Are you planning to have a baby? Congratulations! In many ways, this is akin to unlocking the next level in a game. But life isn’t a game, and pregnancy and childbirth aren’t things to be taken lightly. In a world where uncertainty is the reality, all we can do is reduce the uncertainty to the best of our ability. So what can you do instead? A safety net would be nice, and we can only offer you maternity health insurance .

What is Maternity Health Insurance?

Maternity insurance is a type of health insurance specifically designed to cover expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth. It's a crucial financial safety net for expecting mothers, providing a sense of relief and peace of mind. The costs associated with pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care can be substantial, but with maternity insurance, you can navigate these expenses with confidence. Pregnancy is one of the significant life experiences that people look back on, and you want it to go as well as expected. Maternity insurance makes this a reality.

Of course, nobody wants to think about complications during pregnancy, but it's an unfortunate reality. It needs to be considered. There are generally various premium price points. However, getting a policy with sufficient coverage is advisable to ensure you are protected against any eventualities.

It's also generally advisable to buy maternity insurance before getting pregnant. Many policies have a waiting period before maternity benefits kick in. If you approach insurance companies after getting pregnant, they often consider it to fall under the “pre-existing conditions” category and exclude it from the policy. So, buying it early ensures you're covered when you need it, and it's a proactive step towards a prepared and secure future.

Features to Look for in the Best Maternity Plans

Here are some everyday things that the best maternity health insurance policies cover:

• Prenatal care: doctor's visits, tests, ultrasounds, and other related expenses.
• Delivery expenses include hospital charges, doctor's fees, and anaesthesia for both normal and C-section deliveries.
• Post-natal care: mother's hospitalisation, medication, and recovery expenses.
• Newborn baby care: coverage for the newborn's initial health checkups and vaccination expenses.
• Global coverage: There are also maternity insurance policies that provide international coverage. If you need to deliver the baby outside India due to an unforeseen circumstance, you can be covered.

Benefits of Maternity Coverage

There are various reasons why you need it; here are a few for you to consider:

Financial Protection During Pregnancy

Pregnancy usually involves multiple consultations, tests, and medicines. Without insurance, these recurring costs can strain a monthly budget. Maternity health insurance spreads these expenses over the policy term and protects savings.

Key ways maternity cover supports you:

• Covers routine antenatal consultations and follow-up visits as per policy terms
• Includes diagnostic tests such as scans, blood tests, and screening advised by the gynaecologist
• Provides cover for prescribed medicines and supplements, where included
• Extends pre- and post-hospitalization benefits for a defined number of days around delivery

Maternity insurance also reduces the impact of unexpected issues, such as the need for extra monitoring or short hospital stays during pregnancy, if these are covered under the policy. 

Hospitalization and Delivery Costs

Delivery expenses are usually the largest single cost in maternity care. Charges differ by city, hospital type, and whether the delivery is normal or a caesarean section. A maternity health plan helps manage these costs within the chosen sum insured and sub-limits.

Typical cost components that maternity cover may include are:

• Room rent and nursing charges for the mother during hospital stay
• Operation theatre, obstetrician, and anaesthetist fees for normal or C-section delivery
• Medicines, consumables, and diagnostic tests done during hospitalization
• Professional fees for paediatrician’s first visit to examine the newborn
• Ambulance charges, if specified in the policy
• Pre- and post-hospitalization expenses for a defined period, such as 30 days before and 60 days after delivery, depending on product design

Policies often have a separate cap on maternity claims (for example, a fixed amount within the overall sum insured). It is important to check:

• Whether the limit is adequate for hospitals you prefer
• If different limits apply for normal and C-section deliveries
• Any restrictions on the number of maternity claims allowed (often up to two deliveries during the policy term or lifetime, subject to product rules)

How to Choose the Right Maternity Health Plan

There is risk associated with almost everything in life. You can choose to invest in your risk appetite. But in life, specifically maternity, you don’t have that choice. When you decide to have a child, you must safeguard the process to the best of your ability. Here’s what to consider while choosing a maternity health plan:

