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ICICI Lombard Criti Shield Family Shield vs Care Freedom

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ICICI Lombard

Criti Shield Family Shield

Cover hospitalisation for specified infectious diseases, including listed vector-borne illnesses such as dengue and malaria, and personal accident benefits for death, disablement and accidental hospital treatment.

What Makes It Special:

ICICI Lombard Family Shield combines defined benefits for specified infectious diseases with personal accident and hospital daily cash benefits. Coverage includes selected vector-borne, viral, gastrointestinal and nervous system infections, along with rabies and tetanus. Additional benefits may be available depending on the options selected and the policy certificate.

Best For:

  • Customers who understand that this is a benefit-specific policy and not a substitute for comprehensive hospitalisation insurance.

  • Buyers who want to explore optional benefits such as broken bones or burns cover.

  • People who value fixed hospital daily cash benefits where selected.

  • Families seeking additional financial protection against eligible accidental injuries.

  • Buyers looking for defined benefits for specified infectious diseases.

VS
Care

Freedom

Health Coverage for Diabetes, Hypertension, and High BMI with Short 2-Year PED Waiting Period

What Makes It Special:

Care Freedom provides health insurance coverage without pre-policy medical check-ups for individuals managing Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, or high BMI.

Best For:

  • Buyers wanting consumable daily allowance

  • Families looking for annual health check-ups.

  • Individuals seeking health insurance without undergoing pre-policy medical screening.

  • Customer is looking for a short two year PED waiting period

  • Buyers managing diabetes, hypertension, or elevated BMI.

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Get Personalized Advice

Our insurance experts are here to help you make the right choice. Get personalized recommendations based on your specific needs and budget.

Quick Decision Guide

  • If you need broad coverage for unrelated illnesses, surgeries and hospital bills, compare this policy with a comprehensive indemnity-based health insurance plan.

  • Review waiting periods carefully, particularly the 30-day waiting period for infectious disease benefits and the pre-existing disease restriction applicable to hospital daily cash benefits.

  • Review the personal accident benefit amounts and definitions of disability before relying on the policy for accident protection.

  • Confirm whether hospital daily cash benefits are included and check the applicable daily limits and eligibility conditions.

  • Check the list of covered infections and their claim requirements to confirm that the policy addresses your priorities.

  • Co-payment provisions applied based on age

  • In-built, one time, automatic sum insured recharge

  • Includes annual health checkups for all covered adult member.

  • Requires no pre-policy medical checkup across all ages and sum insured choices.

  • Features are reduced 24 months waiting period for pre-existing diseases.

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Detailed Features Comparison

Compare the key features of different health insurance plans

Criti Shield Family Shield
Criti Shield Family Shield

Health Insurance Plan

VS
Freedom
Freedom

Health Insurance Plan

Room Rent

Criti Shield Family Shield

  1. Normal: Covered Up to Sum Insured
  2. ICU: Covered Up to Sum Insured
VS

Freedom

For ₹3 lakh and ₹5 lakh sum insured options, room rent is restricted to twin-sharing accommodation, subject to the applicable limit. For ₹7 lakh and ₹10 lakh options, single private room is covered.

Advanced Treatments

Criti Shield Family Shield

  1. Oral Chemotherapy 
  2. Robotic Surgeries 
  3. Stem Cell Therapy 
VS

Freedom

Information Unavailable

ICU Charges

Criti Shield Family Shield

ICU-related cash benefits may be available under selected hospital cash benefits; limits depend on the policy certificate.

VS

Freedom

ICU charges are covered up to 2% of the sum insured per day for ₹3 lakh sum insured, while there is no limit for ₹5 lakh, ₹7 lakh and ₹10 lakh sum insured options.

Co-payment

Criti Shield Family Shield

Co payment is applicable as chosen by the insured. 

It allows the insured to opt for 10% or 20% co-payment.

VS

Freedom

20% co-payment is applicable per claim. An additional 10% co-payment applies from the policy year following the insured person attaining 71 years of age, subject to the policy terms.

Disease-wise sublimits

Criti Shield Family Shield

Benefits are defined for specified infections and accident-related events; applicable limits are benefit-specific and should be confirmed in the policy certificate.

