Critical illnesses such as cancer, heart attacks or organ failure strike unexpectedly and the cost of treatment can be crippling. A standard health‑insurance policy pays for hospital bills but may not cover the additional expenses that accompany long‑term recovery or loss of income. ManipalCigna’s Lifestyle Protection – Critical Care plan is designed to provide a financial cushion during such crises.
What Is the ManipalCigna Lifestyle Protection – Critical Care Plan?
Overview of the Plan
The Lifestyle Protection – Critical Care plan is a lump‑sum benefit policy that pays out on diagnosis of a covered critical illness. It supplements your existing health insurance rather than replacing it. The plan comes in two variants—Critical Care Basic and Critical Care Enhanced—with sum insured options ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹25 crore. You can choose a sum insured up to ten times your annual income, and each family member is eligible for a proportion of that amount under a family‑floater policy.
Why Critical Care Coverage Matters Today
Modern medicine saves more lives than ever, but the financial side of a serious illness can hit just as hard as the disease itself. Hospital bills, long treatment cycles, rehab, specialist visits and weeks—or months—away from work can drain savings quickly. A normal health-insurance plan often isn’t built for that level of expense.
Critical-illness cover fills that gap. It gives you a fixed lump-sum payout the moment a listed illness is diagnosed. You can use that money wherever the pressure is highest—whether it’s surgery, home care, medicines, EMIs, rent or simply keeping your household running while you take time to heal. Serious illness turns life upside down, and the last thing you should worry about is arranging money. A critical-illness payout gives you breathing room and lets you focus on recovery instead of scrambling to manage bills.
Why the ManipalCigna Lifestyle Protection – Critical Care Plan Is Worth It
Financial Protection During Medical Emergencies
This plan is designed for the kind of situations where expenses pile up fast. It offers wide sum-insured options—from ₹1 lakh to an impressive ₹25 crore—so you can match the coverage to your income and future responsibilities. The flexibility makes it suitable for young earners, families and high-income professionals who want a strong safety net.
You get two ways to receive your claim amount:
Lump-sum: The full sum insured is paid immediately after the first confirmed diagnosis of a covered illness. This is useful when you need money at once—for treatment, travel for specialised care or replacing income during long recovery periods.
Staggered: Under this option, 25% of the sum insured is paid upfront to manage immediate medical needs. The remaining 75% plus an extra 10% is released through 60 monthly instalments. This structure works well for people who want steady financial support over a longer period. If you choose the staggered option at purchase, you can still switch to a lump-sum payout at the time of claim if that suits your situation better.
Another strong advantage is global coverage. Your diagnosis doesn’t need to be in India—you can claim the benefit no matter where you are. The only conditions are the standard 90-day waiting period after purchasing the policy and a 30-day survival period post-diagnosis.
If you want, I can continue the next section with illnesses covered, add-ons, tax benefits or who this plan is best suited for.
Covers Multiple Critical Illnesses
The Basic variant covers 15 illnesses, including cancer of specified severity, heart attack, open‑chest coronary‑artery bypass surgery, kidney failure, stroke, organ transplant, paralysis and loss of sight. The Enhanced variant extends cover to 30 conditions, adding diseases such as coronary artery disease, end‑stage liver or lung failure, third‑degree burns, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Once a claim is paid for an individual, coverage under the policy ends for that person, but other family members remain covered.
Discounts and Wellness Benefits
The plan offers several premium discounts: a 10 % family discount for enrolling two or more members; a 7.5 % discount for paying two years’ premium at once and 10 % for paying three years upfront; and additional discounts for purchasing directly from ManipalCigna or through a workplace channel. Policyholders can access online wellness programmes and one free second opinion from the insurer’s network of doctors.
Who Can Apply and What the Policy Covers
Entry Age
Applicants can enter the plan as adults, with the Enhanced variant allowing entry up to 65 years. Children and dependent family members can be covered under a family‑floater plan, receiving a percentage of the insured member’s sum insured.
Policy Term Options
You can choose to pay premiums yearly, biennially or triennially. Paying for two or three years upfront earns a long‑term discount. Regardless of the payment term, coverage is renewable for life as long as premiums are paid on time.
What Makes ManipalCigna the Right Choice for Critical-Illness Insurance
Wide Hospital Network
ManipalCigna has an extensive network of hospitals across India where policyholders can access cashless services. Although the critical‑care plan pays out a lump sum rather than reimbursing bills, having an existing relationship with a large hospital network makes it easier to coordinate treatment. The plan also honours claims for diagnoses made outside India.
Strong Claim Support
Policyholders benefit from a simple claim process with a single point of contact. Claims service associates assist with documentation and ensure that the payout is released quickly. The plan also qualifies for tax deductions under Section 80D of the Income‑tax Act.
FAQs
What illnesses are covered under the Critical Care plan?
The Basic variant covers 15 critical illnesses, including cancer of specified severity, heart attack, coronary‑artery bypass surgery, organ transplant, stroke, paralysis and kidney failure. The Enhanced variant covers those 15 plus an additional 15 conditions such as coronary artery disease, aplastic anaemia, end‑stage liver or lung failure, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and third‑degree burns.
Is there any waiting period for claims?
Yes. There is an initial waiting period of 90 days from the policy start date and a 30‑day survival period. Claims are payable only after these periods have elapsed.
Can I buy this plan if I already have health insurance?
Absolutely. The Lifestyle Protection – Critical Care plan is designed to supplement your existing health insurance rather than replace it. It provides a lump‑sum payout upon diagnosis of a covered illness, which you can use for treatment, household expenses or any other purpose.
