When it comes to selecting a mediclaim policy in India, two of the leading public sector insurers, United India and New India Assurance, are often considered. Both companies offer comprehensive health insurance policies that cater to individual and family needs, but there are notable differences in coverage, features, benefits, and premiums. Here’s a comparison of the two:
United India Mediclaim Policy
- Sum insured: Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh
- Coverage: Inpatient hospitalization, room rent, ICU charges, surgeon and anaesthetist fees, day care treatments, AYUSH coverage, and domiciliary hospitalization
- Entry age: 18 years to 65 years for adults; 91 days to 18 years for children
- Renewability: Lifetime renewability
- Pre-existing diseases: Covered after 4 years of continuous policy renewal
- Network hospitals: Over 7,000 hospitals across India
- Add-ons: Critical illness cover and personal accident riders
New India Mediclaim Policy
- Sum insured: Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh
- Coverage: Hospitalization expenses, ICU charges, surgeon fees, day care procedures, ambulance charges, AYUSH treatment, and organ donor expenses
- Entry age: 18 years to 65 years for adults; 3 months to 25 years for dependent children
- Renewability: Lifetime renewability
- Pre-existing diseases: Covered after 4 years of continuous coverage
- Network hospitals: Over 6,000 hospitals nationwide
- Add-ons: Top-up plans and senior citizen options
Comparison
- Sum insured range: United India (Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh) vs. New India (Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh)
- Room rent limit: Both offer 1% of sum insured per day for normal rooms and 2% for ICU
- Day care treatments: Both cover over 140 procedures
- Ambulance charges: Both cover, but New India has a sub-limit
- AYUSH treatment: Both cover
- Organ donor expenses: Both cover
- Pre-existing disease cover: Both cover after 4 years
- Co-payment: Both have 10% to 20% co-payment for entry after age 60
- Network hospitals: United India has over 7,000 hospitals, while New India has over 6,000
- Policy type options: Both offer individual and family floater options
- Add-ons and riders: United India offers critical illness and personal accident riders, while New India offers top-up plans and senior citizen options
Premium Comparison
- For a 35-year-old individual seeking Rs. 5 lakh coverage, United India’s premium is approximately Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 7,000 annually, while New India’s premium is approximately Rs. 5,800 to Rs. 6,800 annually.
Customer Service and Claim Settlement
- Both companies have a high claim settlement ratio (over 90%) and offer cashless facilities at network hospitals.
- Support is available through toll-free numbers, branch office assistance, and TPA helplines.
Which Policy to Choose?
- Choose United India Mediclaim if you prefer a wider hospital network, optional riders like critical illness or personal accident, or flexible sum insured upgrades.
- Choose New India Mediclaim if you are cost-sensitive, need higher coverage beyond Rs. 10 lakh, or prefer policies with flexibility for children up to 25 years under floater plans.
Ultimately, the better policy depends on individual or family requirements, and factors such as sum insured, network hospitals, premium affordability, add-on availability, and service record should be carefully considered.