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Doctor’s IMA SBI Card Review: Features, Benefits, and More

Doctor’s IMA SBI Card Review: Features, Benefits, and More

Doctor’s IMA SBI Card is a credit card launched by the State Bank of India (SBI) in association with the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The Indian Medical Association or IMA is the largest national voluntary organisation that represents physicians of the modern system of medicine in India. An interesting point is that this is the only credit card that is launched in association with the IMA. Just like every credit card, this credit card allows users to buy products and avail services on credit and pay later.

However, the only difference between the Doctor’s IMA SBI card and other credit cards is that this card has been created especially for doctors. Every user has some specific needs when it comes to using a credit card for various purposes. These needs depend on factors, such as their age, occupation, region, lifestyle, preferences, medical conditions, travelling plans, and so on.

Credit card users who are doctors have some different requirements compared to other users. Doctors have a high-stress and hectic lifestyle owing to their profession. The Doctor’s IMA SBI card has been made to address the specific requirements of the people in this noble profession and make their lives a little easier.

Let’s have a look at the features, benefits, rewards, fees, eligibility criteria, application process, and other details regarding the Doctor’s IMA SBI card below.

Doctor’s IMA SBI Card Features 

The card has been designed to become a perfect companion for healthcare workers in numerous ways. It can be used to make payments for fulfilling several daily and occasional needs that can arise in the life of a doctor. These needs include but are not limited to domestic and international travelling, indemnity insurance, and medical supplies.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Cardholders get exclusive Professional Indemnity Insurance coverage worth Rs. 20 Lakhs. This insurance provides financial protection to doctors during unfavourable circumstances. At times, patients or their family members file a claim against the doctor because they hold the doctor responsible for the unexpected outcome of the treatment provided by him or her. 

Doctors might have to arrange funds for out-of-court settlement expenses, legal fees, court awards, and other expenses. This insurance provides coverage for those expenses, and thereby, gives peace of mind to doctors.

Domestic and International Travelling

The Doctor’s IMA SBI card offers travel vouchers, lounge access, reward points, and much more to make your trips smooth and enjoyable.

Medical Supplies

Doctors spend a considerable amount of money on buying medical supplies on a frequent basis. This card offers reward points on transactions related to purchasing medical supplies.

Cash Withdrawal Facility

Just like all other credit cards, the Doctor’s IMA SBI card also offers the facility to withdraw cash. You can withdraw cash from more than 1 million Visa or MasterCard ATMs across the world.

Flexipay

Use the Flexipay service provided by SBI to convert your credit card transactions into easy monthly instalments. The total amount of the transactions should be Rs. 2500 or more. 

Zero Liability Protection

Cardholders shall not be liable for any fraudulent transaction made with the card once they report the loss of the card to the bank.

Emergency Card Replacement

Users can call the 24×7 Helpline Number to request emergency card replacement from anywhere in the world.

Balance Transfer on EMI

Having this credit card allows you to transfer the outstanding balance of the credit cards issued by other banks to your Doctor’s IMA SBI card.

Doctor’s IMA SBI Card Fees, Waiver, Interest Rate, and Charges

  • Joining Fee

The Doctor’s IMA SBI card has a one-time joining fee of Rs. 1499 exclusive of taxes.

  • Renewal Fee

An annual renewal fee of Rs. 1499 inclusive of taxes is applicable on the card.

  • Waiver of Renewal Fee

The annual renewal fee can be waived on making an annual expenditure of Rs. 2 Lakhs.

  • Interest Rate

The interest rate levied in case of late payments of the credit card bill is 3.5% per month or 42% per year.

  • Cash Advance Charge

A cash advance charge of 2.5% of the transaction amount or Rs. 500, whichever is lower, is charged on the transactions related to withdrawing cash from an ATM using this credit card.

  • Foreign Currency Markup Fee

A foreign currency markup fee of 3.5% is levied on the foreign currency transactions conducted through the Doctor’s IMA SBI card.

  • Fuel Surcharge Waiver

Waiver of 1% fuel surcharge at all petrol pumps across the country. Users have to buy fuel worth Rs. 500 and Rs. 4000 to obtain this waiver. The maximum waiver amount is Rs. 250 per cycle.

  • Rewards Redemption Fee

A rewards redemption fee of Rs. 99 exclusive of taxes is applicable on redeeming the rewards obtained by using the credit card. 

Benefits of Doctor’s IMA SBI Card 

  • Welcome Benefits

Users get a welcome gift of a travel e-voucher worth Rs. 1500 from Yatra.com. You can redeem the voucher online while making any transaction on the Yatra.com website.

  • Travel Benefits

  • You get 8 complimentary visits to Domestic Airport Lounges in a year. Visits are capped to 2 times in a quarter.
  • You get free access to the Priority Pass Program worth $99. As a part of the Priority Pass Program, you will get 4 complimentary visits to International Airport Lounges in a year. Visits are capped to 2 times in a quarter. You will be charged $27 per visit in the Priority Pass Program after the complimentary visits have been exhausted.
  • You get exclusive benefits by using the card in any of the pre-selected 900 luxury hotels across the world. 
  • Milestone Benefits

Users get an e-gift voucher worth Rs. 5000 from Yatra.com/Bata/Shoppers Stop on spending Rs. 5 Lakhs in a year.

Doctor’s IMA SBI Card Rewards

  • 1 Reward Point per Rs. 100 spent using the Doctor’s IMA SBI Card. Thus, the value of each reward point is worth Rs. 0.25.
  • 5X Reward Points per Rs. 100 spent on Medical Supplies, Domestic Travelling, and International Travelling.
  • 5X Reward Points on all expenditures made on Doctor’s Day.
  • Get up to 35% off on Avis Car Rentals.
  • Redeem the reward points or use them to pay the bill of your credit card. A wide range of options is available in the reward point catalogue for redeeming the reward points. 

Eligibility Criteria for Doctor’s IMA SBI Card 

  • The applicant should be a minimum of 21 years of age.
  • The applicant should not be more than 65 years of age.
  • The applicant should be a practising salaried doctor or a self-practising doctor for 3 years.
  • The applicant should have a minimum annual income of Rs. 1,50,000.

How to Apply for Doctor’s IMA SBI Card 

In order to apply for the Doctor’s IMA SBI card, you need to prove that you meet the eligibility criteria by furnishing the necessary documents. You will also have to complete the required formalities. The list of documents, which are usually needed to apply for the card, includes proof of identity, proof of address, proof of income, self-attested copies of medical degrees, and registration certificates from the State Medical Council or the Medical Council of India.

You can start the application process by visiting your nearest SBI branch. You can also call on the toll-free numbers provided by SBI or even visit their website. If you have an account in the State Bank of India, you might be able to apply for the card from your net banking portal or mobile application. If are applying online, keep the documents handy. 

Final thoughts: Is Doctor’s IMA SBI Card  worth it?

Doctors incur a lot of expenses on fuel, medical supplies, and travelling. They have to travel to domestic and international destinations to attend medical conferences and other professional events. They even travel to perform surgeries and provide treatment to patients. They can get numerous benefits from using the Doctor’s IMA SBI card while paying for the expenses they incur.

For doctors, Doctor’s IMA SBI Card is a must have.

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