03_BT_March 2022

Life & Style
Feature
Basic health insurance policies usually
only cover certain medical emergencies.
Therefore, if you are planning to
conceive, it’s worth considering
women-specific health insurance,
which often includes maternity and
baby care benefits.
Women-specific policies are designed
to cover specific female healthcare
needs that standard health insurance
plans may not provide. For example,
female-related illnesses, maternity care,
newborn baby coverage, and more.
For moms-to-be (and even dads-to-be),
ladies-exclusive insurance that includes
maternal coverage provides something
for parents to fall back on should
unexpected medical expenses during
pregnancy or labour arise.
For instance, Prudential’s PRULady
policy covers all mothers-to-be against
pregnancy complications and their
children against congenital illnesses
such as spina bifida, cleft lip, ventricular
septal defects, and others. The coverage
also accounts for unfortunate conditions
resulting in the loss of a child, including
disseminated intravascular coagulation
(after seven months of pregnancy),
ectopic pregnancy, eclampsia, late
miscarriages after the 18th week, and
death of a foetus or an infant after 30
days of birth.
The plan also includes childbirth
benefits, which you can claim up to
three times. On top of this, you are
also provided coverage for a wide
range of female-related illnesses.
These include female cancer (breast,
cervix uteri, fallopian tube, ovary,
uterus, or vagina/vulva) and systemic
lupus erythematosus with severe
kidney complications and age-related
conditions such as osteoporotic fracture
and rheumatoid arthritis.
Other women-specific health policies
may also incorporate coverage for
infertility. For example, PersonaLady
policy from Etiqa and Lady Protector
from Great Eastern offer compassionate
cash compensations to assist those
who can no longer get pregnant due
to accidents that cause injury to their
reproductive organs (ovaries or womb).
Before deciding on the right
maternity benefit plan, consider
these important factors:
• Identify your financial budget
and how much you can invest
in a health insurance policy.
This will help you select the
right amount of premium.
• Check with your agent or
the insurance company on
the waiting period of the
maternity plan.
• Be aware of the health
insurance provider’s
network of healthcare
institutions or hospitals.
• Read the policy terms
carefully to avoid any disputes
or inconveniences that may
arise during claims settlement.
BabyTalk | March 2022 43