GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

India is known to be a country full of diehard sports enthusiasts. Indians have a massive fanbase for cricket, badminton, tennis, and hockey players, to name a few. Over the years, as interest in sports has picked up, so has the interest in participation. While our international representation in renowned championships has grown, so has the focus on sports in schools. Presently, there are several opportunities for people of varying ages to explore various sports at their convenience and budgets.

One common risk in most sports is the occurrence of accidents. While sports require a certain level of competitive spirit and fierceness, it must be done carefully to avoid injuries. Be it minor or significant- an accident can alter a sports person's life and future opportunities. Besides the fun and excitement, safety is the most crucial aspect of sports.

Since accidents can occur to people involved in sports, purchasing a personal accident cover is advisable. In addition to it, sports players should put in extra effort to find the best personal accident policy in India to cover any costs allied with accidental injuries or death.

What is covered under personal accident insurance?

A personal accident policy covers medical costs that arise due to accidents. Accidents in sports are inevitable and often result in high medical expenditure. Purchasing a plan that covers the cost of hospitalisation and compensates the insured or the legal heirs in case of partial or permanent disabilities is prudent. While the formerly stated patients receive periodic pay-outs, the policyholder's family who dies due to an accident is entitled to a lump sum payment.

It also covers medical bills for frequent accidents like burns and fractures, legal processing, funeral, and child education expenses if opted for as an add-on to the policy.

Insurance policies have evolved over the years to include injuries occurring due to sports, except for adventure sports, which have more significant risks and mortalities. Upon closer observation of the fine print of the best personal accident policy in India, you may find that participating in any dangerous sports activity is not covered under the policy. Therefore, sportspersons need to raise questions and get clarity regarding what is included and what is not in their accident cover to ensure that their claims do not get rejected.

The need for sports players to purchase personal accident insurance:

With the increasing interest in sports over the years, especially after the pandemic, more people are inclined towards pursuing sports as a fitness hobby or career. Being fit is the new trend, and the easiest way to do so is by engaging in a sport you like as a hobby. Whether you are a newbie to the activity or an experienced athlete, the risk of accidents is ubiquitous for all sports persons engaging in strenuous sports

Since accidents come unannounced, sports enthusiasts must research and find the best personal accident policy in India to derive the most significant benefit. If selected right, there are several benefits of an accident insurance policy. It provides coverage against any liabilities arising from the accident in the form of hospitalisation costs and loss of income for a stipulated period. It may even cover your children's education fees if provided. A key feature is the provision of compensation for disabilities, in which case the insured is entitled to receive a lump sum amount.

Therefore, with due diligence, sports persons can easily discover the best personal accident policy in India to cover potential accidents and compensate them or their families for damages arising from such accidents. Injuries are a part of the journey of a sportsperson. Rather than running away, they must face it and conquer every fall to achieve success one day!

Click HERE to buy the best personal accident policy in India.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Winter brings with it a change that most people welcome. The cold temperatures and delightful food choices make it a pleasant period of the year. Despite the enjoyable climate that makes one seek warmth and comfort from cosy cafes and piping hot winter delicacies, it is a time that you must watch out for health issues.

The drop in temperatures and shortened daylight leads to frequent sickness. In such times, taking good care of your well-being and purchasing a health insurance policy is key to saving on medical costs that may arise due to contingent illnesses. If not taken good care of, health in winter can take a toll and become frustrating due to the uninvited expenses.

While maintaining good health, purchasing or renewing health insurance online is the most important tip for preparing for a healthy winter. Here are a few tips you can follow throughout the upcoming winter months to stay fit while enjoying the season the most!

1. Practising good hygiene:
While this may seem like a no-brainer, good hygiene is the easiest way to prevent catching even the most insignificant cold. The low temperatures and damp environment facilitate microbial growth that can lead to compromised immunity, leading to falling sick often. Wash your hands regularly, especially when you visit public spaces and restaurants, use public transport services and washrooms, etc.

