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Insurance Plans Comparison

Star Special Care Gold vs ICICI Lombard Criti Shield Family Shield

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Star

Special Care Gold

Cover hospital bills for a listed disability or HIV with a 20% co-pay, and if the CD4 count falls below 150 after 90 days pay a once-in-a-lifetime lump sum of the sum insured or the remaining balance.

What Makes It Special:

Special Care Gold is designed for persons with disabilities and individuals with HIV/AIDS. The product provides individual indemnity and benefit coverage, with defined eligibility requirements, hospitalisation cover, daycare treatment, AYUSH treatment, modern treatment coverage and a 20% co-payment that can be waived through an optional benefit.

Best For:

  • Customers who need defined coverage with optional co-payment waiver

  • Customers looking for AYUSH hospitalisation coverage

  • Families seeking specialised health insurance for eligible members

  • Eligible individuals living with HIV/AIDS

  • Eligible persons with disabilities

VS
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.

Insurance Plans Comparison

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

  • No pre-policy medical test is required, subject to submission requirements.

  • A co-payment waiver is available for additional premium.

  • AYUSH inpatient treatment is covered up to 100% of Sum Insured.

  • Sum Insured options of ₹4 Lakh and ₹5 Lakh are available.

  • The product is specifically structured for disability and HIV/AIDS-related eligibility.

  • 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.

Insurance Plans Comparison

Detailed Features Comparison

Compare the key features of different health insurance plans

Special Care Gold
Special Care Gold

Health Insurance Plan

VS
Criti Shield Family Shield
Criti Shield Family Shield

Health Insurance Plan

Room Rent

Special Care Gold

Up to 1% of Sum Insured per day

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Special Care Gold

Up to 2% of Sum Insured per day

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Advanced Treatments

Special Care Gold

Information Unavailable

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

  1. Oral Chemotherapy 
  2. Robotic Surgeries 
  3. Stem Cell Therapy 
Disease-wise sublimits

Special Care Gold

Specified treatment limits apply


VS

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.

Co-payment

Special Care Gold

20% on all claims; waiver available for additional premium


VS

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.

Restoration Benefit

Special Care Gold

Not specified

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

No restoration benefit verified.

Cashless Healthcare Providers

Special Care Gold

Cashless treatment available at network hospitals


VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

10,000+ Healthcare Providers

Cumulative Bonus

Special Care Gold

Not specified

VS

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%.

Daycare Treatment

Special Care Gold

All daycare procedures covered

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Consumable Cover

Special Care Gold

Not specified

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

Not specified.

AYUSH Treatment

Special Care Gold

Covered up to 100% of Sum Insured

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

.

Initial Waiting Period

Special Care Gold

30 Days for indemnity basis; 90 Days for HIV/AIDS benefit basis


VS

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.

Specific Waiting Period

Special Care Gold

24 Months

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

30 days for specific infectious disease benefits.

PED Waiting Period

Special Care Gold

36 Months for PEDs other than specified disability and HIV/AIDS; 24 Months for pre-existing disability


VS

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.

Modern Treatment

Special Care Gold

Covered up to 50% of Sum Insured for listed modern treatments

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Annual Health Checkup

Special Care Gold

Not specified


VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

Not specified.

Pre-Hospitalisation

Special Care Gold

Up to 30 Days

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Post-Hospitalisation

Special Care Gold

Up to 60 Days

VS

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.

Outpatient Department Cover (OPD Expense)

Special Care Gold

Not a standard OPD benefit


VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Deductible Option

Special Care Gold

Not specified

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Coverage Options

Special Care Gold

₹4 Lakh and ₹5 Lakh, individual basis


VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

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

Claim Settlement Ratio

Special Care Gold

Not specified


VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

FY 2024-25: ~84%


Maternity Cover

Special Care Gold

Not specified as a standard maternity benefit

VS

Criti Shield Family Shield

Maternity and pregnancy-termination expenses are listed among exclusions.

Insurance Plans Comparison

Still Confused? Get Expert Advice

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Why Choose Our Expert Consultation?

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Pure advice, no unwanted calls, no unnecessary push

Free Expert Consultation

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Talk to experienced advisors at no cost, and make confident decisions

24/7 Claim Assistance

24/7 Claim Assistance

Get a dedicated expert managing your claim end-to-end, from hospital admission to approval, including dispute resolution and support

What Our Experts Help You With

Personalised Recommendations

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

Expert-Led Policy Review

  • We decode the fine print—identifying risks, sub-limits, and gaps you may have missed. No surprises later

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  • From digital onboarding to real-time claim tracking, our platform makes insurance easy, accessible, and stress-free

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Special Care Gold Vs Criti Shield Family Shield

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