Brazil has been living with dengue fever for many years, but in recent months, the country has been facing an alarming increase in the number of cases. By the time this article was written, the number of probable cases had already exceeded the 2 million mark in 2024 alone, with 758 confirmed deaths, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
Even with the end of summer, the expectation is that these numbers will continue to be significant. While some cases may require hospitalization, most patients face a temporary disability that prevents them from working.
In this scenario, those who have a health plan and life insurance may have doubts about how insurance products work in cases of dengue fever. Thinking precisely about this, the It’s safe, videocast of InfoMoney which addresses this universe, brought together several experts in this Thursday’s episode (28) to clarify what is covered and what is not. The program is now available on YouTube and the main audio platforms.
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According to Dennys Rosini, product director at insurance company Prudential, there are four coverages within life insurance that can support the insured person who has dengue fever. Are they:
- Death;
- Temporary incapacity, which guarantees financial compensation proportional to the period in which the insured cannot work (even without needing to be admitted to a hospital, for example);
- Hospital admission, which pays an amount corresponding to the cost of daily hospitalization;
- Tropical Diseases, which covers the diagnosis of dengue, zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, etc.
“Today we cover all situations, from diagnosis to the most extreme case of death”, points out Rosini. In addition to coverage, there is already specific assistance on the market for dengue prevention, says Joyce Suman, head of Products at Tempo Assistência.
According to her, the company, which provides 24-hour assistance services to customers of several insurance companies in the country, noticed “an increase in requests for pest control (+16%) and water tank cleaning (+8%) in the first quarter 2024 in relation to the last quarter of 2023”. Therefore, the company developed a specific “combo of services” to combat possible breeding sites for the mosquito that transmits the disease, the Aedes Aegypt, in the homes of customers concerned about not spreading the problem. The combo includes gutter cleaning and a general inspection.
According to Nycolle Soares, a lawyer specializing in Health Law, the main question is whether health plans will cover hospitalizations and, mainly, exams – how to do it and whether it is mandatory to cover this, largely due to the history of Covid -19. “But the system is different, the tests are different, this patient needs to undergo screening. It’s not just about showing up and asking for a test”, explains Nycolle.
Furthermore, the lawyer comments that “there is a great deal of confusion regarding the cost structure of health services in Brazil”. This is because the rules for supplementary health, where health plans fit in, are relatively different from the rules that govern insurance. (like the covers mentioned above)although these products are currently “used together”.
In any case, explains Nycolle, “the right [do segurado ou do usuário de plano de saúde] must be attended to according to the contract that this person made”. The problem, according to the lawyer’s assessment, is that people often do not understand what they are signing up for.
For Bernardo Ribeiro, co-founder of the insurtech Azos, situations like this end up raising awareness and awakening the population about the importance of insurance as support in difficult times, serving not only to supplement the income that the person stopped generating when they were sick, but also with additional expenses, such as the purchase of medicines, which are not covered by the plans.
“Everyone already knows someone who stopped working because of dengue. Many think that life insurance is only for death and it is not. We are talking here about several products through which a person can receive this compensation without dying, which help to maximize all chances of recovery and even return to work as quickly as possible”, highlights Ribeiro.
For experts, when considering taking out insurance to guarantee coverage in cases of dengue fever, it is essential to pay attention to the contractual details, especially the applicable deductibles and how they are treated in relation to the period of leave. It is important to understand whether the insurance contracted has a retroactive deductible or not, as it can significantly impact the amount to be received during the period of temporary incapacity, warns Ribeiro.
Furthermore, it is important to assess whether the coverage specifically includes dengue fever and whether there are specific deficiencies for this disease, highlights Rosini, looking for products that offer adequate protection and a clear understanding of the benefits offered.
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