GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Hill stations are among the most loved destinations for peace-loving and nature-friendly travellers. The sight of hills, lush greenery, and clouds surrounding us amid the freshness and chill of the mountains is always breathtaking. The roads leading to the hills are also ornamented with scenic beauty and visual delights to die for.

However, the roads to the hills are often long and winding and can cause nausea and motion sickness. Our stomach starts to crunch, and our head starts spinning. We start feeling unwell, gloomy, and dull, and the fun soon fades away.

But wait, we've got a fix for this issue! Let us go through some effective tips to deal with nausea due to long winding roads.

1. Eat light
Make sure you eat light food before you start for a long ride up the hills. Avoid dishes with excessive ghee, butter, and oil. You don't have to stuff up until you are full. Take a basic, light meal so that it gets digested easily.

It is also not advisable to skip a meal before such a journey. An empty stomach can disturb you during your journey and trigger motion sickness. However, avoid drinking too much fluid, such as milk or fruit juice, before you start.

2. Take the front seat
Take the front seat while you travel on long winding roads if you are prone to nausea and motion sickness. You will look straight at the road in front of you while sitting in the front seat and not just focus on the steepness of the hills and the zipping scenery on your sides.

Also, you will have the door handle to hold, which can be comforting. You will be in control of yourself, and your body will not flip with every turn your car takes, helping you to avoid motion sickness and nausea.

3. Talk and distract yourself
Nausea and motion sickness often come when we continuously think about it due to fear and concern. One of the best cures for it is to indulge in constant talking and chit-chatting with your fellow passengers. It will keep you busy and distracted and take your attention away from the treacherous and winding roads.

Play good music in the car to keep your mind engaged and jovial. Do anything that makes you forget about the journey uphill on the winding roads, and you will triumph.

4. Fresh air
Make sure your car is well-ventilated on long, winding roads. Roll down your windows every now and then and allow fresh air to come in. It will take care of your nausea. Do not rely much on your car AC. It will not allow the stench to pass if someone has already puked, making you feel worse.

5. Medication

There are several medicines available in the market that help to reduce nausea. Take it before you start your journey, and it will block your urge to vomit. These medicines also contain sedatives that will help you to doze off during your journey and help you to tackle motion sickness and nausea.

The only way to reach the highest of hill stations is to take that terrifying journey across the long, winding roads, as no train or flight will take you there. Hence, follow the above tips if you are prone to nausea and motion sickness during such journeys, and you should do well.

It is equally important to buy good car insurance that will protect you from financial trouble if your car meets with an accident, suffers any damage, or worse, is stolen during such a trip. Do your research well, and choose the best car insurance that meets your requirements and comes at the best price tag. Safeguarding your car is paramount. Thoroughly research before making a final purchase.

Click HERE to find a reliable car insurance 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.

Inflation is a consistent and significant rise in the prices of goods and services over a long period in an economy. As the prices of goods in our consumption basket rise with time, so do our homes' construction and repair costs.

Inflation may also affect your home insurance policy in the event of a disaster. Besides the regular increase in raw materials prices, the labour cost also increases with time. Hence, we may find our house underinsured when making a claim. Our house insurance India policy should be adjusted according to the current construction costs at regular intervals.

1. Effect of inflation
While issuing a home insurance policy, insurance companies assess the probable cost required to rebuild a house. This is based on several assumptions. But they cannot consider the effect of inflation on the rebuilding cost in the coming years. It is a thing of the future and is uncertain.

Suppose your home insurance policy issuer has estimated the cost of rebuilding your house at 15 lakhs rupees in 2015 and provides coverage accordingly. By the time we enter 2023, the cost of rebuilding the same house has shot up to 30 lakhs rupees. This is because of the rise in building prices, construction materials, and labour wages over the years.

If your home insurance policy is not adjusted for inflation and your complete house is destroyed, you will get a reimbursement of only 15 lakh rupees from the insurance company. You must pay the remaining 15 lakh rupees for reconstruction from your pocket. This will prove very costly and cause mental and financial stress at the time of claim settlement.

