What Does Deductible in Health Insurance Mean?

A health insurance policy covers medical expenditures incurred due to an accident, illness, or injury. A person can purchase such coverage for a certain period by paying monthly or annual premiums. During this time, if an insured is involved in an accident or is diagnosed with a severe illness, the insurance company will cover treatment costs. Depending on the insurance provider, you can also get a variety of add-on benefits with health insurance coverage.

Deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance are all terms used in relation to the costs of medical care. You can find these phrases in health insurance policies if you read the fine print. Before you pick a health insurance plan, it's a good idea to understand what these phrases imply. Simply put, a deductible in health insurance is the amount you must pay out of pocket for medical care before the insurance company begins to cover the costs.

What Are Deductibles?

Insurance deductible meaning: It is the amount a policyholder must pay before the insurance company begins to compensate them. In other words, the insurance company is only responsible for paying the claim if it exceeds the deductible in health insurance. If your policy's deductible is Rs 20,000 and the insured's claim is Rs 40,000, the insurance company is only responsible for Rs 20,000. However, if the claim is smaller than the deductible, the insurer is not obligated to pay anything. The premium for high deductible plans is cheaper, whereas the premium for low deductible policies is on the higher side.

Why Would Anyone Choose Deductibles?

A deductible in health insurance lowers the amount of premium that a person must pay on the insurance. You will have to pay a lesser monthly premium if you agree to pay a greater deductible. If the insurance does not have a minimum deductible amount, you can also choose the amount of deductible you want to pay. Deductibles vary across policies and might be either a fixed sum or a percentage of the entire coverage amount.

For many, this works because they don't mind incurring the cost of minor medical bills and would be pretty content to have insurance only when the costs became significant. Insurance is essentially a safety net for avoiding financial hardship while seeking medical treatment.

A deductible in health insurance discourages people from filing frivolous claims or seeking unnecessary treatment or hospitalization just because they have insurance. High-deductible policies allow you to pay a lesser premium, which saves you money over time. You get a No Claim Bonus if you don't make needless claims for tiny sums. No Claim Bonus or NCB is a reward given by an insurance company to an insured for not raising any claim requests during a policy year. In the long run, the cumulative bonuses assist in raising the coverage amount. On the other hand, your insurance coverage is virtually meaningless if your treatment expenses do not surpass the set deductible.

Is Health Insurance Tax Deductible?

Premiums for health insurance and medical expenditures are only tax-deductible if a person pays them pays them by any means other than cash. Furthermore, your financial status and where you get your health insurance will play a significant role in deciding whether or not the charges are tax-deductible. The IRDA allows you to choose between a basic deduction and itemizing your medical expenditures when filing a tax return. The choice you select will be determined by the number of medical costs you have incurred in the previous year. Tax benefits are as per provisions of Income Tax Act, 1961, and are subject to amendment from time to time.

Conclusion

While you may agree that picking a larger deductible in health insurance lowers your rate, it may not be safe, especially when purchasing health insurance. Health insurance provides financial protection in the event of a medical emergency. As a result, you must make an informed decision before selecting the appropriate coverage.