• Waiting period: The time you need to wait before claiming maternity benefits. This can differ from policy to policy, from 9 months to 6 years. Getting this policy before you get pregnant is advisable to ensure that you are adequately covered for the duration of your pregnancy.
• Sum insured: The maximum amount covered by the policy.
• Coverage for pre-existing diseases: Some policies may exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing diseases refer to diseases a person may have had before taking the policy, including significant illnesses. Generally, not many pregnancy-related factors may be considered pre-existing illnesses, specifically, if this is your first pregnancy. But if you have any other underlying health issues that could be regarded as that, then you need to consider that as a factor for your policy.
• Network hospitals: Check if your preferred hospitals are in the insurer's network. Maternity doesn’t always follow the prescribed timelines. If a delivery has to be done suddenly, you may have a preferred hospital close to your stay. Ensuring that they are in the network of hospitals for your policy is a good practice. A cashless facility in this hospital would be an additional factor that could simplify this.
• Eligibility criteria for age: There can be an agelimit for the maximum age covered under this policy. This can be a concern if you are an older person looking to get covered by this policy.
• Add-on covers: Not all maternity insurance policies are the same. Some policies offer additional covers like maternity complications, birthing classes, newborn baby care, and paternity benefits. Choose the add-ons that work best for your needs.

Documents Required To Raise a Maternity Insurance Claim

Some of these documents can include:

• Discharge summary
• Duly filled out insurance claim forms
• Original hospital bills
• Doctor consultation bills
• Policy documents
• KYC documents
• Passport-size photos

Insurance for pregnancy helps protect you against known and unknown challenges. It makes an already arduous process smoother. Most maternity insurance policies give you coverage for up to 2 pregnancies, so check if that is a part of your plan. It helps ensure that you can focus on the pregnancy and the prospect of motherhood rather than the potential challenges, including unforeseen financial expenditure.

Waiting Period and Eligibility Criteria

If you are wondering how to choose a health insurance plan for pregnancy , here are things you may want to see included in your policy:

• Routine or Elective Caesarean: It covers whichever of the two options you may choose to bring your baby into the world, whether you opt for a natural birth or a cesarean section.
• Ambulance Charges: If you need an ambulance in an emergency, it is a good idea to ensure this is included in your policy.
• Complicated Pregnancy: Covers medical expenses arising during pregnancy or childbirth. These can require obstetric procedures and postnatal check-ups up to 6 weeks after birth. In case the complications get worse and it becomes medically necessary to terminate the foetus, some policies also cover that in up to 2 instances.
• Pre & Postnatal Care: This covers up to 6 weeks' costs, prescribed prenatal vitamins, and associated delivery costs.
• New Born Cover : Covers medical expenses towards treatment of the newborn until discharge or the number of days specified.
• Maternity Assistance and Midwife Charges, as applicable
• Birthing classes charge if you would like to go in for them.
• Online application process: You should be able to buy your policy online and have the process ideally fulfilled paperlessly in case of any claims. The best maternity insurance companies tend to allow this option.
• No claim bonus: You can benefit from the cumulative no claim bonus in the years considered ‘claim-free’.

Many of the components of the list above are included in the policy or can be included as potential add-ons. So, you can customise your policy to meet your requirements by choosing some or all of the components above.

These are some of the things that are generally considered ‘exclusions’ for maternity insurance:

• Any expenses that arise before the waiting period is over
• Pre-existing diseases affecting pregnancy
• Sterility and fertility treatments, if any
• Cosmetic procedures involved, if any

Conclusion

Maternity insurance ensures that you can focus on your health and your baby's well-being without worrying about the financial burden. You can choose Manipal Cigna Health Insurance for maternity health insurance . Manipal Cigna Health Insurance gives you various options in their ProHealth category to ensure that you select the perfect combination for the latest addition to your life. You can choose their ProHealth Plus , ProHealth Preferred, or ProHealth Premier, per your budget and specific add-on requirements for optimal coverage. You can add a ‘reduction in maternity waiting’ or the time after you are covered for maternity, maternity expenses as per your desired coverage, and many more choices. Your baby deserves the best, so choose the best maternity insurance .

FAQs

Which is the best maternity health plan in India?

There is no single “best” plan for everyone. Compare IRDAI-registered insurers on key points: maternity waiting period, maternity sub-limit, newborn coverage, room-rent rules, and hospital network near you. The most suitable plan is the one that fits your budget and expected delivery costs.

When should I buy maternity insurance?

Buy maternity insurance before conceiving, ideally several months or years in advance. Most plans have waiting periods ranging from about 9 to 48 months for maternity benefits. Choose a policy whose waiting period you can comfortably complete before planning a pregnancy.

Does it cover C-section deliveries?

Most maternity health plans that include delivery benefits cover both normal and caesarean deliveries, subject to the maternity sub-limit and overall sum insured. Coverage usually includes hospital stay, surgeon and anaesthetist fees, and theatre charges. Always check the policy wording for any caps, exclusions, or non-payable items.