How To Claim Your Health Insurance ? (Making a Claim)

You have done your research and shortlisted the health insurance providers. After much pondering you finally decide on the heath insurance company and go ahead with your purchase of the policy. You have now completed the easiest part. The tough part arises when you have to make a claim on your health insurance policy and need to know how to do so.

The Basics

Health insurance is the compensation of costs acquired for treatment of physical injuries, ill health or accidents. It covers hospital bills, doctors’ fees, major and minor surgeries, diagnostic procedures, medications and laboratory tests. It is a legal contractual relationship that you have with your health insurance company in which you have to pay a certain amount of money known as premium. You can pay premiums in monthly installments or you annually. Health insurance in the UK is generally of two types: private health insurance and group health insurance. Health insurance can be offered by the government or private insurance providers.

Filing Claims

There are several ways to claim your health insurance dependent on your insurance provider :

1. If you bought a health insurance policy from an insurance firm, you can file your health insurance claim through their claims department.
2. If you have obtained a health insurance policy from a broker, you will have to file for your health insurance claim through the broker.
3. You can get help from a claims assistance professional or risk consultant to help you sort through the claim forms, especially if your case happens to be complicated.

The Form

Once you have a valid reason for making a health insurance claim, the first thing you will have to do is fill out a claim form. Make sure you fill it out carefully and accurately. You will have to attach invoices, bills, doctors’ notes and other such financial and medical details. The claim forms have two parts: one filled out by the patient and the other filled out by the doctor. The patient’s claim form asks for the following information :

• Name of policyholder
• Date of birth
• Policy number
• Phone number
• Email address
• Brief description of medical problem
• Details of symptoms
• Date of first symptoms
• If you are claiming NHS cash benefit
• Details of any injuries from accident
• Treatment covered by other insurance plans
• If injury occurred outside of UK

The doctor’s claims form asks for the following information :

• Brief description of the patient’s symptoms
• Date of first consultation
• Surgery details
• The cost of surgery
• Surgeon’s name and details
• The cost of anesthesia
• Name of the anesthetist