VS

Freedom

Yes. Sublimits apply to specified treatments including cataract, total knee replacement, hernia, hysterectomy, BPH, renal stones, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders, cancer, other renal complications and bone fractures.

Cashless Healthcare Providers

Criti Shield Family Shield

10,000+ Healthcare Providers

VS

Freedom

11,600+ cashless network hospitals are available across India.

Restoration Benefit

Criti Shield Family Shield

No restoration benefit verified.

VS

Freedom

Yes, the base sum insured is automatically recharged by 100% upon exhaustion, subject to the policy terms. The recharged sum insured can be used for future claims.

Daycare Treatment

Criti Shield Family Shield

Covers medical procedures requiring hospitalization for less than 24 hours, such as cataract surgery or chemotherapy​

VS

Freedom

Covers all eligible Day Care Procedures up to the sum insured.

Cumulative Bonus

Criti Shield Family Shield

No cumulative bonus benefit verified. The published brochure lists a 5% renewal discount and a family discount of up to 7.5%.

VS

Freedom

No cumulative bonus is available.

AYUSH Treatment

Criti Shield Family Shield

.

VS

Freedom

Covers AYUSH treatment expenses up to the sum insured during the policy period.

Consumable Cover

Criti Shield Family Shield

Not specified.

VS

Freedom

Consumable allowance is available at ₹750 per day for ₹3 lakh and ₹5 lakh sum insured options, subject to a maximum of 7 days per hospitalisation after 3 days.

Initial Waiting Period

Criti Shield Family Shield

30 days for specific infectious disease and hospital daily cash benefits; 0 days for personal accident benefits, as stated in the published brochure.

VS

Freedom

30 days for all illnesses, except accidental injuries.

Specific Waiting Period

Criti Shield Family Shield

30 days for specific infectious disease benefits.

VS

Freedom

2 years for specified named ailments.

PED Waiting Period

Criti Shield Family Shield

Two-year pre-existing disease restriction specified for Hospital Daily Cash Benefit; applicability to other benefits must be checked in the policy wording.

VS

Freedom

2 years for pre-existing diseases.

Modern Treatment

Criti Shield Family Shield

Not specified as a standalone benefit in the reviewed product information.

VS

Freedom

Coverage for treatment using specified advanced technology methods is not available under the plan.

Annual Health Checkup

Criti Shield Family Shield

Not specified.

VS

Freedom

Annual health checkup is available for all adult members insured under the policy.

Pre-Hospitalisation

Criti Shield Family Shield

Accidental pre-hospitalisation expenses may be covered under the applicable accident benefit; a general time limit was not verified.

VS

Freedom

Pre-hospitalisation expenses are covered subject to the applicable limit of 7.5% or 10% of payable hospitalisation expenses, depending on the plan option.

Post-Hospitalisation

Criti Shield Family Shield

Accidental pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses may be covered under the applicable accident benefit; a general post-hospitalisation limit was not verified.

VS

Freedom



Outpatient Department Cover (OPD Expense)

Criti Shield Family Shield

No general OPD benefit verified. Accident-related diagnostic tests may be covered under the applicable benefit.

VS

Freedom

OPD expense is not included in the base plan.

Deductible Option

Criti Shield Family Shield

Any deductible or loss-sharing provision must be confirmed in the policy certificate.

VS

Freedom

Not available as a standard deductible option.

Coverage Options

Criti Shield Family Shield

Specific infectious disease benefits, personal accident benefits, hospital daily cash benefits and selected additional benefits.

VS

Freedom

Available coverage options: ₹3L, ₹5L, ₹7L and ₹10L.

Claim Settlement Ratio

Criti Shield Family Shield

FY 2024-25: ~84%


VS

Freedom

96.3% for the period April 2025 to December 2025.

Maternity Cover

Criti Shield Family Shield

Maternity and pregnancy-termination expenses are listed among exclusions.

VS

Freedom

Not available.

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What Our Experts Help You With

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  • Every suggestion is backed by expert analysis of your life stage, goals, and budget

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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