Star Health Red Carpet

The Star Health - Red Carpet Plan is a health insurance policy offered by Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited.

The Star Health - Red Carpet Plan caters specifically to senior citizens. While it covers hospitalisation and related costs, it does not offer comprehensive coverage. This means it does not include benefits like coverage for treatment at home and organ donors. There are also restrictions on important features like modern treatments. Additionally, it does not allow for monthly premium payments and is more expensive compared to other options.

Our research reveals a higher number of complaints regarding claim settlements and policy purchases. This indicates a less-than-satisfactory track record in both buying the policy and getting satisfactory claims service.

What are the benefits offered by the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan?

• Inpatient hospitalisation coverage: Like other health insurance plans, the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan takes care of inpatient hospitalisation costs. This covers expenses such as your hospital room charges, nursing care, consultations, prescription medications, ICU costs, and any other related expenses.
• Pre-hospitalisation coverage: Before you get admitted to the hospital, you may incur some medical expenses known as pre-hospitalization charges. These include fees for consultations, lab tests, check-ups, medical reports, etc. The insurance company will cover these expenses only if they are directly related to the condition that eventually leads to your hospitalisation, and if the claim is approved as part of your inpatient hospitalisation expenses. With the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, your pre-hospitalization expenses are covered for 30 days before your hospitalisation, up to the sum insured.

For each hospitalisation, fees for the surgeon, anaesthetist, medical practitioner, consultants, and specialists are limited to 25% of the total sum insured. 

• Post-hospitalisation coverage: Following your hospital discharge, you might face extra medical expenses called post-hospitalization costs. These include fees for consultations, medical check-ups, rehabilitation programs, physical therapy, etc. To get coverage, the expenses that are incurred need to be related to your initial hospital stay, with the claim approved as part of your inpatient hospitalisation coverage. With the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, post-hospitalization expenses are covered for 60 days after your hospital stay, up to 7% of hospitalisation expenses – with a maximum limit of Rs. 7000.
• Daycare treatment coverage: Daycare treatment now allows for procedures or treatments that used to require a lengthy hospital stay to be completed within 24 hours with the remarkable advancements in the medical field today. The Star Health - Red Carpet Plan covers all daycare treatments without any limits.
• Domiciliary treatment coverage: Domiciliary treatments are medical procedures that can be done at home if you cannot go to the hospital due to the severity of your condition or a lack of nearby hospital beds. Unfortunately, the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan does not cover the costs of domiciliary treatment.
• Organ donor coverage: Organ Donor Coverage involves all inpatient costs linked to organ transplantation surgery where you are the recipient. Though it is a useful coverage, the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan does not cover organ donor expenses.
• Modern treatment coverage: As medical technology advances, innovative treatments like stem cell therapy and radio surgeries are now possible, offering solutions to conditions once thought incurable. The Star Health - Red Carpet Plan covers these modern treatments, although it has sub-limits for different types of treatments.
• Non-medical expenses coverage: Non-medical expenses include the costs for surgical essential items like gloves, nebulization kits, and oxygen masks. However, you should note that the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan does not provide coverage for non-medical expenses. 

Coverage for anaesthesia, blood, oxygen, operation theatre charges, and items like pacemakers is capped at a maximum of 50% of your sum insured per hospitalisation.

• No Claim Bonus: A No-Claim Bonus is a reward from the insurer for not making any claims in a policy year. It is important to know that under the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, there is no option to receive a No Claim Bonus.
• Super No Claim Bonus: The Super No Claim Bonus operates similarly to the regular No Claim Bonus, but it is an enhanced version. However, it is important to highlight that the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan does not include the Super No Claim Bonus feature.
• Restoration benefit: The restoration benefit is a unique feature that replenishes your sum insured after you have exhausted it in a policy year. It is important to note that the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan does not provide the option for a restoration benefit.

Please note that the limits and conditions mentioned in the above benefits and features are for Rs. 10 Lakhs sum insured.

