The nominee can be a person/ person who is a friend or a family member, however, it is advised that a close family member is chosen. In case there is no nominee in health insurance, the claim will be paid out to the natural heir.
Wondering what benefits the nominee in a health insurance policy stands to gain? Here’s a brief overview.
In case of death, it is the family that suffers the most. If the demise leaves behind large medical bills, they may have to deal with the added financial burden. But by choosing a loved one as the nominee, you ensure that your family is not compelled to tackle financial difficulties.
If you have multiple dependents or loved ones, instead of nominating just one person, you can have multiple nominees. During such cases, the claim benefit shall be equally distributed among them.
In case you die without assigning a nominee, your health insurer will be compelled to identify the legal heir to transfer the claim benefit. As this could include multiple individuals, your family might have to go through court arbitration and other complications.
The concept of picking a nominee for your health insurance comes with a lot of restrictions. Here’s who you can select:
Spouse
Parents
Children
Friends
Distant relatives
You can also nominate a minor (someone below the age of 18). However, since a minor cannot manage the claim amount, you might also have to mention the details of their guardian. Moreover, if the nominee dies before you, the claim amount shall be transferred to your legal heirs.
Adding a nominee in a health insurance plan is very easy. In fact, you can do it at the time of purchase itself. All that you have to do is fill in the necessary details of the nominee in the relevant section of the health insurance application form and submit the same to the service provider.
However, since the assignment of a nominee is not mandatory, many individuals skip assigning one at the time of purchase. In that case, you don’t have to worry; you can still assign a health insurance nominee. To do so, you would have to obtain a nomination form from your insurance service provider, fill it up, and submit the same.
Here’s the process for nominee health insurance claims:
Step 1: The nominee must inform the insurance company about your demise with a valid succession and death certificate. In case of accidental death, a copy of the FIR and postmortem report must also be furnished.
Step 2: The nominee then has to send any required documents like health records, relationship proof, and medical bills to the insurer within 30 days. They shall reach out to the nominee in case of any additional requirements.
Step 3: Once the documents are verified, your insurer will transfer the claim amount to the nominee’s bank account.
Now that you know the importance of assigning a nominee in health insurance, make sure that you do it as soon as possible, if you haven't already. This will make it easier for your loved ones to claim the benefits under the health insurance plan after your demise. So, head over to our ‘health insurance’ section and get yourself a comprehensive health cover now!
No. Although it is advisable to add a nominee at the time of purchase itself, you can choose to do it at a later point in time as well.
Yes. You can change the nominee at any point in time.
Yes. You are free to add any individuals as a nominee to your health insurance plan. However, adding a family member is usually advisable to prevent complications.
If you don’t assign a nominee for your health insurance plan, claiming the benefits of the plan would take longer and can be done only by your legal heirs after submitting all the necessary documents.
Yes. You can add multiple nominees for your health insurance plan and specify the percentage of benefits that each nominee is entitled to.