Readers' Corner: General Insurance

My company's health insurance covers my father, a senior citizen. I am paying additional premium and claiming tax benefit on it. If I buy another health cover for him, can I claim tax benefit for that, too? Is a stand-alone cover better or a top-up?

You can claim 80D benefit of up to Rs 30,000 annually for all premiums put together for your father/parents. This would be in addition to the limit of Rs 25,000 applicable on the premiums for yourself and your family (spouse and dependent children). Whether to go for a separate health insurance policy or a top up-policy depends on the existing coverage for your father. If he only has your employer's group policy, go for an additional retail policy. If he has an existing retail policy, you could either look at porting into a higher sum insured policy or a top-up.

My claim for a cashless claim was rejected but the company said I can apply for reimbursement. What are the chances that the reimbursement will be paid?

Insurers may deny a cashless claim when they are not able to establish liability under the said policy without collecting more details which might not be immediately available. In such conditions they would deny it and advise you to file the claim with all relevant documents for reimbursement. They will examine such claims in detail and may call for an additional documentation or clarification and even conduct investigations to decide.

K G Krishnamoorthy Rao,
MD and CEO, Future Generali India Insurance, answers your questions
The views expressed are expert's own. Send your queries to yourmoney@bsmail.in