New Delhi, May 17 -- Health insurance protects against sudden and unforeseen hospitalization costs. Pregnancy, being a planned medical event in most cases, has traditionally remained outside the scope of standard health insurance. But what about childbirth complications and newborn care? A premature delivery or medical complication can push a newborn into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where treatment costs can escalate rapidly. Depending on the severity of the condition and duration of hospitalization, NICU bills can easily climb to Rs.20-30 lakh or more.

Recognizing this gap, several insurers now offer maternity cover that includes newborn coverage from day one. Some products offer this benefit in-built, while others provide ...