Should You Inform Your Life Insurer About Contracting COVID-19?

Insurance is a contract based on mutual trust. So, it seems legitimate to keep your insurer updated about any key events which may alter your life in a big way. However, COVID-19 is a relatively new phenomenon and a lot of medical facts about the disease and recovery are still unclear.

As a term insurance policy holder, you must get several questions like Is COVID-19 such an event? Should you inform your insurer if you are diagnosed with COVID-19? What other incidents you should inform your insurer about? And, the most important question, how does it help you?

The COVID-19 Treatment & Recovery

COVID-19 being new disease doctors and scientists are still discovering the possible long-term effects of the infection. Thus, the patients are at a higher risk of carrying the dangerous long-term symptoms.

Medical professionals also suspect that the recovered patients may be at a higher risk of sudden death later, and full recovery may take longer than anticipated. One thing which is clear that it’ll be some time before the disease and its impact on our health is fully understood.

So, as of now, the infection remains one of the high-risk diseases on the planet.

When to Inform the Life Insurer?

Under normal circumstances, you only need to inform the insurer in the case of a covered hazard. For example, if your life insurance policy covers accidental death and disability, you should inform the insurer in case of an accident. In short, the intimation is usually about a claim that arises on the policy.

COVID-19, however, is a peculiar case in this sense. If the patient dies during treatment or after diagnosis, the death would be considered due to medical reasons. In any case, if you file a death claim you would need the regular documents required in such cases.

However, if there is no claim to be made, you do not need to inform the insurer about the diagnosis if positive. Yet, COVID-19 being a new phenomenon, it would be better if you do.

Does It Affect Your Chances of Claim?

The short answer would be, ‘not really.’ Since the diagnosis result is not a claimable incident, it will have no effect on your claim settlement if it occurs later.

But, in case of death claims where COVID-19 has been a factor, you will need medical certificates and physician’s statements while filing the claim.

Check with the Health Insurer

COVID-19 is still being treated with hospital admission in severe cases, and if you happen to go through the admission, make sure to inform your health insurance provider. Since there is no specific COVID-19 treatment, most health insurance plans would cover the cost of treatment after hospitalization.

In fact, many health insurers have even launched specific health insurance plans for COVID treatment.

Make Sure Your Life Insurance is Adequate & In-Force

If you have been safe from COVID infection so far, make sure you have the full contingency plan in force. Your ideal contingency plan would include a few months of important expenses, medical and life insurance plans.

If you have existing life insurance policies, make sure they are adequate for your family’s future and that they are functional; i.e. all due premiums paid on time. If not, you should revive them even at higher premium costs.

Stay Safe & Build Immunity

While you tighten your seatbelt and turn the protective gears on financial protection, don’t miss the opportunity to maintain your health as well. So far, immunity and good health have been the only protection against the infection.

So, maintain social distance and hygiene, take precaution and stay safe.