In the last two months, several coronavirus-specific insurance products have been launched in the market. While they might be useful in covering treatment costs if someone unfortunately gets infected, none of them help to allay the anxiety and answer the most pertinent questions that people have today.
With more people being anxious than sick, insurance company Acko has launched a free doctor consultation on call service to support people through these times. The service can be availed by users after getting their symptoms checked online. It allows anyone to share their concerns with a qualified doctor, all from the confines of their home, and receive appropriate medical advice instantly. The AI-based symptom checker, curated by a team of doctors, is based on the WHO and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines.
The do-it-yourself tool, enquires about common symptoms of infection, such as fever, cough, weakness, sore throat, chest pain or difficulty in breathing, travel history etc. Using its AI algorithm, it shows a risk assessment instantly across the following – low, moderate or high risk. Depending on the severity, it immediately facilitates a telephonic consultation with a doctor to further discuss the symptoms and next steps.
Within a few hours of its launch, Acko says it has facilitated 300+ doctor consultations and thousands of symptom checks.
“Right now, people are anxious and even a minor flu-symptom can cause panic. We don’t want to add to the anxiety by saying ‘you need coronavirus insurance’. The regulator has already clarified that if you have health insurance, COVID-19 is already covered. We want to help ease their fears and assist them in getting medical attention promptly, and to support the potentially burdened public healthcare in our own small way.” said Biresh Giri, Appointed Actuary, Head of Product Development & CRO, Acko.
The symptom checker and doctor consultation is available free of cost on Acko’s website here.