Star Health - Red Carpet Plan : Financial Limits

• Room rent limit: It is the maximum amount your insurance provider covers for your hospital room during your hospitalisation. If you choose a room within this limit, you will not have to pay extra. However, if you opt for a pricier room, you will need to cover a proportional part of the entire hospital bill and not just the difference. In the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, the room rent limit is up to Rs. 6,000 per day.
• ICU rent limit: The Star Health - Red Carpet Plan takes care of expenses during an ICU stay, up to 2% of the sum insured per day. This allows you to avail advanced healthcare, but it is important to note that the coverage is capped at the specified percentage of the sum insured.
• Copayment: Copayment is a percentage of the approved claim amount that you need to handle before your insurer covers the remaining. In the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, you have a copayment limit of 30%.
• Deductible: A deductible is the initial amount you need to pay before your insurance policy kicks in to cover your medical costs. With the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, you do not have the option to choose a deductible.
• Limits on surgeries/treatments: This is the highest amount your health insurance will cover for specific medical treatments. Some plans have predefined limits for certain procedures, while others do not. Under the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, you can receive up to Rs. 25,000 per policy year (for an individual policy) for cataract treatment. Joint replacement surgery is covered up to Rs. 2,75,000 (for an individual policy).

Please note that the above financial limits are taken for a 30-year-old individual opting for a sum insured of Rs. 10 Lakhs.

Star Health - Red Carpet Plan: Waiting Periods & Exclusions

👉Waiting period
A waiting period is the time when certain illnesses and medical conditions are not covered immediately after purchasing health insurance. This means that claims for these conditions can only be made once the waiting period is completed. There are different types of waiting periods –

• Initial waiting period: The Star Health - Red Carpet Plan has an initial waiting period of 30 days for all medical conditions except accidents. During this period, claims for hospitalisation expenses can only be made if it is due to an accident. Once this initial waiting period is over, you can make claims for all covered medical conditions without any restrictions.
• Waiting period for pre-existing diseases: When you have had a health condition in the 36 months before getting your insurance, it is called a pre-existing disease. With the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, there is a 12-month waiting period before the policy covers costs for your pre-existing condition. This means during this period, you cannot make any claims for expenses linked to your pre-existing disease.
• Waiting period for specific diseases: Other than pre-existing diseases, the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan has waiting periods for certain medical conditions. These waiting periods are determined by the insurer and are not influenced by your current health status. This plan has a 24-month waiting period for such specific diseases.

👉Exclusions
Health insurance policies come with exclusions, which are situations or medical conditions that the policy will not cover. Some of these include –

• Standard permanent exclusions: Insurance companies in India must adhere to a set of 'standard permanent exclusions' mandated by IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India). Some of these exclusions include –

1. Investigation and Evaluation: Hospitalisation solely for monitoring or observation purposes.
2. Rehabilitation, Rest Cure, and Respite Care: Admission to facilities for rest or respite where active medical treatment is not provided.
3. Obesity/Weight Control: Surgical or medical procedures intended for weight control or addressing obesity.
4. Change of Gender Treatment: Medical treatment aimed at altering one's characteristics to that of the opposite gender.
5. Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery: Surgical or medical procedures meant for altering one's appearance or body characteristics.
6. Profession in Hazardous or Adventure Sports: This excludes medical expenses incurred while participating as a professional in adventure activities such as snorkelling, skydiving, river rafting, scuba diving, etc.
7. Breach of Law: Any treatment expenses of a person who has committed or attempted to commit a criminal act.
8. Excluded Providers: Treatment from medical practitioners or hospitals excluded by the insurance company.
9. Narcotics: Treatment for addictive conditions like alcohol addiction, drug usage, etc.
10. Treatments in Facilities Arranged for Domestic Purposes: Treatment expenses incurred in health spas, nursing homes, or similar establishments arranged entirely or partially for domestic reasons.
11. Dietary Supplements and Substances Purchased Without Prescription: Expenses on vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements not prescribed by a medical practitioner.
12. Refractive Error: Expenses associated with correcting refractive errors up to 7.5 diopters for improved eyesight.
13. Unproven Treatments: Treatments, surgeries, and medical procedures that are not proven to be effective.
14. Expenses Related to Birth Control, Sterility, Infertility: Expenses related to contraception, sterilisation, artificial insemination, advanced reproductive technologies such as IVF, ZIFT, GIFT, ICSI, gestational surrogacy, etc.
15. Maternity Expenses: Costs related to pre/post-natal care, childbirth, and hospitalisation.

