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For many of Indian women, either their father or husband decides on their health insurance purchase, according to a survey by ICICI Lombard General Insurance on women’s health.
According to the survey, 39 per cent of the respondents are covered by health insurance mostly because their fathers or husbands had taken the decision.
Only one-third of the respondents own a health insurance insurance policy. The insurer surveyed 1,009 women through email and social media in the age group of 18years and 55 years.
Only 39 per cent of women held a health insurance policy, while 48 per cent said they did not have one. About 12 per cent of the respondents said they were not sure. Even among those who had a health insurance policy, 48 per cent of the respondents did not know what the policy covered.
The survey said while women believe that they are healthy, most fall ill at least one to times in a span of six months. About 47 per cent of those surveyed said they had fallen ill in the past one to two months.
Further, with respect to preventive health care, the survey shows women go for health check-ups only when they are unwell (about 63 per cent respondents). Also, 16 per cent of the respondents said that they never go for a health check-up.
These 16 per cent respondents said that they do not go for a health check-up because they are healthy (40 per cent), do not have time (31 per cent) or think that the check-ups are expensive and largely unnecessary (30 per cent).
According to ICICI Lombard internal claims data, women are more susceptible to chronic ailments like cancer, arthritis and anaemia than men.
Further, it said that the claims for the top five women-related ailments are rising year-on-year.
