It was around 11 a.m. in Bangalore. I was on my way to the office when I received a call from my father, who was in Gurgaon.

“Nipun,” he asked, “can you share the details of the corporate health insurance we’re enrolled in?”

I said yes and shared the details as soon as I reached the office. At first, I didn’t think much of it.

I assumed my parents’ personal health insurance was nearing renewal, and maybe my father was considering skipping it after checking the coverage under my corporate plan.

A little while later, I called them back - just to check if everything was okay.

That’s when I found out the real reason.

My father had been diagnosed with a hernia, and the doctors said surgery was required immediately. They were already at the hospital, undergoing ultrasounds and other essential tests. I also spoke to a urologist friend to get a second opinion on the procedure.

Here’s where things got tricky.

My parents’ personal health insurance was expiring in less than 20 days, and the hospital refused to process a claim under that policy. Their reason?

Many hospitals don’t accept policies that are within a month of renewal.

In short, during an actual emergency - That policy was practically useless.

The Surgery & The Real Cost

The surgery happened the very next day. By God’s grace, everything went well. It’s been over a month now, and my father is slowly getting back to his normal routine. 

Now let’s talk numbers - because this is where reality hits.

My corporate family floater health insurance has a 20% co-pay (up to a ₹5 lakh sum insured), which must be borne by the patient, along with non-medical expenses.

• Total surgery cost: ₹60,000

• Co-pay (20%): ₹9,000

• Non-medical expenses: ₹12,500

So, out of the total bill, we paid ₹21,500 from our pocket, and the remaining ₹38,500 was covered by insurance.

Thankfully, this didn’t put a hole in our finances - but it could have.

What This Episode Taught Me? (5 Hard Lessons)

This small incident reinforced five extremely important lessons:

1. Medical emergencies don’t come with warnings. Health issues can arise suddenly, without any planning window.

2. You can’t control emergencies, but you can prepare for them. Preparation doesn’t prevent the problem, but it significantly reduces the damage and panic when things go wrong.

3. Health insurance matters. A lot. Without insurance, we would’ve paid the entire ₹60,000 instead of ₹21,500.

4. THIS ONE IS MOST IMPORTANT!!
   Always renew your insurance at least one month before expiry. Policies that are close to renewal are often denied during claims, even in genuine emergencies.

5. An emergency fund is non-negotiable. Ideally, keep 3 to 6 months of expenses easily accessible. I used my emergency fund to pay the 35% hospital bill. Credit cards can help, but only as a backup.

The Bigger Picture

₹60,000 may not seem like a huge amount - especially when compared to the premiums we pay. 

But what if it wasn’t ₹60,000? What if it was ₹6 lakh?

God forbid, but that’s a very real possibility. Studies show that 1 in 2 Indians is underinsured, with health coverage of only ₹5 lakh. In today’s world, that amount is almost insignificant in the case of one major medical emergency.

So please -
Don’t just buy health insurance because it’s “mandatory” or “recommended”.

•  Understand your policy.

• Review your coverage amount.

• Plan for the worst, even if you hope for the best.

Your future self will thank you for it.

Happy reading!