In order to provide quality treatments to your patients and stay relevant in the rapidly growing healthcare sector, upgrading your medical equipment is extremely crucial. State-of-the-art mechanisms and advanced new diagnostic and treatment equipment can be extremely expensive. A good way to finance these is to get a loan.
Apply for a medical equipment loan to get access to the required funds immediately and get started. How you ask? Well, keep reading to find out the eligibility criteria for getting such a loan along with the documents required. Also, learn a few knicks and knacks to get through the application process easily. But before that, let us first understand the various uses and features of a Medical Equipment Loan.
What is a Medical Equipment Loan?
Table of Contents
While there is an increase in the availability of professional loans like Doctor Loans in India, what you need may be a bit more specific. As a medical practitioner, you can take advantage of this credit facility and purchase new equipment. This is inclusive of high-cost equipment including sonography, X-ray, and MRI machines.
Additionally, if you are looking to change your current machinery with more high-tech and advanced equipment, you can do so with the help of this loan. The medical equipment loan is a term loan which can also be utilised to meet your clinic’s ancillary needs as well. Some other important features of this loan are noted below.
- The repayment term is usually between 12 to 84 months. The tenure can vary from one lender to another
- Due to the nature of massive investments, lenders offer competitive interest rates and provide options created to suit your professional needs
- These are primarily unsecured and require no collateral. However, if the amount exceeds a certain limit you may be required to mortgage your assets to borrow the money
- Medical Equipment Loan covers working capital needs, project finance, credit requirements, and so forth
What is the Eligibility Criteria For a Medical Equipment Loan?
Some eligibility criteria, common across most lenders have been listed below. Please note that there could be some changes and additional criteria, depending on the lender you choose to get the loan from.
- You should be a self-employed doctor having at least a BDS or MBBS degree
- Self-employed doctors practicing Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, and Homeopathy are also eligible to apply for this loan
- For a business to get such a loan, the company’s promoter should be a doctor with the aforementioned qualifications
- Pathological laboratories and diagnostics centres, hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes can apply for this loan
- You must be 25 to 65 years old to be able to apply for this loan
- You may be required to have 1 to 3 years of work experience post-qualification
- You may need a good credit score and a clean credit history
- Some banks may require you to have run your clinic/diagnostics centre for a minimum of 3 years or so
Documents Required For a Medical Equipment Loan
Prior to starting the application process, it is important to keep the required documents handy. While this may differ from one loan provider to another, here is a concise list of documents you could be asked to provide when applying.
1. Self-employed Doctors
- Identity Proof: Aadhaar card, Passport, Voter ID, PAN card
- Residence Proof: Aadhaar card, Passport, Utility bills, Voter ID, Rent agreement
- Business Address Proof: Rent agreement, Utility bills
- Income Proof: bank statement of the last 6 months, ITR of the last 2 years
2. Firm/Company:
- Business Address Proof: PAN card and other registration documents
- Identity Proof of Proprietor, Director, or Partner: Aadhaar card, Passport, Voter ID, PAN card
Things to Consider When Applying for a Medical Equipment Loan
1. Equipment Requirements
Prior to applying for a medical equipment loan, make sure that your chosen plan is perfectly aligned with your requirements. It is advisable to identify the necessity and estimated costs of the machinery or other equipment you look to purchase. This information will help you make an informed decision and select the right financing option.
2. Financing Options
There has been a constant rise in loans being created which cater to specific professional needs like the Doctor Loans in India. It is important to look at the various options available to you, including the Medical Equipment Loan. Apply for a loan only after conducting thorough research about the loan type, end uses, and of course, the interest rates. Compare and choose a plan that suits your finances and budget.
3. Repayment Options
A majority of the lending institutions will offer you extended loan tenures of up to 7 years. Additionally, you will also be offered flexible repayment options like an EMI moratorium of up to approximately 6 months. These terms may vary from lender to lender. Make sure to consider these terms when making your decision. This ease of repaying the loan on your terms allows you to accommodate any unexpected expense. This makes it extremely convenient for you to manage your finances.
4. Terms & Conditions
Alongside the interest rate and repayment terms, many other additional conditions can affect your repayment ability. Processing fees, prepayment penalties, and foreclosure charges are some factors which need to be considered before getting a loan. These substantially contribute to the overall cost of your loan.
5. Maintainance & Insurance
Buying new medical equipment can be quite expensive. Hence, prior to taking a loan, it is important to understand the various costs associated with the purchase. This includes not just the initial investment, but also the additional maintenance costs that come along with it. Factor in the insurance costs for the equipment as well when calculating the aggregate cost of the purchase. Understanding such future costs can help you budget and handle your finances better in the long run.
The Medical Equipment Loan helps solve the problems that come with buying new medical equipment. It helps ease the financial burden attached to it and also allows you to cover other ancillary costs. Make sure to use the aforementioned tips and tricks before applying for this extremely beneficial loan. Go purchase that high-tech equipment that will give your healthcare service an edge above all other clinics and provide your patients with the treatment they deserve!
