Medical insurance – also called health insurance – protects individuals against the high costs of specific medical events, such as hospitalisation, surgery or disability due to an accident. Some medical insurance also offers out-of-hospital benefits, like cover for consultations.
In return for a monthly premium, the insurer typically offers a lump sum payment for each event, up to a prescribed limit.
Medical insurance is an affordable alternative to medical aid. It's also commonly used together with medical aid, to bridge the gap between actual medical costs and what medical aids cover – an increasingly important protection for South Africans and their families.
Gap cover is one example of medical insurance.
