Looks like things are only getting better for customers as insurance companies have started to throw in some frills in a bid to attract them. These include doctor’s charges for second opinions and caretaker services. Read all about it here.
Earlier when you purchased an Insurance policy, what you would get was protection against the contingencies that you were insured against. Now, you can get much more! Insurers have started to wake up to the fact that there is a multitude of insurance companies offering a myriad of policies and they really need to do something to set themselves apart. Value-added services seem to be the answer!
Motor Insurance
Reliance General Insurance, which offers value-added services in the form of road assistance for its motor policy, is now providing specialised services for its Home Insurance policy. You can avail of assistance services for your home, under their Home Insurance policy. The firm has partnered with professionals such as electricians, tax filing experts and those offering concierge services. This means that your everyday contingencies would be taken care of, by the insurance firm.
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Get ready to be pampered when you take a Motor Insurance policy from Bajaj Allianz. This policy provides you with hotel accommodation when your vehicle breaks down 100 kilometres away from your city and there is no help nearby. The occupants of the car will be offered accommodation for a maximum of 2 days and 2 nights. The amount is Rs.2,000 per person, per day. You can claim up to Rs.16,000 all through the policy period. Now, this is taking value-add to the next level!
Travel Insurance
ICICI Lombard also offers such services under its International Travel Insurance policy. Under the policy, your dependents in India can avail of medical concierge services while you are away. The company will arrange for health information to be given to you over the phone. It will also arrange for appointments with local doctors. You could even avail of home nursing care for your elderly dependents. Wait! There’s more. Your dependents can enjoy automotive assistance such as help during car breakdowns and towing services, under the policy. They can also get plumbing, electrical and other household assistance services while you are away. You can even send gifts to your loved ones when you are abroad. Isn’t that awesome?
Additional Reading: Purchasing Travel Insurance!
Health Insurance
And don’t assume that value-added services are not offered under Health Insurance. Fullerton India offers a health discount card to its customers. This card provides discounts on medical expenses. This would include dental and medical benefits like free consultations and discounts on medical treatments. You can also take advantage of discounts of up to 30% on radiology as well as pathology tests. Other insurers provide add-on services too. Take Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance. They pamper you with out-patient discounts at select outlets if you take their health plan. You can also avail of discounts at select wellness test centres. The best part is you can get discounts on medicines at pharmacies. For instance, you could get a discount of 11% on medicines at Religare Wellness stores.
Additional Reading: Everything You Need To Know About Health Insurance
More Information
Now, finding information on insurance is easy and insurers want to help you get all the information you need. For example, HDFC ERGO General Insurance has got a community portal for general insurance. Here, readers can get advice, share their experience and provide information about any non-life insurance product. This is a great forum for insurance experts, existing/potential customers and knowledge seekers to get information and decide on the right policy after getting help. There is also a provision to discuss the claim settlement process and understand how claims are made and whether claims are settled quickly. You can also share your experience regarding your claim settlement process.
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Even though value-add services make you feel good, you shouldn’t choose a policy only based on this. It is important to check the features of the policy, whether the cover is sufficient and also if the claims settlement process is easy and quick. It doesn’t hurt to read reviews online. And remember to always compare policies before you zero in on one.