Senior citizens tend to take more time to intimate insurance companies about claims and insurers

Senior citizens tend to take more time to intimate insurance companies about claims and insurers need to assist such people for filing promptly filing claims, according to a survey.

The findings are based on the survey by insurance brokerage firm SecureNow which sells various insurance products, including group health insurance, property, marine and liability covers. It surveyed 1,250 people and out of them, 576 were senior citizens.

Based on the findings, Kapil Mehta, co-founder of SecureNow, said that those above 60 years of age usually take about a week more than those below their age in intimating about their treatment after hospitalisation to insurance companies as they are "slow" even as they pay higher premiums.

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Insurance companies, intermediaries as well as hospitals need to do more and assist senior citizens to file claims promptly in case they had not opted for cashless treatment, he said during an interaction.

It takes about 23 days for those below 60 years in getting their health insurance claims settled and for senior citizens, it goes up to 28 days, as per the survey.

The average premium for Rs 10 lakh sum assured rises sharply for senior citizens.

From Rs 10,365 for a policyholder of 30 years of age, it rises to Rs 15,239 for a 45 years old. It more than doubles to Rs 31,905 for a 60 years old and up further to Rs 66,368 for a 75 years old, SecureNow data showed.

"It is also the duty of insurers, intermediaries and hospitals to assist senior citizens to file claims promptly in case they had not opted for cashless settlement. Besides, it is also required of senior citizens to carefully evaluate their health insurance, especially with regard to restrictions in treatment of cancer and digestive ailments," Mehta said.

The company has insurance partnership with three dozen insurance companies, both from life and non-life segments.