MAM
Happy New Year for Star Plus as it clocks 396 GRPs
MUMBAI: Consolidating its numero uno position, Star Plus has added 28 GRPS (gross rating points) to its previous week‘s tally to start 2011 with 396 GRPs.
The channel got support from the newly created joint venture awards property, Big Star Entertainment Awards, which clocked 5.5 TVR from its telecast on 31 December. Incidentally, this is the highest rating an event has got on television over the last 28 weeks (since Star Parivaar awards).
The Awards event reached out to 31.4 million viewers over 2.5 hours, contributing 26 GRPs to the channel during the week.
Star Plus also got a boost in the weekday 7-8 pm band with Saathiya getting a 6.1 TVR (from 5.8 TVR in previous week) and Sasural Genda Phool clocking 5.5 TVR (from 5.1 TVR), according to Tam data (C&S, HSM) for the week ended 1 January.
Meanwhile, Colors and Zee TV retained their second and third positions with 283 and 224 GRPs respectively. Both the channels lost seven GRPs compared to the previous week.
For Colors, its newly launched fiction in 6.30 pm band – Maati Ki Banno – averaged 1.5 TVR with the launch episode delivering a 1.6 TVR, while the repeat of the Salman Khan starrer Dabangg on Sunday rated 4.5.
For Zee TV, the popular dance reality show DID Doubles launched well, delivering a 4 TVR for the week. The launch episode got a TVR of 4.6, reached out to 25.million viewers and had a timespent of 25.1 minutes, according to Tam data.
Among the other Hindi GECs, Sony Entertainment and Sab remained unchanged with 179 GRPs and 146 GRPs for the week ended 1 January. Imagine TV added three GRPs to end the week with 86 GRPs while Star One and Sahara One were hovering at 38 GRPs and 31 GRPs respectively.
When you buy a health insurance policy, you usually focus on hospital bills and treatment costs. But serious illnesses don’t just affect your medical expenses: they disrupt your income, lifestyle and long-term plans. That’s where a Critical Illness Rider becomes relevant. It works as an additional layer of financial protection when you are diagnosed with a major illness.
Instead of reimbursing hospital bills, this rider offers a lump-sum payout you can use as needed. Understanding its mechanism helps you decide if your coverage is truly complete.
What is a Critical Illness Rider?
It is an add-on benefit attached to your existing health insurance policy. It provides a fixed lump sum amount if you are diagnosed with any illness listed under the rider. You become eligible for a payout solely on the basis of diagnosis, not by hospitalisation or treatment expenses.
Unlike regular coverage, you are not required to submit medical bills to claim this benefit. Once the diagnosed illness meets the policy definition and criteria, the insurer releases the amount. This makes it different from standard critical health insurance plans, which are standalone policies rather than add-ons.
How a Critical Illness Rider Works
When you opt for this rider, you choose a predefined sum assured. If you are diagnosed with a covered illness, the insurer pays the full amount in one lump sum. The payout can be used for treatment, recovery, income replacement, debt repayment, or even lifestyle adjustments.
Most riders specify a waiting period and a survival period. The waiting period means the illness must be diagnosed after a certain number of days from the policy start date. The survival period requires you to survive for a specific number of days after diagnosis for the claim to be valid.
Key Features of a Critical Illness Rider
Here are some of the key features of a critical illness rider:
Lump Sum Benefit
The most important feature is the lump sum payout. You are not restricted to medical usage. This flexibility allows you to handle non-medical costs that often arise during long-term illness.
Coverage for Major Illnesses
Critical Illness Riders usually cover life-altering conditions such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and major organ transplants. The exact list varies across insurers, so reviewing covered conditions is essential.
One-Time Claim Structure
In most cases, once a claim is paid, the rider terminates. This is because it is designed to address high-impact illnesses rather than recurring medical needs.
Affordable Premium
Since it is an add-on, the premium is lower than that of standalone critical health insurance plans. This makes it a cost-effective way to enhance your existing health insurance policy.
No Hospitalisation Requirement
You don’t need to be hospitalised to receive the benefit. Diagnosis alone is enough to avail the benefits. But ensure that all the policy conditions are met.
Income Protection Support
During critical illness, loss of income can be more damaging than medical bills. The rider helps bridge this gap by offering financial stability when you need it most.
Who Should Consider a Critical Illness Rider
If you have dependents, loans or limited savings, this rider adds meaningful protection. It is also relevant if your employer-provided health insurance policy focuses mainly on hospitalisation and lacks income replacement support.
Conclusion
A Critical Illness rider strengthens your health insurance policy by covering financial gaps that regular medical coverage often ignores. It gives you control, flexibility and immediate support during serious health events. Before choosing one, review the list of covered illnesses, waiting periods and claim conditions carefully. When structured correctly, this rider can protect not just your health expenses but also your financial stability during challenging times.