2. Focus on your food intake:
Healthy food has been considered preventive medicine and fuel for one's body, especially in the Indian culture. We usually emphasise immunity-boosting foods like ginger, turmeric, etc. Coupled with fresh produce, these foods rich in vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C are sure to reduce your susceptibility to illness during the cold months.

3. Stay active:
Bundling up in your most comfortable blanket with a hot beverage to combat the cold is highly tempting. While your food choices can provide you with most of the required nutrients to keep you healthy throughout the season, some requirements, like Vitamin D, can only be supplied by exposing yourself to sunlight. Even a short walk in the early morning will improve your mood and keep you active and warm.

4. Ensure adequate sleep:
Sleep is an essential factor that is often overlooked when discussing health. It not only helps fight tiredness and stress but also allows you to wake up refreshed and ready to take on another day with new energy. Adults require a minimum of 7 hours of sleep daily. Provide your body with enough rest to recover and rejuvenate to ensure that it can function effectively and keep you healthy.

5. Dress appropriately:
In recent times, it has been noticed that winters aren't as chilly as they used to be. While present temperatures are noticeably less cold than previous trends, it is still necessary to keep yourself warm. Sometimes, our body does not recognise a cold draft, and staying exposed to it without enough clothing is bound to result in health issues.
In these situations where the weather doesn't warrant wearing heavy winter wear, simply layer on a few lightweight fabrics. These will keep you warm against a slight chill without being too heavy.

6. Quit smoking:
For smokers, foggy winter mornings may seem like an invitation to smoke to keep themselves warm. Smoking suppresses the immune system's normal functioning, which puts smokers at greater risk of falling ill in winter. It is best to quit smoking early and keep chest and lung-related problems at bay.

The cold climate makes one feel lazy and dull, but take the time to keep yourself in the best shape possible. Engage in light exercise daily, dress warm and ensure that you consume fresh food that will boost your immunity. While these tips can help prevent diseases, we encourage you to check your health insurance and purchase or renew health insurance online with just a few clicks so that winter doesn't get harsh on you!

Click HERE to renew health insurance online.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Critical illness insurance covers serious health conditions that require expensive and long treatment. Such illnesses include cancer, paralysis, stroke, organ transplant, heart attack, coma, etc. The treatment for these illnesses can drain your savings and negatively impact your financial condition.

The recovery is time-consuming, beginning from the detection phase to a myriad of medical tests to surgery and then gradually returning to normalcy. All this will cost us much more than any normal health insurance coverage. This creates the need to have dedicated insurance cover for critical illnesses that are affordable and provide robust protection.

Let us look at the best tips for affordable health insurance plans for critical illness.

1. Comprehensive critical illness insurance policy:
A comprehensive critical illness insurance policy gives us a lump sum amount after we submit the required documents to the insurance company. You can use this sum to pay for the treatment cost, including diagnosis, hospitalisation, any surgery in the process, and the doctor's fees. The sum assured under such policy is fixed. Hence, you can plan your insurance coverage as per your specific needs.

2. Buy it as a rider:
You can buy a critical illness insurance policy as a rider to your existing health insurance policy. Hence you will not need to buy a new insurance policy to get this cover. Also, try to get this additional coverage in the health insurance policy provided by your employer to save money.

3. Low cost:
A critical illness insurance policy does not cost us a very high premium. The premium for such policies is much less than that for your regular health insurance. However, these covers provide us protection only for specific situations. Hence, they should never be used as a substitute for your regular health insurance policies.

4. Compare the premium charged:
Always compare the premium charged for critical illness insurance policies of different companies and select the most affordable one. You can do a detailed online search instead of visiting every insurance company's offices individually.

5. Check for the exact inclusions:
Always check the features and the exact inclusions of the policy because they may vary with every insurance company. Do thorough research and list what the policy does not cover. For example, your policy may state that it covers cancer. But it may also be mentioned in the fine print that it will provide a cover for cancer only after it reaches a certain level of severity.