2. Inflation rider
You should always add an inflation rider or inflation guard clause to your home insurance policy. With this rider, the insurance company will automatically adjust your policy's coverage limit, which is a fair reflection of the current cost of construction at the time of renewal. Thus, your home insurance coverage limit will grow with time and take into account the effect of inflation.

You will not be underinsured anymore and will be reimbursed in full according to the current cost of reconstruction if any mishap occurs.

3. Cost of inflation rider
Insurance companies increase the annual premium of your house insurance India policy when you add the insurance rider to it. However, this rise is usually lesser than the rate of inflation.

Hence, you should always opt for an inflation rider, even if you have to pay an extra premium. This will give you peace of mind and prevent you from suffering any significant financial losses later.

4. Exclusions
The inflation rider will not consider any value addition to your house because of renovations and other improvements. You have to first inform the insurance company about any such value additions to enhance your policy coverage. For such cases, the insurance company may increase the annual premium of your house insurance India policy.

Inflation is a persistent problem in any economy across the globe, and you need to take care of it. It can result in a sharp increase in the cost of restoration and renovation of your house in the event of a disaster.

Hence, you should be cautious about it from the start and regularly review your house insurance India policy. You can estimate the replacement costs, inform the insurance company, and purchase an insurance rider. This will come at a slightly increased premium, but it is absolutely worth it and will give you complete peace of mind.

Click HERE to buy house insurance 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.

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and medical emergencies are among them. And the rising healthcare costs in India make a health insurance policy obligatory.

However, with so many alternatives available, selecting an insurance policy that fits the needs of people having pre-existing diseases cannot be easy.

What does pre-existing illness mean?

Pre-existing illness refers to the medical conditions the insured has before investing in a health insurance plan. A few examples of pre-existing illnesses include diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, cancer, etc. The insured must be transparent about all pre-existing health conditions with the insurance provider while purchasing the policy.

Here's a quick breakdown of the factors to consider when purchasing the best health insurance policy for you and your family considering pre-existing conditions.

1. Inclusions of the plan:
Selecting a policy that covers everything under the sun is unwise. It is always better to choose specific features. Further, you must also check what is or isn't covered by the insurance company if you need to file a claim with pre-existing health conditions.

2. All necessary costs to consider:
It is always best to control the price of your health insurance premium. You wouldn't want the cost of your medical bills to spiral out of control. Remember that you need hospitalisation coverage as well as outpatient coverage to get better benefits in the long run. People with pre-existing conditions need to consider the policy that addresses insurance benefits for such features.

3. Taking health insurance at the earliest:
Some people think they will get a health policy when they reach their fifties or sixties. However, this is a dangerous assumption. Going in for health insurance at a younger age can help you save substantially on the premium because insurers are often more willing to offer discounts to young and healthy individuals.

4. The waiting period:
The waiting period is an essential feature of your health insurance policy. You should check whether the company offers any waiting period and, if there is one, how long it is. Typically, you must pay a waiting period, and your insurer will reimburse you.
Insurance providers don't easily offer health coverage to people with pre-existing illnesses. The waiting period for pre-existing diseases ranges between 2 to 4 years. You can avail of the pre-existing diseases coverage after 48 months from the diagnosis of your pre-existing illness. You need to verify your insurance provider's terms and conditions to make claims during the waiting period.

5. Exclusions of the plan:
While selecting a health insurance policy, it is essential to understand the exclusion clause of the plan. This clause is applicable only in specific circumstances, and you must be certain of it before signing up for the policy. Some common exclusions include having health issues caused by excess weight.
Further, ensure you know of any service exclusions under any particular policy. For instance, if you require a specific type of care, it may not be covered under the plan. Sometimes, it is better to go for a higher-tiered plan to get above-the-line coverage to avoid such complications.