• Additional Permanent Exclusions: Besides the permanent exclusions mandated by the IRDAI, insurance companies can add exclusions for specific illnesses and situations. If a particular illness is deemed high-risk, insurers may opt to permanently exclude it from coverage. However, insurers can only enforce permanent exclusions for diseases listed on the pre-approved IRDAI list.
• Non-standard Exclusions (Specific Exclusions): In the Star Health - Red Carpet Plan, there are specific exclusions that go beyond the standard exclusions set by IRDAI. These exclusions differ among insurers and are based on the terms and conditions of the plan. Let's take a look at a few specific exclusions in this plan –

1. Circumcision (except for accidents), preputial dilatation, SMEGMA removal, etc.
2. Expenses for treating external birth defects.
3. Treatment for general debility, convalescence, run-down conditions, and nutritional deficiency states.
4. Treatment for intentionally self-inflicted injuries.
5. Injuries or diseases due to war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, and warlike operations.
6. Injuries or illnesses caused by nuclear weapons or materials.
7. Specific therapies like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, low-level laser therapy, photodynamic therapy, etc.
8. Untested, unconventional, or experimental therapies.
9. Biologicals, unless administered during in-patient hospitalisation.
10. Costs for vaccinations or inoculations (except for post-animal bite treatment and medical treatment for therapeutic reasons).
11. Cochlear implants and related hospitalisation expenses.
12. Treatment by systems of medicine other than allopathy.

What to expect in terms of claims experience if you buy from Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited?

• Speed of claims: Star Health and Allied Insurance Company has proven its efficiency by settling 98.86% of claims within 30 days. This ensures you will have a smooth and timely experience when it comes to settling your claims.
• Claim-related complaints: Through our research, we discovered that Star Health and Allied Insurance Company comes with a low complaint rate of just 0.56% for claims, especially when compared to other insurance providers. This implies that you may have to face unsatisfactory services when it comes to the claim settlement process.
• Claims incurred ratio: The claims incurred ratio is a way to gauge how well an insurer is doing financially. It depicts the total claims paid compared to the premiums received in a specific fiscal year. Star Health and Allied Insurance Company maintains a very low claims incurred ratio of just 66.47%.
• Claim settlement ratio: The Star Health and Allied Insurance Company shows a claim settlement ratio of 85.32%. This number represents the portion of total claims received that the company successfully settled in a specific fiscal year.
• Network hospitals: Star Health and Allied Insurance Company offers access to a big network of over 14,000+ hospitals. This extensive network ensures that customers can avail of cashless treatment without any financial concerns.

How is the customer service of Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited?

• Policy purchase-related complaints: From our research, it's evident that Star Health and Allied Insurance Company has a relatively high complaint rate of 0.06% for their post-sales service when compared to other insurers.
• Response on Toll-Free: In our research, we found that Star Health and Allied Insurance Company has a quick response time to their toll-free customer service number compared to other insurance providers.
• Response on Twitter: From our research, we found that Star Health and Allied Insurance Company is slow in responding on Twitter.

Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited - Details

India's first Standalone Health Insurance provider is the Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited. Their range of plans is designed to suit individuals, families, and corporations alike. Established in 2006, the company is based in Tamil Nadu, Chennai, with Mr. V. Jagannathan serving as the chairman and CEO.