nearly 1.5 million each year in South Asia.

And, in India it is estimated that 20-40% of people in urban areas suffer from hypertension, and can also lead to a number of other complications, especially during pregnancy.

7. Mental Health Coverage

Women are more prone to a number of mental issues like depression, due to the increase of stress and anxiety in their lives.

While the IRDAI has mandated that all medical insurance plans cover treatment of mental illnesses, it is important to look for an insurance that provides adequate coverage for the same. Most mental health covers will look after expenses when you need to be hospitalized. Only a few insurers cover expenses for out-patient care like consultations.

8. Maternity Coverage

With the rising cost of healthcare, pregnancy and motherhood come with heavy medical expenses. Generally, maternity benefits are offered as an add-on cover in an individual or family health insurance. It covers everything from delivery expenses to pregnancy-related complications as well as hospital expenses.

Thus, every woman who plans to have children in the future must ensure that they have this cover, and that it will cover all your required expenses. Try to opt for a policy that also covers extras like infertility treatment, or medically necessary terminations.

9. Newborn Baby Expenses

Another important factor to keep in mind is that health insurance can cover the health care of a woman’s newborn baby (usually up to the first 90 days), which can be a great boon in cases of medical complications, or congenital disabilities.

Often this is included as part of a maternity cover, so be sure to check that you opt for a policy that includes this as well.

10. Annual Health Check-Ups

Many women visit the doctor only when something is already wrong, ignoring smeller signs and symptoms like pain or discomfort thinking that it wasn’t such a big deal.

However, by going for regular annual check-ups can help to monitor overall health and detect any underlying health conditions early on. This can be vital in the case of blood sugar levels to prevent diabetes, mammograms to check for breast cancer, or pap smears to check for cervical cancer.

With these early diagnoses, you will be able to prevent, treat, and cure a number of ailments which can end up saving a ton on future healthcare costs.

There are a number of ways that investing in a health insurance plan designed for women can be beneficial:

• Get coverage beyond a corporate policy – while having a corporate policy can be beneficial, getting an additional cover is also useful. Thus, if you exceed your sum insured amount, there won’t be an adverse effect on your finances. Additionally, if you lose your job, or retire, you will still be covered.
• You will have tax benefits – under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961, when you get a health insurance policy for yourself, spouse, parents or children, you can claim tax benefits and returns.
• It will give you financial independence – when you don’t have to rely on anyone else for your healthcare expenses, it will help lead to financial stability. Additionally, it will also allow you to get the best possible treatment without worrying about the costs.

• Look at different policies – There are many insurance plans available on the market today, so look at different policies and understand the inclusions and exclusions as well as the premium.
• Get the right coverage – Women should look for policies that cover specific critical illnesses like breast cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer along with maternity and infertility coverages.
• Pick the right sum insured – Choose a health insurance policy that allows you to customize your sum insured. It is recommended to have a cover of at least ₹5 lakh, and if possible, a top-up cover of ₹10-20 lakhs.
• An easy claims process – Claims are one of the most important parts of insurance, so look for a company that has an easy claims process, as it can save you a lot of hassle.
• Extra service benefits – Lots of insurance companies also offer a lot of extras benefits, such as 24X7 customer assistance, cashless hospitalization, and more.

It is very important for women to take care of and prioritize their health. Without health insurance, dealing with these issues can lead to financial stress and eat into your savings. Thus, it is important that you look for a health insurance plan that specifically caters to your medical problems. Then it will help to provide you with financial care in times of need.