6. Waiting period:
Look for a policy with the least waiting period. Usually, you can raise a claim for a critical illness after 90 days from the date of commencement of your policy. If you have a pre-existing major disease, the cover may start as late as 48 months from the commencement of the policy.

7. Age limit and benefits:
Always ensure the age limit until your policy provides you with insurance coverage. This will be helpful to you when you cross 60 years of age. There are some companies that provide a lifelong cover. Hence, it is advisable to choose such plans. Also, you should assess the benefits of your policy, such as NCB (No-claim bonus), in case you do not make any claim in a year.

Critical illnesses can result in the loss of your job, partial or permanent disability, and leave you with no source of income. The high cost of treatment can result in draining your pockets as the coverage provided by standard health insurance policies is insufficient for such misfortunes. The solution is to go for the best critical illness insurance policy available. The above tips can help you to choose the most affordable health insurance plans for critical illness upon which you can rely in times of actual need.

Click HERE to buy the best affordable health insurance plans in India.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Learning a new skill and mastering it can be challenging and time taking. The same applies to car driving. Beginners first need to understand the various functionalities of a car. Then they take time to build and sharpen their road sense. Furthermore, they need to constantly practice to hone their driving skills.

However, driving on a single road can be a new game for many. Beginners will especially face challenges adjusting themselves to the single road. If you are a novice driver and wish to learn the tips to drive efficiently on a single-lane road, here's our guide to help you get started.

1. Acquaint yourself with the car:
The first thing any beginner should do is thoroughly acquaint himself with his car and its features. Cars have different gear patterns, and the responsiveness of the clutch and brakes also differ from one car to another.
Single roads usually have much heavier traffic than double-lane roads. A beginner should understand how his car responds with the press of the accelerator, brake, and clutch. Applying all three must happen in a rhythm. This understanding is essential to help beginners drive and maneuver their cars effectively through the traffic and potholes on single roads.

2. Traffic rules and road signals:
A beginner should familiarise himself with the prevalent traffic rules. This will help you save money by way of fines and penalties. You should also be familiar with the different signals and signboards put along the roads and indications used by other drivers. If speed breakers are approaching, you should lower your car's speed by seeing the board of "speed breakers ahead" on the roadsides.
Also, you should know that if a vehicle approaching you on a single road is flickering its headlights, it means that the driver wants to pass first. These factors will avoid unnecessary traffic jams, inconvenience, and the possibility of an accident.

3. Correct seating position:
You should adjust your driving seat according to your height and comfort. You should be in a comfortable position to easily access the car's pedals. Also, the seating position should help you maintain good posture so that you do not develop strains or backaches while driving through the busy single lane.

4. Slow speeds:
As a beginner, you should avoid driving fast or carelessly. Slow driving on a single road will ensure you fully control the car. Generally, the traffic in peak hours on a single lane is heavy, so drive with caution. Always Keep your eyes peeled to help you reach your destination safely.

5. Maintain safe distance:
Maintaining a safe distance from the car or vehicle in front while driving on a single road is essential. Due to the heavy traffic, vehicles brake suddenly on such roads. There will be no space to swerve and change lanes on a single road. Hence, the chances of an accident increase.

6. Take a double-lane road where possible:
As a beginner, you should always look for an alternative way to reach your destination by taking double-lane roads wherever possible, even if you have to cover a few extra kilometres.

7. Avoid driving at night:
Beginners should avoid taking a single road at night unless it is very necessary. This is so because the beam light of the car coming from the opposite direction often makes it difficult for beginners to see clearly. This problem is more severe on single roads as the space between cars is very less.

Summing up the entire discussion, we conclude that beginners should tread with extra caution while driving on single roads in India. People tend to drive as closely as possible to other vehicles in traffic, which can be troublesome for beginners. Fret not! Follow the above tips and be confident in your driving skills, practice traffic rules, and maintain lane discipline.

It is also essential for you to have valid car insurance as it is mandatory by law. Secondly, a good car insurance India plan will protect you against any possible damage while driving and compensate you for the repair and maintenance of your car.

Click HERE to buy a reliable car insurance India policy.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.