Bajaj Allianz launches e-consultation scheme

Ties up with WorldCare to offer insurance for e-consultation services

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has tied up with WorldCare, a player in the development and distribution of global e-health services and solutions, to offer insurance for second opinion e-consultation services.

An e-opinion is a form of telemedicine, where a patient's medical record is transmitted electronically in a digitised format over the internet to a medical centre where it is reviewed by specialists.

Addressing a press conference, Easwara Narayanan, zonal manager (South), Bajaj Allianz, said that second opinion e-consultation insurance had not yet seen deep penetration in India. Named 'e-Opinion Riders', the health insurance plan rider comes with personal accident cover.

Accordingly, policy-holders, who have purchased e-opinion riders, are entitled to receive upto three e-consultations per year, including a maximum of two consultations for the same illness. The maximum limit in a lifetime is six consultations, in case the policyholder renews the rider continuously.

"WorldCare will have access to the medical records of the Bajaj Allianz policy-holders and the records will be transmitted to the telemedicine centres of its consortium hospitals in the United States for specialist review," said Rebika Shaw, regional director, WorldCare.

The rider covers multi-categorical diseases including cancer and heart attack. However, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are excluded from the list, she added.

The turn-around time for routine disease ranges between 48 to 72 hours and a few hours for emergency cases. The minimum premium amount would be Rs 525 and the policy covers against personal accident for a sum assured of Rs 50,000 along with the e-Opinion services.