Buying insurance for your child: What you need to know

As a parent, you want to make sure you're making the best decision for your child's health and well-being. With the ever-increasing costs of medical care, comprehensive healthcare coverage is no longer an option but a necessity to protect your family against unforeseen health issues.

By opting for a health insurance policy that caters to your child's specific needs, you can mitigate the financial risk of medical emergencies. The right child health insurance plan should provide extensive coverage for various medical expenses, such as inpatient and outpatient treatments, prescription medications, vaccinations, and other medical procedures.

How to get children health insurance?

There are several options available to you when looking for insurance for your child:

1. Employee Health Benefits: If you have health insurance through your employer, check with your HR department if you can add your child to your plan. In most cases, the insurance premium will be covered by the employer, making it the most cost-effective option, This is also particularly beneficial if your child has any pre-existing conditions, as company plans usually cover employees and their family without underwriting.

2. Individual Family Health Insurance: If you already have a family health insurance plan that covers you or other family members, you have the option to include your child under that plan. This choice comes with an extra advantage: the possibility to get a family discount, which helps reduce costs.

3. Child-alone policy: If your child cannot be added to an existing plan, a child-alone policy is your best option. Some insurance providers, like APRIL International, offer the option to cover your child only. One of the parents will be named as policyholder, but they have no obligation to get coverage.  

Key factors to consider

To make an informed decision about the most suitable coverage for your child's healthcare needs, it's crucial to consider these important factors:

1. Your child's healthcare needs

One of the key things to take into account is your child's medical history. This includes any pre-existing conditions or past injuries, whether they require ongoing care or not.. Your child’s medical history is a major factor to consider as it can heavily impact their coverage options and premiums.

Different age groups also have distinct healthcare requirements. For instance, for babies, frequent checkups and essential vaccinations are important, so you should be looking for a comfortable outpatient cover. As they advance in age, you might look into their substantial needs like orthodontics, so adding dental benefits to their plan will be a must.

2. Your health plan options

Conduct thorough research and compare the policies of different insurance providers to find the one that best suits your child's needs and your budget. Look at their coverage, including preventative care, hospitalisation, and diagnostic tests. To get lower premiums, you may want to consider adding co-insurance and deductible as an option.

If you're unsure about which plan is right for your child, it is best to talk to a trusted insurance broker or company. They can provide expert advice and help you navigate the most suitable health plan options.

3. Exclusions under the policy

Understanding the exclusions under your child's insurance policy is important to ensure that you are fully aware of the situations and conditions that are not covered by the policy.

• Standard exclusions: all insurance policies have standard exclusions, which may differ from one insurer to another. for instance, your child’s policy may exclude coverage for vitamins, nutritional supplements, vision tests for conditions like nearsightedness or farsightedness, or any treatments and tests which are not medically necessary.

• Exclusions related to a pre-existing condition: insurers usually have two ways of assessing pre-existing conditions. They may either exclude the condition from the cover (meaning any treatments or care related for that condition will not be covered),or choose to cover the condition but apply a loading to the insurance premium. Since insurers may offer different options for addressing pre-existing conditions, it's advisable to have a thorough comparison before making a decision.

4.  No waiting period

One common issue that people face when getting health insurance for their family is the waiting period before the coverage starts. This can be especially concerning for parents who want to ensure that their child has access to medical care as soon as possible. Waiting periods can range from a few weeks to several months, leaving parents worried about what to do if their child gets sick or injured during that time.

APRIL has no waiting period for your child to get coverage. You can rest assured that from day one, your child will be covered for all benefits, including checkups and vaccinations.

5. Wide network of healthcare providers

Selecting an insurance provider with a wide network of healthcare providers has several benefits.

Firstly, it provides you with a broader range of medical facilities to choose from, which increases the likelihood of finding a provider who can cater to your child’s specific healthcare needs. A wide network also means you can easily access medical care from various locations, which is particularly useful if you frequently travel or move to different areas.

With APRIL’s direct billing service, you get to enjoy cashless access to our trusted network of 4,500 medical providers in Asia.

The minimum age for a child to get insurance

There is generally no minimum age for children to be insured. Many policies offer coverage starting from the day a child is born. This means that parents can begin insuring their child's health and well-being from the very beginning of their life.

How can APRIL support you?

At APRIL, we designed the most flexible international health insurance plan in the market—MyHEALTH. It is composed of different modules, levels of cover and customisation options to help you create the adapted cover for you and your family.

No loading for a child-alone policy

APRIL stands out from other insurance providers with its distinctive feature of not applying any loading or additional fees for child-alone policies. This means that parents can enjoy peace of mind knowing their children are protected, even if they are not required to have coverage themselves.

Family discount

We offer a family discount that starts with just two insured persons. The best part, you have the option to tailor a different plan for your child and the rest of the family members. Through this, you can save more money on your insurance premiums while still ensuring that you and your children are adequately covered.

Add newborn with no underwriting

We understand the importance of providing immediate coverage for your newborn. Therefore, we offer to add your child to your plan without requiring medical underwriting. From day one, your child will be protected against a variety of conditions, including neonatal disabilities, congenital conditions, and hereditary issues.

We offer this option to all parents who have been covered by us for at least one year.