6. Hospitalisation coverage:
In addition to medical and diagnostic care, you need hospitalisation or short-term coverage. It is crucial because adverse effects of pre-existing diseases can make you visit the hospital. It would be best if your plan provides coverage for these needs.

You now know that the pre-existing condition clause is an aspect you must check before selecting a health insurance policy. It states whether the insurer will cover your medical expenses if you are diagnosed with a pre-existing condition in the future. It is crucial to research this clause thoroughly before opting for the plan. However, the most important thing is to invest in reliable health insurance because it provides financial security in medical emergencies for you and your family.

Click HERE to buy the best health insurance to deal with pre-existing diseases.

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.

If you want to do something good for humanity, you do not have to deal with arduous tasks. You can reach a blood donation camp and donate your blood. A drop of your blood can be life-saving for others. A report claims that India requires five crore units of blood daily. The same report also reflects that someone requires blood every two seconds.

Since there is no substitute for human blood, donating it is essential for everyone and the only option. Nevertheless, blood donation has a few surprising physical benefits, which we will cover further as this blog progresses. Staying fit is not an illusion. One can achieve and manage it by indulging in regular exercise, a proper diet, and sound sleep. Along with occasional blood donation, every health-conscious person should focus on health insurance policy renewal.

In the following section, find some surprising health benefits of donating blood.

1. A free health screening:
Blood donation ensures a free health screening for the donors. Routine tests have become costly in private laboratories in India. As a result, people do not undergo frequent health check-ups to save money. Not doing this can lead to non-identification with various complex diseases. Diagnosing such diseases early can help in better management and quicker treatment.
A blood donor undergoes a mini-physical examination before the donation process. For example, the screening test includes checking pulse, haemoglobin level, blood pressure, body temperature, etc. The screening test is free, and the test helps to know a few physical complications that were not known to you earlier.

2. Reduce the harmful iron storage in your body:
According to research, one out of two people are vulnerable to hemochromatosis, a physical condition due to iron overload. Most of the time, it is a genetic disease, but you can prevent it from happening by giving blood regularly.
Hemochromatosis patients need to undergo a treatment that removes additional red blood cells from their bodies. Instead of undergoing such a treatment, you can easily reduce iron storage by donating your blood regularly.

3. Reduce the risk of heart diseases:
Donating blood might lower the chance of heart disease, but it doesn't mean that regular blood donors will never get heart disease. According to the studies, a regular blood donor can reduce heart attacks by 80% through blood donation. Various medical research teams have noted that excessive iron in the blood increases the risk of heart attacks. As stated above, donating blood reduces excessive iron storage in your blood.
As a result, donating blood can prevent the risk of heart attacks. But it doesn't give you any guarantees this way, and you still need to stick to your workout and diet plans to avoid heart attacks. People with good heart conditions can obtain low-cost health insurance policy renewal deals.

4. Prevent the risk of cancer:
Cancer is one of the diseases that are fatal and difficult to deal with. A large number of people develop blood cancer. But did you know that you can reduce the risk of blood cancer to some extent through regular blood donation?
Various studies have revealed that blood donation can reduce the risk of blood cancer since it reduces the risk of hemochromatosis. Patients with the peripheral arterial disease have the highest risk of developing blood cancer, and donating blood regularly can lower this risk.

5. Psychological and social benefits:
Many researchers have also found psychological benefits of donating blood. Donating blood is a noble thing, and it can bring mental satisfaction. Many people want to work in favour of humanity, but they cannot find ways of helping others. Donating blood is the best way of helping others, as it can save a life in an emergency.

Keeping the body and mind healthy is the best way of living, and blood donation impacts both body and mind. You will feel healthier and mentally happy after donating blood. You should consider various other ways to keep your health in good shape. One way to do so is by investing in reliable health insurance. Always remain up-to-date regarding the health insurance policy renewal and avoid it from lapsing.

Click HERE before you miss out on your health insurance policy renewal.

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.