Buying a policy is only the beginning. Health insurance is a long-term commitment that needs regular review as your age, health needs and family circumstances change.
The best time to buy health insurance is when you don't think you need it.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has announced that Input Tax Credit (ITC) will now be available on health and life insurance policies provided by employers to their employees, a move expected to significantly reduce costs for businesses, especially MSMEs.
Here's decoding the fine print so that you know exactly what your health insurance policy covers, what it doesn't and the policy conditions that deserve your attention before you need to make a claim.
The National Health Authority (NHA) is promoting the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) to standardise and simplify health insurance claims processing in India, aiming for a seamless and reliable digital infrastructure similar to UPI.
'Buy early and review the sum insured regularly.'
'Combining individual or family policies with corporate cover, along with top-ups and wellness programmes, can help maintain strong health protection throughout life.'
Buyers should check their scope and triggers and whether they need such policies alongside their regular health insurance.
The removal of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on individual health and life insurance has led to a significant increase in new policy purchases and higher coverage levels, despite an initial surge moderating, according to industry experts.
Even as non-life insurers reported muted premium growth in October, standalone health insurers saw a robust 38 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) surge. This growth was driven by pent-up demand in the retail health insurance segment.
'Go for a base cover of Rs 10 lakh and then buy a super top-up of Rs 90 lakh.'
Reduction of GST on health insurance premium from 18% to 0% looks like a straight 18% reduction in what consumers pay. The truth, however, is...
Tier-II, Tier-III, and rural regions accounted for 62 per cent of all new health insurance policies sold by insurers so far in 2025-26 (FY26), according to a Policybazaar report. These regions are also witnessing a rise in the sum assured opted by customers.
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Full exemption for all health insurance premiums and reinsurance or a reduction in the GST rate from 18% to 5% on health insurance services is likely.
'The retail industry is still growing in double digits.'
Combine a robust base health plan with a super top-up, critical illness cover and a dedicated medical corpus to protect household finances from soaring treatment costs.
Health insurance premium growth has slowed after touching record highs during the Covid-19 pandemic due to tapering demand from retail consumers amid affordability issues. According to General Insurance Council data, health insurance premiums grew by 10.44 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in the Apr-Jan period of FY25 in comparison with 20.79 per cent in the year-ago period. It was around 23.57 per cent in FY23, and 25.89 per cent in FY22.
Purchase health insurance at an early age, before you incur a disease, as this makes access to health insurance difficult and raises the premium significantly.
Marriage, childbirth, dependent parents and ageing increase the cover a person needs.
Follow these steps to avoid last-minute surprises while claiming your mediclaim -- via cashless or reimbursement method, says P V Subramanyam
Many claim disputes arise not because the insurer refuses to pay but because policyholders don't know the claim process, miss important documents or misunderstand what their policy covers.
Do you have health insurance/mediclaim queries? Rakesh Kaul, chief distribution officer, Edelweiss General Insurance, will answer your queries.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India's (Irdai) recent actions against insurers for breaching expense of management (EoM) limits indicate a serious commitment to enforcing operating and distribution cost controls, according to industry experts.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has removed the age cap on buying health insurance policies, effective from April 1, 2024. Earlier, individuals were restricted to purchasing new insurance policies only until the age of 65. However, after the recent changes that have come into effect from April 01, 2024, anyone, regardless of age, is eligible to purchase a new health insurance.
It is similar to top-up health insurance plan, but provides for one or more claims cumulatively crossing the threshold limit.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has proposed a phased reduction in the expenses of management (EoM) limits for insurers, aiming to lower the overall cost of insurance and enhance returns for policyholders. The proposals also include a new framework for commissions, stricter measures against mis-selling, and mandatory cost audits.
Dedicated Ayush dispensaries increased from 26,130 in 2013-2014 to 37,804 in 2024-2025, while hospitals rose much more slowly, from 3,605 to 3,885.
Sanjib Jha, CEO, Coverfox Insurance Broking, answers your health and auto insurance related queries.
State-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is not keen on a composite license but it is looking to buy less than 50 per cent stake in a standalone health insurance company to enter the health insurance segment such that they have a say in the management of the company, without having to run the company, sources in the know said. "LIC doesn't need a composite licence. "Even if it is introduced, they will not opt for it.
Industry experts believe that health insurance companies are unlikely to experience business cannibalisation due to the central government's decision to extend health coverage to people aged 70 and above, regardless of their income level, under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet expanded the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to include all senior citizens aged 70 and older. This move is expected to benefit nearly 45 million families, comprising 60 million senior citizens, by providing Rs 5 lakh in free health insurance coverage per family.
Policy owners need to avoid errors on their part to prevent claims from being denied.
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Young buyers often underestimate future health risks.
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Property insurance premium rates are increasing by 25-30 per cent, primarily due to a reduction in discounts, following substantial claims from natural calamities like the Gujarat floods, which caused an estimated 5,000 crore in losses.
'Healthcare costs in India rise by 10 to 14% annually, causing treatment costs to double roughly every 5-7 years.'
InsuranceDekho and RenewBuy have merged to establish India's largest artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled insurance distribution platform, targeting a significant premium book and extensive reach across the country.
The insurance regulator's move to prod insurance companies to sell health products to all age groups, including those above 65, is aimed at increasing penetration though there would be challenges on pricing due to higher risk perception, experts said. While there was no regulatory cap on age for health insurance policies, most companies had an internal policy which did not allow them to sell health insurance products to persons over 65.
The merged InsuranceDekho-RenewBuy entity aims to significantly expand its distribution network across India, offering insurance, mutual funds, and loans, with a strong focus on 'Bharat' (rural India), according to CEO Ankit Agarwal.
The move by the insurance regulatory body aims to create a more inclusive healthcare ecosystem in India and to encourage insurance provider companies to diversify their product offerings.
